Orange High School

Unlike the win-now-or-else world of football, high school basketball allows teams time to grow.

Seven weeks ago, Greg Motley knew the hand his was dealt for the 2015-16 basketball season was going to be shorthanded in the beginning. He would go into the season without Eryk Brandon-Dean, the point guard who guided his transition offense carefully for two seasons. As has been well documented, Brandon-Dean suffered a torn ACL against September 24th. Backup center Jace Jordan-Cornell would also miss half the season due to a leg injury, also suffered in football.

With only one starter returning, Orange predictably started 0-3, but there was reason for optimism. Now, having had time to gell and with Motley placing the guard tandem of Cameron Cavanaugh and Reggie Bradsher as regular starters, the Panthers have won seven of its last eight.

The latest victory came on Tuesday night with a 63-43 victory over crosstown rival Cedar Ridge. Playing its 2nd game in just over 24 hours, the Panthers received 21 points each from Connor Crabtree and Logan Vosburg to improve to 10-7. Orange is also 6-1 in the Big 8 conference, a game behind Southern Durham for first place (The Spartans blew out Northwood 81-43 on Tuesday).

“There were a lot of questions coming in (this season),” said Motley. “We didn’t know how good we could be. Now they’ve figured it out and they’re doing a good job.”

The surprise of the night wasn’t that Vosburg scored 21 points. He had put up 17 points and 15 rebounds just the day before against previously undefeated Goldsboro at the Durham School of the Arts.

The fact Vosburg hit 3-pointers in the 2nd half was another matter.

“That was big,” said Motley. “Some nights he looks to shoot it, some night he doesn’t. But we allow him the freedom to shoot the ball.”

For Cedar Ridge, the loss was a far cry from the elation of last February, when they stunned Orange 69-63 after trailing by 19 points early in the 3rd quarter. Not only did that win give Cedar Ridge a season sweep of its crosstown rival, it cost Orange the Big 8 regular season championship.

Orange led 29-26 at the half after the Red Wolves held Crabtree scoreless in the first quarter. Panther forward Daniel Mulligan, who finished with 11 points, scored seven in the first quarter.

The third saw Orange out score the Red Wolves 21-6. Cedar Ridge’s offense the entire quarter consisted of two field goals by Senior Peyton Pappas and two free throws by Jonathan Hall.

The familiar problem for the Red Wolves is scoring.  Pappas will get his points. He’s too talented not to. So will Chapel Hill transfer Jacob Thomas. But after that, it’s a question mark.

Pappas led the Red Wolves with 20 points on Tuesday, while Thomas was held to 9, including a lone field goal in the second half. The rest of the team had 14 points.

“I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Orange played a heckuva game,” said Cedar Ridge coach Clay Jones. “They do a lot of things well and right now, we’re not. We’ve been looking for that third person the last two years, and we’ve yet to find it. Right now, it’s still up in the air.”

Cedar Ridge falls to 8-8, 1-5 in the Big 8. They travel to Oxford Webb tonight.

BOX SCORE: ORANGE 63, CEDAR RIDGE 43

Cedar Ridge:9 17 6 11 = 43

Orange: 10 19 21 13 = 63

Cedar Ridge: Peyton. Pappas 20, Jonathan. Hall 4, Jacob Thomas 9, Colby Cashaw 2, Shane Hill 6, Ikell Knowles 2.
Orange: Cameron Cavanaugh 3, Connor Crabtree 21, Demares Drummond 4, Daniel Mulligan 11, Alex Fish 1, Logan Vosburg 21, Jace-Jordan Cornell 2.

There are no 35-page scouting reports in high school basketball. At least, not yet.

There’s not even online video, which is shared by high school football coaches via the streaming service Hudl. If a prep basketball coach wants to scout an opponent, they simply go to games.

It’s not the old fashioned way. It’s the way it is. Still.

Going into the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday on Monday, there were eight undefeated high school teams in North Carolina. Greg Motley knew his Orange Panthers would be playing one of them, the 2-A Goldsboro Cougars, 14-0 from the Eastern Carolina Conference. And the day after, a rematch at Cedar Ridge, who the Panthers defeated 74-67 on December 11th.

Since the Holiday in the Pines Tournament ended on December 29th, the Panthers have even wrapped up in exams and the Big 8 Conference. They entered Monday having won five of its last six.

