Photo Credit: Spencer Husen[/caption]After a 69-56 victory over West Brunswick High School in the east regional semifinal in the 2013-14 NCHSAA 3A State Playoffs, only two wins separate the Panthers of Orange High School from capturing their first state title in 45 years.
The game took place in Fayetteville, NC at Crown Coliseum, both teams’ first game at a neutral site. The Panthers did a great job adapting to the more hostile environment, as the coliseum had the largest opposing team’s student section that they had seen all year. Fans that took the two-and-a-half hour trip from OHS to Crown Coliseum enjoyed a pretty interesting game, with points of utter desperation to intense moments for both teams.
Orange was up early, with an eight point lead at the end of the first quarter. Continuing their strong push from the first quarter, the Panthers resumed their push by extending their lead to 15 at halftime. Sophomore point guard Eryk Brandon-Dean led the way in the first half with 10 points and 6 assists, the only player in double-figures at the half. The Trojans of Brunswick cut the lead by 9 points at the end of the third, with Orange up by just 6. Despite having a lot of confidence entering the final 10 minutes of the game, the Panthers’ lead was reduced all the way to two with 5:33 remaining. However, those five minutes and 33 seconds proved to be the last bit of time for West Brunswick’s season, thanks to Orange outscoring Brunswick by an unprecedented 28-2 in the transition game.
Brandon-Dean had debatebly the best game of his almost two-year career, with 16 points, eight assists, and seven steals. Senior JD Brooks also dropped 16, while junior guard Jawan Chambers led the charge with 18. The Trojans played a great game, coming all the way back from a near 20-point deficit by cutting the lead to two in the final quarter.
The Panthers will take on the Warriors of James Hunt High School, the two seed in the east, this Saturday at 2 pm, again at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville.
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