Derryl Britt’s debut as Orange men’s basketball coach was going to be noteworthy enough, win or lose.

After all, Tuesday night was the first time since 1997 that Greg Motley wasn’t the man on the sidelines coaching the Orange men’s varsity basketball team. That’s was news in and of itself.

Then the game started and things got really interesting.

Britt’s top returning player, Mekai Holt, picked up three fouls in the opening two minutes. His other top returner, Zyon Pettiford, was whistled for three fouls in the first half. Orange committed 12 fouls in the opening seven minutes.

Fortunately, Britt had a trump card—who just happened to play for Orange’s crosstown rival last year. His name was Mekai Collins.

In his first game in an Orange uniform, Collins scored 35 points to lead Orange past Union Pines 84-78 in the season-opener Tuesday night at Panther Gymnasium. It was the most points by a Panther since Connor Crabtree scored 36 points in the 2nd round of the 2017 3A State Playoffs against Grey’s Creek. Crabtree is now a member of the Tulane Green Wave, led by former NBA veteran coach Mike Dunleavy.

Collins didn’t even start the game, but was forced to play heavy minutes after Holt’s early foul trouble.

Orange, which doesn’t have a senior on its roster, placed four players in double figures. Junior Joey McMullin, in his third year as a starter, finished with 14 points. Sophomores Jason Franklin and Kyle Stanley, in his first varsity game, added ten each.

Union Pines (0-2) was led by Jalen Eberhart with 27 points.

While Collins’ addition to Orange’s squad may seem unusual, he and McMullin have played on the Team Quest AAU squad for years. They even attended Cedar Ridge’s season-opener against Person last Tuesday.

In a game that had a frantic pace from the very beginning, Collins came off the bench and scored eleven points, including three 3-pointers, in the final 5:32 of the first quarter to put Orange ahead 20-18 going into the second quarter.

Stanley came off the bench to score eight points in the second quarter for Orange, while Collins added seven more. The Panthers led 45-34 at the half.

“We made the game harder than it needed to be,” Britt said.  “We have to stay focused. We get unfocused. We’re still trying to change some old habits. But I credit the guys for being receptive.”

With Orange leading 61-49 with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter, Union Pines’ Eberhart and Deontae Monroe, who finished with 19 points, triggered a 11-0 run to narrow Orange’s lead to 61-60. Eberhart’s three-point play to open the fourth quarter was the closest the Vikings would get the rest of the game.

After a free throw by Pettiford, Franklin created a steal and Collins was fouled, sinking both foul shots to push Orange’s lead to 64-60. McMullin and Franklin knocked down key free throws down the stretch. Orange only had three field goals in the fourth quarter.

Orange will play two games in two road games in two nights to finish the week. They travel to Northern Guilford on Thursday, then face Granville Central on Friday. Both games can be heard on Hillsboroughsports.com.

ORANGE 84, UNION PINES 78

UNION PINES: Shyheem Spell 11, Deontae Monroe 19, Ahmad Jones 5, Jalen Eberhart 27, Tyreek McCoy 9, Kaedean Young 4, Josh Brown 3.

ORANGE: Zyon Pettiford 6, Machai Holt 9, Jason Franklin 10, Joey McMullin 14, Mekai Collins 35, Kyle Stanley 10, Niger Slanker 2.

It was an Orange debut to remember for Mekai Collins. The former Cedar Ridge Red Wolf scored 35 points on Wednesday night as Orange defeated Union Pines 84-78 at Panther Gymnasium. During the summer, Collins transferred to Orange from Cedar Ridge. It was a night of transformation for Orange. New Orange head coach Derryl Britt won his first game on the Panther sidelines. It was the first time since 1997 that Greg Motley wasn’t the head coach of the Orange men’s basketball team. Joey McMullin, in his third year as a varsity starter, added 14 points, while sophomore Jason Franklin added ten points. In his first varsity game, sophomore Kyle Stanley also scored ten. It was an impressive effort by Orange considering two of its most experienced players, Mekai Holt and Zyon Pettiford, was mired in foul trouble for much of the game. Coming off a 9-16 season, the Panthers will play three games in its opening week of the season. Orange will travel to Northern Guilford on Thursday night. The Nighthawks defeated the Panthers in the 2017 3A NCHSAA State Quarterfinals. Then on Friday night, Orange travels to Granville Central in Creedmoor. All of these games can be heard here on Hillsboroughsports.com, so feel free to listen in.

Orange’s Mekai Collins & Joey McMullin talk win over Union Pines

No Description

This week Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior wrestler Darius McLeod.

Competing at 132 pounds, McLeod is 6-1 with five pins through the first two weeks of the season. He started the year with a tri-match at Leesville Road in Raleigh on November 14. McLeod pinned Natah Henshall of Leesville Road in 2:30. Later that night, Cedar Ridge earned its first dual match victory of the season with a 42-29 win over Triton. Against the Hawks, McLeod defeated Talon Keeler by pinfall. In the Red Wolves Invitational on November 17, McLeod finished 2nd in the 132-pound tournament. He started by pinning East Wake’s Hunter Barabasz in 3:53. In the semifinals, McLeod scored another pin against Nathan Henshall in 1:55 to advance to the finals. Last week, McLeod scored two more victories in a tri-match at Union Pines High School in Cameron. In Cedar Ridge’s 54-30 victory over North Moore, McLeod pinned Josue Peralta. Later in the night, McLeod scored Cedar Ridge’s only individual win in the dual match against Union Pines. McLeod pinned Aaron Faison in 5:32. In addition to wrestling at Cedar Ridge, McLeod sings in a chorus that performs at retirement homes across the Triangle. This is McLeod fourth season as a varsity wrestler and while he loves choral music, he also doesn’t mind the heavy metal sound of Killswitch Engage to get the blood pumping before matches.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Darius McLeod

No Description

(Editor’s note: This interview was shot before Orange’s season-opening win over Union Pines on Tuesday night) Icez Barnett was a sophomore when Orange won the Big 8 Conference Championship two years ago. It was the best season in Orange women’s basketball history. Led by Kaylen Campbell and Mia Davidson, the Lady Panthers opened the season winning 21 consecutive games, the Eastern Alamance Holiday Hoops Championship in Mebane and both the Big 8 regular season and tournament championship. Now, Icez is a senior and is ready to end her career on a high note. Orange started its season with a 48-39 win over Union Pines in Cameron on Wednesday night.

Orange senior guard Icez Barnett discusses start of senior season

(Editor’s note: This interview was shot before Orange’s season-opening win over Union Pines on Tuesday night) Icez Barnett was a sophomore when Orange won the Big 8 Conference Championship two years ago. It was the best season in Orange women’s basketball history.