Orange Men’s Basketball

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is men’s soccer midfielder Emmanuel Mil Cruz. For the first time ever this season, Orange reached the state playoffs in back-to-back years. Mil Cruz, one of eight seniors on the team, was tied for the team lead with five goals. Mil Cruz scored Orange’s a goal in his senior night game against Eastern Alamance, a 1-1 tie on October 19. Mil Cruz also had a goal in Orange’s 3-2 win at Southern Alamance on September 20. In the season opener at Durham School of the Arts on August 17, Mil Cruz notched the game-winning goal on a header in the second half as the Panthers won 2-1. Mil Cruz spent two years at the varsity level for the Orange men’s soccer team. He had four goals in his junior season, including a tally in Orange’s memorable 3-2 upset over Chapel Hill on October 13, 2022. He also had an assist in the Panthers 3-2 win over Northwood, which was the last time the Chargers and the Panthers played as conference opponents. Mil Cruz ended his Orange career with nine goals and 22 points. He will graduate in June.

Orange Panther of the Week: Emmanuel Mil Cruz

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is men’s soccer midfielder Emmanuel Mil Cruz. For the first time ever this season, Orange reached the state playoffs in back-to-back years. Mil Cruz, one of eight seniors on the team, was tied for the team lead with five goals.

Life is never easy on the road in high school basketball. Just before Thanksgiving, the Orange men’s basketball team had to battle a humid new gymnasium at Northern Durham, 12 straight fouls called against them in the second half and the loss of their leading scorer in a victory over Northern Durham on November 22. Junior guard Xandrell Pennix drained two clutch 3-pointers, including one with :54 seconds remaining that put the Panthers ahead 57-53. Pennix drained his final two shots from downtown and finished with 14 points. Orange center Ryan Honeycutt led the Panthers with 17 points. He also had seven rebounds. Orange won the first varsity game inside the new Northern Durham Gymnasium. Kai Wade added ten points as Orange improved to 2-0 despite the loss of sophomore Coleman Cloer, who suffered a left ankle injury two weeks ago during practice. Orange suffered a tough loss to Riverside on Tuesday night in Hillsborough, dropping its record to 2-2. The Panthers will play Jordan coming up tonight (Thursday) at Falcon Gymnasium. It will be the fourth DAC-VII opponent that the Panthers have faced this season. Orange defeated Hillside in the opener. Hillsboroughsports.com will broadcast tonight’s game starting at 7 PM.

Orange men’s basketball’s Ryan Honeycutt & Xandrell Pennix discuss win at Northern Durham

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The Orange men’s basketball team’s season opener will go down as a classic. The Panthers defeated Hillside in front of a packed Orange High Gymnasium on Friday night. In a frantic final 15 seconds, Kai Wade tied the game with a 12-foot jumper with ten seconds remaining. As Hillside tried to inbound, Freddy Sneed poked the ball away. Sneed threw the ball to Xandrell Pennix, who found a wide-open Malachi Poole on the wing. Poole, who had not attempted a shot in the game, fired in a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining. The crowd rushed the floor as Orange defeated Hillside for the first time since 2009. Wade has been a spark plug on offense since he started his first varsity game as a freshman last year in Orange’s opener against East Chapel Hill. With the leading scorer from last year, Coleman Cloer, out for the Hillside game with a sprained ankle, Wade carried the load offensively for the Panthers scoring 18 points. Orange will go for its second win of the season tonight (Tuesday) when they trek to the new Northern Durham High School to face the Knights. It will be the first trip for Orange to the new Northern Durham High School.

Orange men’s basketball’s Kai Wad & Malachi Poole discuss dramatic opening win over Hillside

The Orange men’s basketball team’s season opener will go down as a classic. The Panthers defeated Hillside in front of a packed Orange High Gymnasium on Friday night. In a frantic final 15 seconds, Kai Wade tied the game with a 12-foot jumper with ten seconds remaining.