So would there be extensive film study of the Cougars in an effort to be the team to put the blemish on a spotless record?

Not really.

“To be honest, we didn’t do any research because we’ve been so focused on our Confernece games,” said Motley.

The preparation was insulated. Orange started the day by going to a Martin Luther King event in downtown Durham, followed by lunch at Northgate Mall.

Doesn’t sound like much, but the results paid off handsomely.

Orange stunned the undefeated Cougars 85-69 at the Durham School of the Arts to improve to 9-7. Senior Connor Crabtree finsihed with 28 points and 9 rebounds. 6’6 Logan Vosburg provided a key inside presence the Cougars lacked, registering 17 points and 15 rebounds.

Crabtree was named the winner of the Jerry Stackhouse Award for game MVP.

Instead of pregame preparation, Motley relied on in-game adjustments, which included the continued offensive improvement of point guard Cameron Cavanaugh, who finished with 14 points.

The Cougars, who have scored over 80 points in nine of its 14 wins, was held to a season-low 69 points on 29% shooting from the field. Myron Cameron finished with 19 points on 6-of-22 shooting.

Goldsboro jumped out to a 9-2 lead, but Orange responded by scoring 14 points in the final three minutes of the first quarter. Chandler Compton’s three-point play with :11 remaining put Orange ahead 16-14 going into the second quarter.

The Panthers’ mixture of strong inside play and cautious transition offense swelled the lead to 40-25 in the second quarter. Crabtree scored 12 in the second quarter, while Vosburg added ten.

In the third quarter, Orange shot 8-of-9 from the field to extend its lead to 59-40 after a 3-pointer from Cavanaugh with 2:04 remaining.

Predictably, Goldsboro had a run in them to make it a game. A 17-5 run narrowed the Orange lead to 71-66 with 4:53 remaining after a three-pointer by Nakia Atkins. After Crabtree split a pair of free throws, Myron Carmon had a three-pointer rim out, and Crabtree scored a stick back to end the run.

Three Cougars fouled out. Crabtree finished 14-of-15 from the foul line. Orange shot 26-of-35 from the charity stripe.

Now the Panthers go from the unknown to a crosstown rival in the span of 24 hours. Tonight, it’s Cedar Ridge at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Orange enters 5-1 in the Big 8, 2nd in the conference behind Southern Durham.

Cedar Ridge expected to be among the contenders in the Big 8. Instead, they’re tied for 5th with Webb at 1-4, ahead of only Northwood.

Our coverage at Hillsboroughsports.com starts at 6:50. You can listen in right here.

By now, if you click on a story about Orange basketball, you know the drill.

Read about how many points Connor Crabtree scores, see who the latest schools recruiting him are, shut down the computer and wait until the next game three nights later.

Well, here on the basics. Orange defeated Chapel Hill 77-67 on Friday night at Tiger Gymnasium. Crabtree scored 32 points and was the focal point of the offense once again.

But halfway through the season, there’s a little more to Orange now than there was when the season started at East Chapel Hill a month ago.

Coach Greg Motley is starting to get 10-12 bodies in the lineup every game. On Friday, that was more of a necessity than luxury as Orange played its third game in four nights.

Of course, it was Crabtree who was the straw that stirred the Panthers’ drink.

“We know what we can get from him,” said Motley about Crabtree, who has already received a scholarship offer from Lehigh. On Tuesday night, coaches from High Point and Appalchian State were on hand for the Southern Durham game “He brings the offense every night. That’s what he does for us.”

From the very beginning, Motley has employed a point guard by committee in hopes of finding a scoring option to replace Eryk Brandon-Dean, who was lost for the season on September 30th with a torn ACL suffered against Southern Durham in football.

For at least one night, Motley found several solutions. Cameron Cavanaugh got a rare start and keyed a 10-1 third quarter run with two 3-pointers that put Orange ahead 41-31. Orange didn’t trail in the 2nd half. Cavanaugh finished with a career-high 11 points.

While Brandon-Dean won’t return from his football injury, Jace Jordan-Cornell has returned from his. The center, who injured his calf against Northwood November 13, scored four points.

The victory capped a successful week for the Panthers, where they led Big 8 leader Southern Durham going into the fourth quarter before losing late 85-77. On Thursday night, Orange traveled to Pittsboro and defeated the Chargers 68-60.

After an 0-3 start, Orange has now won four of its last five.

