Basketball Recap: Orange Takes a Loss

If Orange was feeling good fresh off their 76-36 takedown of Southern Alamance last Tuesday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Orange Panthers had to suffer through a 88-53 loss at the hands of the Reidsville Rams. The Panthers were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 54-25.

When it comes to explaining why Orange lost on Saturday, don't look at Freddy Sneed. Despite the final result, he went 7 for 8 en route to 14 points in addition to six boards and three steals. What's more, Sneed also racked up two blocks, the most he's had since back in November of 2024. Another player making a difference was Xandrell Pennix, who posted 12 points.

Even though they lost, Orange smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 12 consecutive contests.

Reidsville's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Dionte Neal led the charge by going 8 of 15 on his way to 25 points along with eight assists and seven steals. Neal has been hot for a while, having posted two or more steals the last 43 times he's played. Kendre Harrison was another key player, dropping a double-double on 24 points and 17 rebounds.

Orange's loss ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 13-5. As for Reidsville, the win keeps them at an undefeated 14-0.

Orange and Reidsville should be looking forward to their upcoming games as both have a sizable advantage in the MaxPreps North Carolina Rankings. Orange will take on Western Alamance at 8:00 p.m. on Friday up 145 places (97 vs. 242). Orange is looking to tack on another W to their four-game streak on the road. Similarly, Reidsville (ranked 13th) will meet T.W. Andrews (ranked 185th) at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. Orange is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 65.6 points per game this season.