Cedar Ridge Men’s Basketball

Even in the darkest hole, you’d be well advised to never count out Cedar Ridge men’s basketball this season.

It wouldn’t make much sense to think that Cedar Ridge could take down Chatham Central on Monday night, especially when the Bears came into the game 12-0.  Chatham’s first win came against Cedar Ridge, 65-48, on November 21 in Bear Creek.

Since then, the Bears had beaten ten of its twelve opponents by double-figures. Only Seaforth (64-57) and Southeast Alamance (69-64) had given Chatham Central a competitive game.

Yet not only did the Red Wolves pull off a 53-52 upset in overtime on Monday night at Red Wolves Gymnasium, but it was a freshman who paved the way.

Jordan Jacobson drilled the game-winning three-pointer with :5.4 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Red Wolves to its third win of the season. In the final sequence, Cedar Ridge’s Landon Dalehite had an open look from the left elbow but missed a three-pointer. The Red Wolves Braeden Wilbourn attempted a catch-and-shoot on the rebound, but it was blocked by the Bears’ Aidan Johnson. Cedar Ridge center Hayden Kirk knocked the ball back to Jacobson on the wing for the game-winning shot.

Jacobson was responsible for the game going to overtime in the first place. He drained an 18-footer with :8.1 remaining in regulation to even it up at 46-46. The Bears’ Reed Albright missed a three-point attempt over Dalehite at the fourth quarter buzzer.

The Bears’ final chance to win was intercepted by Wilbourn, who swiped a skip pass and dribbled up the floor untouched. As the clock ran out, a triumphant Cedar Ridge coach Mike Jones thrust both of his fists into the air in jubilation for possibly the biggest win in his second year on the job.

“We’ve got so much more confidence now,” Jones said. “I’m so proud of my guys. They were down in the fourth quarter but they never got down on themselves. I knew Jordan was ready to take those shots. He has the confidence to do that. I love my team.”

Wilbourn led Cedar Ridge with 16 points. Jacobson had a career-high 12 points.

Jeremiah Young came off the bench to lead the Bears (13-1) with 17 points. Albright added 13.

Wilbourn started overtime with a beautiful spin move down the lane for a lay-in. Albright responded with two free-throws to even the game at 48-48. It appeared Dalehite would have a chance to put the Red Wolves ahead by three when he drove the lane for his own lay-up, but he was called for a charge as he collided with Johnson.

Chatham Central’s Luke Gains split two free throws to put the Bears ahead 49-48. Wilbourn responded with a gorgeous lay-in off the dribble.

While the Bears have a wide array of outside shooters, for a fleeting moment it appeared their hero would be Logan Maness, who drilled a 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:01 remaining in overtime. It was Maness’ only points of the game and vaulted the Bears ahead 52-50.

Cedar Ridge trailed 30-26 at the half. The Bears increased its lead to 43-36 with 3:51 remaining after a 15-foot jumper by Young. Jacobson started the comeback with a lay-up on a dribble drive. Dalehite blocked a shot by Alrbright on the next Chatham possession and fed Jacobson, who hit Wilbourn down the floor for another lay-in. Seconds later, a Chatham Central reserve who never played in the game was hit with a technical foul after he yelled something to an official about the lack of a foul call on Dalehite’s block.

Two free throws by Wilbourn cut Chatham Central’s lead to 43-42 with 2:36 remaining.

The Red Wolves will face Orange tonight in Hillsborough. While the Red Wolves will be underdogs, it’s something that Jones won’t worry about after a memorable Monday night.

“This win stomps that Person win,” Jones said. “This was a bigger one.”

The Cedar Ridge men’s basketball team pulled off its biggest win in years on Tuesday night. The Red Wolves stunned Person 48-41, finishing the game on a 11-0 run in the final 2:37 for its second win of the season. Braedon Wilbourn led the Red Wolves with 19 points, a career-high. Senior center Harrison Perel scored off a lay-in from a pass by Hayden Kirk with 1:37 remaining to put the Red Wolves ahead 42-41. They never trailed again. Cedar Ridge built a ten-point lead early in the second quarter. Wilbourn scored ten points in the first half and freshman point guard Jordan Jacobson had eight points. The Red Wolves avenged a disappointing loss to Person last January, when they led by 19 points at the half but wound up losing 56-49. Cedar Ridge also bounced back from a tough loss to Western Alamance on Saturday in the 7th place game of the Southeast Alamance Holiday Hoopla Tournament. Cedar Ridge led by four points with two minutes remaining, but the Warriors closed out the game with a 7-0 run. On Monday, the Red Wolves upset a Person team that came into the game 9-1. Wilbourn has scored in double-figures in each of his last three games. The Red Wolves will travel to Southern Alamance on Friday night.