Motley played 11 players against the Tigers. Logan Vosurg scored 13 points, while Daniel Mulligan added nine. Demares Drummond scored six points, but backup guard Alex Long got the lion’s share of minutes during the second half.

Chandler Compton, a reserve forward who committed to play soccer at Wofford earlier this week, added two points.

Orange goes into exam break 7-7, 4-1 in the Big 8 Conference. They face Oxford Webb in Hillsbrough on Friday night. You can hear that game here on Hillsboroughsports.com starting at 6:50.

The usual big games from Connor Crabtree and Logan Vosburg led Orange to its fourth win in five games on Friday night at Chapel Hill. But there were also big games from Cameron Cavanaugh and the return of Jace Jordan-Cornell. Orange Coach Greg Motley discussed the victory over the Tigers.

Orange Defeats Chapel Hill 77-67

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Winter break was a rest in name only for the Orange Wrestling team. During the holidays, the Panthers competed in the Tiger Holiday Classic at Chapel Hill High, the Eagle Invitational at Eastern Alamance High and hosted the Orange Winter Duals last weekend.

It was during the latter event that the Panthers suffered its first dual losses of the season, both matches coming down to the wire. The Swansboro Pirates defeated Orange 34-28. With three matches remaining, the Panthers led 28-16 after Payton Wilson pinned the Pirates’ Andre Hill in 2:57. Swansboro scored pins at 285 and  113, along with a major decision at 106 to become the first team to beat OHS this season.

Orange’s subsequent 67-7 victory over rebuilding Sanderson wasn’t a formality as much as proof that there’s a first time for everything. It was the first time Orange coach Bobby Shriner coached against one of his sons. Nic Shriner, who graduated from Appalachian State last spring, is now the head coach of the Spartans, who has captured the CAP-8 championship the last five seasons. The dual match features victories by Orange’s Lucas Riley, Christopher Lopeman, Mario Manduiano, Lawrence Bell, Evan Pasley (via pin fall) and Levi Anderson.

Later in the day, Southeast Guilford knocked off the Panthers 35-33. The Falcons scored three pins to earn the win. Orange capped the day with a 63-11 victory over Greenville Rose.

Now the focus is on the Webb Warriors, who visit Jim King Gymnasium tonight at 6. Orange is 16-2, 2-0 in the Big 8 after a thrilling 38-36 victory over Northwood on December 16th.

Among the grapplers who have stood out thus far for Orange is senior Joe Scott at 152, who is 23-3 with 14 pins. Sophomore Bailey Hawkins is 24-5 with 13 pins at 120 (and several matches at 126). Heavyweight Dayles Alston is 24-6 after scoring two pins last weekend. Wilson, who started the season a few weeks late after football season bled into the opening wrestling workouts, is 22-5. He finished in 3rd place at 220 at the Tiger Holiday Classic.

Also tonight, the Cedar Ridge Red Wolves face Chapel Hill at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Cedar Ridge fell to Orange in its last Big 8 dual match. The Tigers figure to be the main challenger remaining for Orange for the Big 8 Conference Championship.

As the Christmas trees and decorations come down, Orange and Cedar Ridge will pick up action tonight in the Big 8 Conference.

For the Red Wolves, tonight’s home game against Chapel Hill is simply a must-win.

Cedar Ridge is 0-3 in league play, which isn’t how Coach Clay Jones expected to start. With Chapel Hill transfer Jacob Thomas providing a low-post scoring punch with Jonathan Hall, along with the backcourt play of Peyton Pappas, the Red Wolves figured to be fighting with Southern Durham and Northwood for the Big 8 lead.

Instead, Cedar Ridge (7-6) lost its conference opener to Orange on December 11th 71-67 behind 32 points from Connor Crabtree. Pappas missed the subsequent game against Northern Vance, a home loss where the Red Wolves were sluggish without its leading scorer.

After a 2nd-place finish in the Clinton Christmas Tournament, Jones immediately started scouting the Tigers. Chapel Hill (4-7) lost all three of its games in the South Granville holiday tournament, but is 2-0 in the Big 8.

This is the roller coaster part of the season for both teams. After a week off for Christmas, CRHS played two games in two days in Clinton. They have home games against Chapel Hill and Northwood this week, then don’t play again until January 19 against Orange.

“I think our guys are focused,” said Jones. “It’s all hands on deck. Chapel Hill is a must-win because we can’t expect to be at the top of this conference and be 0-4.”

