Orange Men’s Basketball

From the department of “stuff we’re ridiculously late in posing,” the Orange men’s basketball team won the Black Session of the Orange Summer Heat summer basketball tournament in June. And how they did it was dramatic. The Panthers fought back from a seven point deficit to defeat Chapel Hill 51-48 to take the title Malachi Poole scored the game-winning basket for Orange. He finished with ten points. Sophomore Xandell Pinnix, who played regularly as a freshman, led the Panthers with 16 points. Kai Wade, who just finished up his eighth grade year by the time the tournament started, had 13 points for Orange. Issac Seymour and Isaiah Seymour also factored in heavily for Orange over the course of the three-day tournament. The championship gives Orange some renewed enthusiasm for a new season that will start in November with plenty of new faces to replace departed graduates Jerec Thompson, J.J. Thompson, Joshua Jackson and Hunter Burch. 

Only six games into the 2022 season, the Orange volleyball team has been through plenty. There was uncertainty about who would coach the team throughout the summer until Kelly Young, who now teaches at Eno River Academy, agreed to return for a 4th season at the helm of the team. Last Thursday, Orange started a span of six matches in five days. On Thursday, Orange defeated Jordan in the season opener 3-0 at Panther Gymnasium on scores of 25-20, 25-17 an 25-16. Ella Wimsatt led the Lady Panthers in kills. The game marked the debut of 6’2” freshman middle blocker Ava Wilkerson and 5’11 freshman outside hitter Aubrey Jordan. Against the Falcons, senior setter Caitlin Carden had three consecutive aces in the second set to put Orange in the lead for the remainder of the frame. Junior Ella Wimsatt led Orange in kills against the Falcons. On Friday, the Lady Panthers started a two-day tournament at East Chapel Hill High School. West Forsyth defeated Orange in four sets. The following day, the Lady Panthers rebounded by sweeping Western Alamance. Southern Alamance defeated Orange in four sets. Later on Saturday, Orange defeated East Chapel Hill in four sets. Orange is 3-3 overall as they prepare to face Roxboro Community School on Friday night in Person County. 

Following a season where he became the most accomplished scorer for the Orange men’s basketball team since Connor Crabtree, Jerec Thompson has received among the highest individual honors from the Central Carolina Conference.

Thompson was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Central Carolina Conference. Shortly after receiving the honor this spring, Thompson announced his commitment to Division III Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, VA.

In the quarterfinals of the Central Carolina Conference Tournament against Western Alamance in Elon, Thompson scored the 1,000th point of his career with a free throw early in the third quarter. He became the first Orange player to cross that plateau since Joey McMullin, who surpassed it in 2020. Thompson amassed 1,033 points in 71 career games, including just 12 in his junior season, which was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The only disappointing thing about Thompson’s final year was that he wasn’t healthy enough to see every game. He missed the opening games against Southern Alamance and East Chapel Hill after being undercut going up for a dunk during a scrimmage against Vance County at Franklinton High School on November 20.

Once Thompson finally took the floor against the North Carolina School of Science and Math on December 2, it was immediate magic. He poured in 41 points in a 73-54 victory. It was the most points scored by an Orange player since Crabtree, who now plays with the University of Richmond, poured in 44 points against Southern Durham during the Big 8 Conference Tournament Championship game on February 17, 2016.

Thompson had eight games over 30 points in his senior season. In the South Granville Holiday Invitational, he scored 33 points in a 73-70 win over Reidsville. The following day, Thompson had 32 points in a loss to Cary in the Navy Bracket semifinals.

He sank a career-high ten 3-pointers, and finished with 39 points, against Person in Roxboro on February 1.

As the season wore on, Thompson saved his best for last. In his final game at Orange High School, he registered 40 points in a 77-68 win over Eastern Alamance on February 11. It was the first time any Orange player scored 40 points inside Panther Gymnasium since Crabtree ran up 40 points against Chapel Hill on January 5, 2017. Ironically, the previous player to score 40 points inside Panther Gym was Chapel Hill’s Jake Chislom, who scored 41 points against Orange on February 15, 2021, in a game played in front of empty bleachers due to restrictions created by the pandemic.

Thompson put in 29 points in the tournament win over Western Alamance on February 14. It was Orange’s first postseason win since beating Triton in the 3rd round of the 3A State Playoffs in 2017. He ended his career with 24 points against Northwood in the CCC semifinals. The Chargers would go on to win the CCC Regular Season and Tournament championships.

