This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior men’s basketball guard Jerec Thompson. In his first game of the season on December 2, Thompson scored a career-high 41 points as the Panthers defeated the North Carolina School of Science and Math 73-54 in Durham. Last week, Thompson scored 27 points as Orange knocked off Carrboro 61-58 in Hillsborough, handing the Jaguars its first loss of the season. On Friday night, Thompson added 30 points against Riverside. In his freshman season, Orange men’s coach Derryl Britt called Thompson up to the varsity team during the Eastern Guilford Holiday Hoops tournament. He’s been on varsity ever since with his prolific 3-point shooting. Last winter, during the pandemic-shortened season, Thompson scored 32 points in Orange’s 65-62 win at Vance County. He scored in double-figures in eleven of Orange’s 12 games in 2021, including 23 points against Cedar Ridge on February 5. Thompson returns to action on Tuesday night when Orange hosts Western Alamance.