Orange faces three games in four days. Tonight, it’s Southern Durham in Hillsborough. On Thursday, consecutive road trips to Northwood, followed by Chapel Hill the following night.

The Panthers (5-6, 2-0) is coming off a 5th place finish in the Holiday in the Pines tournament, where they defeated New Life Christian Academy and Charlotte Olympic in the final two days. Orange opened with a 105-96 loss to Richmond County on the first day, where Connor Crabtree scored 43 points.

Southern Durham (3-0), Orange and Chapel Hill (2-0) are tied for first place in the loss column in the Big 8. The Spartans wasted little time in becoming the front runners in the league by claiming road wins over Northwood (85-55) and Oxford Webb (71-54). The Spartans are led by guard J’Tori Christmas, who averages 15.1 points per game. Antonio Daye averages 13.4 points per game.

Tonight’s game will be a test for the Panther backcourt. The Spartans have multiple 3-point options, and Orange has struggled to find consistent guard scoring with the absence of Eryk Brandon-Dean. Orange will likely opt for a slower pace of play with Crabtree and center Logan Vosburg.

Hillsboroughsports.com will broadcast Friday’s game between Orange and Chapel Hill starting at 7 from Tiger Gymansium.

Another impressive outing for Payton Wilson in a sophomore season that’s been full of them.

Wilson finished third at the Tiger Holiday Wrestling Classic on Wednesday. After dropping his initial match to eventual 220-pound tournament champion Evan Surgeon, Wilson responded with wins over South View’s Cade Smith (6-1) and Chapel Hill’s George McBurney (3-1) to take the consolation round.

Wilson is now 22-6 going into the heart of the dual match season. Five months removed from a broken ankle suffered on the first day of football practice, Wilson discusses how he prepared for the interminable first day of the Tiger.

Orange’s Payton Wilson Finishes Third at Tiger Holiday Classic

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If there’s a positive for Orange’s Joe Scott going into 2016, it’s that he knows who he has to beat to claim the elusive 3-A state championship at 152 pounds.

Scott knows Eastern Alamance’s Mitchell Dean very well. The two wrestled only a month ago at the Jim King Inivtational, with Dean earning a 4-2 victory in the championship. Dean was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament.

Scott got a rematch on Wednesday in the Tiger Holiday Classic in the 152 semifinals. It was another match where points were at a premium. Dean’s takedown in the 2nd period was the only of the match. All Scott could muster was an escape point, and Dean again prevailed 2-1.

However, Dean didn’t walk out tournament champion. Asheboro’s Sawyer Davidson defeated Dean 7-3 I the title match.

Meanwhile, Scott claimed major decisions over Newton Conover’s Jacob Hardee (13-2) and Ragsdale’s Alejandro Illescas (10-2) to earn 3rd place.

In his four career appearances at the Tiger Holiday Classic, he finished 3rd, 3rd, 4th and 3rd. Some may consider that a success. Scott believes otherwise.

He heads into 2006 with a 20-2 record, but feels like there’s plenty of room for improvement.

Orange’s Joe Scott talks finishing 3rd at Tiger Holiday Classic

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Two weeks ago, Ultimate Fighting Champion interim lightweight champion Connor McGregor stepped into the Octagon with an entire nation in his corner.

It’s fair to say he carried the hopes of the nation on his back. Jamar Davis can relate.

The 170-pound sophomore for the Orange wrestling team was slated for the Panthers’ final bout in a heated dual match against Northwood. McGregor carried a nation on his back. Davis, in his first season wrestling regularly for Orange’s varsity, was carrying Orange’s hopes for a 14th consecutive conference championship.

Northwood’s Michael Queen had just scored a pinfall victory to vault the Chargers into a 36-34 lead. Which meant Davis had to win against Northwood’s Luke Orbich, or else the Chargers would be the ones to end Orange’s long dominance in the Big 8.

Davis stood up to the challenge, scoring a majority decision in a 19-4 victory. Orange took the dual match 38-36 to improve to 14-0, 2-0 in the Big 8 with a vital match against Chapel Hill coming in January.

Davis is 18-7 with eight pins this season. He captured three victories at this week’s Tiger Holiday Wrestling Classic.

He’s also a rare three-sports athlete. He plays soccer in the winter and track and field in the spring.