Thompson’s freshman season coincided with a point of major transition for the Orange men’s basketball team. Derryl Britt was in his first season as the head coach of the Panthers after Greg Motley had led the program for 20 years. At the beginning of 2018, Thompson was on the junior varsity team, but quickly transitioned to varsity starting in the Eastern Guilford Holiday Hoops Invitational in Gibsonville. In just his second game, he scored 12 points in a 70-61 win over Southeast Guilford on 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range.

Thompson’s limitless range from downtown would be the trademark of his Orange career. In 2019-2020, Thompson, McMullin, Jason Franklin and Machai Holt triggered a 6-1 start, including 74-56 win over then-defending 3A State Champion Walter Williams and a 82-32 rout of East Chapel Hill. In his sophomore season, Thompson averaged 10.8 points per game as a steady third outside shooting option alongside McMullin and Franklin.

Joey McMullin: After the Sandhills Community College men’s basketball team reached the National Junior College Athletic Association National Championships, McMullin was named a Division III NJCAA All-American on Wednesday. McMullin was named a third-team All-American, one of only 20 junior college players in the country honored. This season, McMullin was named the Region X Most Valuable Player in his first season with the Flyers. McMullin averaged 14.4 points per game over 35 games this season, mainly coming off the bench. He scored 18 points as the Flyers defeated Central Carolina Community College 110-103 in overtime to capture the Region X Championship in Pinehurst. On February 26, the Flyers defeated Prince George Community College 77-72 to win the Mid-Atlantic District Championship in Norfolk, VA. McMullin scored 12 points in 15 minutes as the Flyers advanced to the NJCAA national tournament in Philadelphia. Sandhills lost in the opening round to Joilet Junior College 77-49. Sandhills finished the season 26-9. McMullin scored over 1,000 points in his Orange career.

Marvin Jones: After winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Indoor Championship in the high jump, North Carolina Central’s Marvin Jones got off to a good start in the outdoor season. On March 26, Jones finished sixth out of 37 competitors in the Raleigh Relays, held in Raleigh’s Derr Track & Field Facility at N.C. State University. Jones’ best jump was 2.00 meters. It was his fourth top-10 finish of the calendar year. During the indoor season, Jones had top-10 finishes in the Liberty Open, the Champion College Team Challenge, the JDL Fast Track, along with his gold medal in the MEAC Championships.

Jamar Davis: The N.C. State track & field season continued its outdoor season in the Raleigh Relays. Davis finished third among 37 competitors with a jump of 15.35 meters (50’4.5″). That ranked Davis 13th nationally. Davis, now a senior with the Wolfpack, competed in three sports at Orange High School.

Jalin Jones: After opening the season with a loss, the Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team has won six in a row. Last Saturday, the Falcons rolled past Huntingdon 22-3 at Lefko Field in Misenheimer. Jones came off the bench to grab a ground ball and create a turnover. On Wednesday, Pfeffier defeated Methodist 12-3 in Fayetteville. Jones entered the game as a reserve and fired a shot. He also had two ground balls and created a turnover. Pfeiffer is 3-0 in the USA South Athletic Conference going into Saturday’s game against Southern Virginia in Buena Vista, VA. Last season, Jones was named to the USA South Athletic Conference first-team as a short-stick defender. Jones’ father, Issac, was a member of Orange High’s Class of 1991.

Dylan Boyer: The Division II Queen’s men’s lacrosse team defeated Coker University 14-6 at Coker Athletic Field in Hartsville, S.C on Wednesday. Boyer, a member of Orange’s class of 2019, entered the game as a reserve and fired a shot on net. Queen’s is 6-3 overall, 3-2 in the South Atlantic Conference. The Royals will host Tusculum University at the Queen’s Sports Complex on Saturday.

Photo by University of Richmond Athletics

Connor Crabtree: Crabtree became the first former Orange basketball player to play in an NCAA Tournament game since 1996 last week. Crabtree played in 13 minutes as the Spiders upset Iowa, the Big 10 Tournament champions, 67-63 in the opening round of the Midwest Regional in Buffalo. Crabtree played 13 minutes and grabbed a rebound. On Saturday, Providence ended the Spiders’ season 79-51. In his final game of the year, Crabtree played three minutes. Richmond ends the year the Atlantic 10 Tournament champions for the 2nd time (they played in the Colonial Athletic Association from 1979-2001) with a record of 24-13. The last player from Orange High to play for a victorious team in the NCAA Tournament was Constance Poteat when the N.C. State women’s basketball team defeated Montana 77-68 in Tuscaloosa, AL on March 15, 1996.