Cedar Ridge men’s basketball’s Braedon Wilbourn & Harrison Perel discuss upset of Person

The Cedar Ridge men’s basketball team pulled off its biggest win in years on Tuesday night. The Red Wolves stunned Person 48-41, finishing the game on a 11-0 run in the final 2:37 for its second win of the season. Braedon Wilbourn led the Red Wolves with 19 points, a career-high.

On the second day of 2024, the Cedar Ridge men’s basketball team sprung the upset of the year.

Facing a 9-1 Person team that many felt will challenge for the Central Conference championship, a 1-10 Cedar Ridge team slowed Person’s transition game, grabbed key rebounds down the stretch and controlled the two minutes to shock the Rockets 48-41 on Tuesday night in Red Wolves Gymnasium.

Cedar Ridge’s Braedon Wilbourn led all scorers with 19 points while Landon Dalehite added 12 on a night where things that should be relevant were not.

Cedar Ridge’s losing a key guard who left the team over Christmas? Didn’t matter.

Person’s superior height and quickness advantage? Didn’t matter.

Person’s Lance Clark raining down 14 points in the second half? Nothing that couldn’t be solved with some well-timed defense.

What did matter was last January in Hillsborough. Cedar Ridge led the Rockets by 19 points at halftime. But Person rallied, held the Red Wolves to three points in the third quarter, nine free throw attempts the entire game and wound up winning 56-49.

Cedar Ridge coach Mike Jones generally has boundless optimism, but that game left a sour taste in his mouth. He can still quote the halftime score off the top of his head like its name of his daughter.

“I’ve wanted that one for a year,” Jones said. “I’ve been thinking about that game for a year. I’m so proud of the way my team just played. We punched them. We took a punch. We kept fighting. We ignored the crowd. We ignored the referees. We just focused and we played. I’m so proud of them.”

Cedar Ridge held the Rockets scoreless in the final 2:48, outscoring the Rockets 11-0 to end the game.

Clarke scored 14 points for Person, all in the second half. With 4:12 remaining in the fourth quarter, Person’s DaeJon Hodge collected an entry pass from Clarke and scored a lay-in to put the Rockets ahead 38-34, its largest advantage of the game. Dalehite responded with a clutch 3-pointer, which led to some clutch plays by the Red Wolves.

“That was probably the biggest jumper Landon has hit in his whole life,” Jones said. “That was a huge one.”

With 3:20 remaining, Wilbourn stole a pass from Hodge and scored on a lay-in to put the Red Wolves ahead 39-38.

Clarke immediately drained a 3-pointer off a skip pass from C.J. Hunt to put the Rockets in front 41-39. It was Person’s final field goal.

After Harrison Perel split two free throws with 2:38 remaining, Clarke appeared to have a steal for Person, but Cedar Ridge’s Hayden Kirk stole it right back and fed Perel for a lay-in to give the Red Wolves a 42-41 lead with 1:37 left.

In the final minute, Kirk grabbed a crucial offensive rebound off a Perel miss and fed Wilbourn for a lay-in. The Red Wolves got a crucial free throw from Dalehite with :14.1 remaining, then got another huge offensive board from Kirk to secure a stunning upset.

“The last three or four games, Harrison, Hayden and Luke Orstad have rebounded the basketball so well,” Jones said. “It’s just made a world of difference for us.”

Leading by seven at the break, the Red Wolves built a ten-point advantage early in the second half. It appeared that Clarke would shoot the Rockets troubles away when he drained three 3-pointers in the third quarter. Person started another rally whenHodge sank a baseline jumper, then Person’s Jordan Lunsford stole the inbounds pass, leading to Hodge scoring again while getting fouled by Perel to cut the Red Wolf lead to 28-24.

Cedar Ridge grabbed a win days after a heartbreaking loss to Western Alamance in the seventh-place game of the Southeast Alamance Holiday Hoopla. On Saturday, the Red Wolves led 34-30 with 3:12 remaining. The Warriors scored the final seven points, capped by a three-pointer from James Newton at the buzzer.

But that was so 2023. It’s now 2024 and late Monday night, Jones was the happiest man in Hillsborough.

“I’ve been blessed to say I’ve been the coach here for a year-and-a-half,” Jones said. “This is the biggest win we’ve had since I’ve been here.”