Orange Panther of the Week: Jamar Davis

The sophomore 170-pound wrestler, to put it mildly, was placed in an important position last Wednesday. He was in the last match against Northwood with the Panthers trailing 36-34. Davis won a majority decision and the Panthers remained undefeated.

If the holidays are near, that means the Tiger Holiday Classic isn’t far behind. It’s also the end of a busy, wild week for the Orange Panther wrestling team, which placed two grapplers in the semifinals at the end of a long first day.

The 22nd Tiger Holiday Classic started Tuesday at Chapel Hill High School.

At 152 pounds, senior Joe Scott advanced to the semifinals, where he will face a familiar face in the semifinals tomorrow. Scott takes on Eastern Alamance’s Mitchell Dean, who defeated Scott in the Jim King Invitational last month. Dean captured the 152-pound championship and earned Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

On Tuesday, Scott started with a pinfall victory over George Wythe’s (VA) Teion Brown in :37. He scored another pin in the second round over Croatan’s Charles Corbell in 4:51. Scott punched his ticket to Wednesday’s semifinals with an 18-4 major decision over Holly Spring’s Elijah Geniesse, improving to 21-2 on the season.

At 220, sophomore Payton Wilson rolled into the semifinals following a pair of victories. After receiving a bye into the 2nd round, Wilson pinned Mason Wagner of Pinecrest in 1:57. He followed that with a pinfall victory over Chapel Hill’s George McBurney in 2:50. McBurney finished fourth at 220 last season.

Wilson faces Southeast Guilford’s Evan Surgeon (23-0) on Wednesday morning. The championships will take place at approximately 4 PM.

After the first day of the 46-team event, Orange is 7th in the overall standings with 89 points. Cedar Ridge, with ten wrestlers participating, is 32nd.

Eden Morehead is first with 131 points. Jack Britt, the defending Tiger champions, is 2nd with 101. Southeast Guilford is 3rd with 98.

The first day of the Tiger is among the longest days of the season, especially for those who win their opening matches but lose in the third round, forcing them to compete in consolation rounds well into the night.

At 126, Orange’s Jamison Askew will compete for third place Wednesday morning. Askew opened with a 5-0 victory over Carson Pervier of William Hough. He followed with a 8-6 decision over Northwood’s Ian Anderson. West Brunswick’s Harrison Campbell, who entered the tournament 21-0, pinned Askew in :41.

Forced into the consolation bracket, Askew rebounded by pinning Greenville Rose’s Phifer Ozimek in 4:00. Askew, now 21-7, faces Britt’s Bradley Wanovich next.

At 195, Orange’s Shannon Thompson also has a chance at a third-place finish. He was forced into the consolation bracket after a pinfall loss to Northwood’s John Dunning in 5:36. Dunning was the 195 champion at the King Invitational. Thompson defeated Asheboro’s Nathan Otero in 1:22 in the first round, and followed with a 5-3 decision over Carrboro’s Nathanie Otero.

In the consolation bracket, Thompson defeated Southeast Guilford’s Michael Johnson 6-4. He will take on Tyshawn Olverson of Morehead High on Wednesday morning. Thompson is 23-7.

Also alive for Wednesday’s consolation round is Orange’s Josiah Ramirez. He stared the day with a pin of William Hough’s Austin Boyd in 2:37. Then he scored a major decision over Charlotte Providence’s Jake Reid 14-3. Northwood’s Hunter Queen knocked Ramirez into the consolation round with a 16-7 victory. He rebounded by beating Jordan’s Maliik Marcin to improve to 18-5.

Cedar Ridge’s Jacob Tutor started the day with consecutive wins at 138. He defeated Austin Curry of Asheboro 12-9, and reached the quarterfinals after winning an injury decision against Logan Mills of George Wythe. Tutor fell in the following round to Britt’s Wesley Hollingsworth via pinfall.

The only Red Wolf that will compete on Wednesday will be Darius McLeod at 106. McLeod won four matches on Wednesday, including three in the consolation round. He reached the consolation semis by pinning Apex’s Gabe Baragona in 2:52. He faces Austin Hunt next.

Orange sophomore Bailey Hawkins captured victories in his first two matches. He’s now 25-6.

Cedar Ridge’s Grady Pritchard won his opening match at 152 over Northwood’s William Mishoe, a pinfall in 1:49. He fell in the 2nd round to Sawyer Davidson of Asheboro.