Joey Berini: The East Carolina baseball team dropped two out of three games against the College of Charleston last weekend at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, SC. On Saturday, the Cougars edged the Pirates 4-3. Berini entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and remained in the game to play 2nd base. On Sunday, the Cougars defeated the Pirates 10-3. Berini went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter.

Phillip Berger: Berger had a no-decision in William Peace’s 11-10 loss to Methodist University at Armstrong-Shelly Stadium last Friday. Berger threw seven innings and struck out six. He gave up seven runs on ten hits with one walk. Peace is now 11-9, 1-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference.

Will Walker: The Pitt Community College baseball team had a weekend sweep if Bryant & Stratton Community College in Winterville. On Friday, the Bulldogs defeated the Bobcats 15-14. Walker singled in the eighth inning and eventually scored the go-ahead run off a wild pitch. He went 1-for-4 with an RBI. On Saturday, Pitt defeated Bryant & Stratton 10-3 in seven innings. Walker hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the Bulldogs ahead by eight runs. In the bottom of the third, Walker led off with a single and he scored off a home run by Hunter Zents. On Sunday, Pitt completed the sweep with a 5-3 win. Walker, who started at first base, went 1-for-4. Pitt Community College is 14-4 overall, 10-4 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Mia Davidson: It was a gratifying weekend for the Mississippi State softball team, which swept in-state rival Ole Miss in a three-game set. On Friday, the Bulldogs edged the Rebels 9-8 at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. Davidson went 0-for-2. Mississippi State defeated Ole Miss 7-3 on Saturday. Davidson went 0-for-1, but she scored twice after she walked once and was hit by a pitch twice. The Bulldogs completed the sweep with a 6-0 win on Sunday. Davidson went 0-for-2. It was the first time Mississippi State swept Ole Miss since 2013.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team defeated the Charlotte 49ers 8-1 at Daughtridge Stadium in Charlotte last Tuesday. Dalehite started in right field and went 0-for-3. On Sunday, Dalehite started in right field as the Spartans defeated Elon 10-9 in eight innings at UNCG Softball Stadium. She went 0-for-3 with a run scored in the sixth inning, as the Spartans rallied from a 4-0 deficit to salvage a game in the three-game set. UNCG is 17-10 and will start its Southern Conference schedule against Mercer this weekend.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team has won 14 in a row. On Friday, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Herkimer College. In the opening game, which CVCC won 3-2 in Hickory, Andrews started at second base and went 0-for-3. Catawba Valley captured the nightcap 3-0. Andrews went 0-for-2. On Saturday, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader against Fayetteville Technical Community College. In the opening 10-0 win in five innings, Andrews went 1-for-1 with a RBI off a sacrifice bunt. Andrews went 2-for-3 in the nightcap as Catawba Valley won 14-3. Andrew finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI double in the third inning. Catawba Valley is 19-1, 8-0 in Region X.

Jaden Hurdle: The Patrick & Henry Community College softball team defeated Richard Bland College 4-2 on Sunday in Prince George County, VA. Hurdle went 0-for-4. Richard Bland defeated Patrick & Henry 10-6 in the second game of the doubleheader. Hurdle went 1-for-3. She also started as pitcher and threw four innings with four strikeouts.

Jamar Davis: The N.C. State track & field team started its outdoor season at the Black & Gold Invitational in Orlando over the weekend. Davis set a personal record in the long jump at 7.63 meters. He finished in 2nd place behind his teammate, Von Douglas.

Dylan Boyer: The Division II Queen’s University men’s lacrosse team defeated Mars Hill 26-5 at the Queen’s Sports Complex on Saturday. Boyer entered the game as a reserve in the second half.

Jaylin Jones: The Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team defeated William Peace 17-13 in its USA South Athletic Conference opener in Cary on Saturday. Jones entered the game as a reserve and had a ground ball. The Falcons are 5-1.

Connor Crabtree: The Richmond men’s basketball team is headed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011. The Spiders upset top-seeded Davidson 64-62 in the Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship game at Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C on Sunday. Crabtree scored two points in six minutes. In the semifinals, the Spiders knocked off Dayton 68-64 on Saturday. Crabtree played two minutes for the Spiders. On Friday, Richmond upset VCU 75-64. Crabtree played one minute against the Rams. In the opening round, Richmond held off Rhode Island 64-59 on Thursday. Crabtree played eleven minutes against the Rams. He scored three points on 3-of-5 shooting from the foul line. Richmond earned an 11-seed on Selection Sunday. They will face Big 10 Tournament champion Iowa at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Thursday.

Joey McMullin: The season ended for the Sandhills Community College Flyers in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Tournament in Rockford, IL. In the opening round of the Joliet Junior College defeated Sandhills 77-49. McMullin shot 2-of-7 from the field and scored four points in 20 minutes. He also grabbed fiver rebounds. In the consolation game, the Community College of Philadelphia outscored Sandhills 100-96. McMullin led the Flyers with 25 points in the loss. He shot 10-of-18 from the field. He also grabbed four rebounds. Philadelphia came back to win after hitting 12 3-pointers. Sandhills ends the season 26-9.

Joey Berini: The East Carolina Pirates baseball team earned a weekend series win over Saint Mary’s College. On Sunday in the opening game of a doubleheader, the Gales edged the Pirates 6-5. Berini reported into the game in the fifth inning after the Pirates fell behind 6-0. He played 2nd base and went 1-for-2 with a walk. Berini singled in the ninth inning. On Wednesday, the Pirates defeated Radford 7-5 at Carter Memorial Stadium in Radford, VA. Berini entered the game as a reserve, played 2nd base and went 0-for-1.

Dante DeFranco: After redshirting in 2021, former Cedar Ridge and Orange shortstop Dante DeFranco recently saw his first action for the Charlotte 49ers baseball team. On February 25, West Virginia held off the 49ers 5-4 at Hayes Stadium in Charlotte. DeFranco entered the game in the fifth inning as a pinch hitter. He went 0-for-2. He went on to play third base. On March 5, DeFranco scored his first run as the 49ers demolished Western Illinois 29-4. DeFranco came into the game as a pinch runner in the sixth inning. He scored off a single by Hunter Baker. DeFranco remained in the game at third base and went 0-for-2 at the plate. On Sunday, DeFranco entered the game against Appalachian State as a reserve and played 3rd base. The Mountaineers defeated the 49ers 9-7 in 12 innings.

Brandon Andrews: After a season at Jacksonville State, former Cedar Ridge all-conference player Brandon Andrews has returned to Nicholls State, where he spent the first three seasons of his college career. Andrews has already made five pitching appearances this season for the Colonels. On February 18, he threw one inning of shutout ball in a 12-1 loss to Missouri at Didler Field in Thibodaux, LA. On Friday, Louisiana-Monroe outscored Nicholls State 10-8. Andrews threw the final two inning and didn’t surrender any runs. He struck out two and surrendered two hits. On March 6, Memphis defeated Nicholls 9-6 at FedEx Park. Andrews tossed one shutout inning, conceding one hit.

Landon Riley: The #14 Liberty baseball team split a two-game series against Campbell over the weekend. On Friday, the Camels shutout the Flames 7-0 at Worthington Field in Lynchburg, VA. Riley threw the eighth inning, shutting out Campbell. He gave up just one walk. The Flames are 12-2.

Phillip Berger: Berger earned the win as the Division III William Peace baseball team defeated #14 Adrian College 9-7 at Truist Point in Greensboro on Sunday. Berger threw six innings and gave up just one run. He struck out five while conceding five hits and one walk. Berger is now 4-2 this season with a 3.45 ERA. The Pacers are 10-6.

Will Walker: The Pitt Community College baseball team defeated Camp Community College 18-1 in Greenville on Sunday. Walker drove in a run by walking with the bases loaded. He finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored. On Sunday in the opening game of the doubleheader, Camp Community College defeated Pitt CC 13-2. Walker went 1-for-2 with a walk.

Cooper Porter: Gulf Coast State College defeated Pensacola State 7-2 on Thursday. Pensacola’s Cooper Porter played shortstop and went 0-for-2 with an RBI.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team knocked off #3 Florida 1-0 at KSP Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Sunday. Davidson went 0-for-2 with a walk. On Saturday, the Gators defeated the Bulldogs 8-4 in the opening game of the series. Mia scored the opening run of the game on a wild pitch. She went 1-for-3 with a walk. On Wednesday, the Bulldogs crushed North Alabama 10-2 in five innings at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. In the first inning, Davidson hit a two-run blast to put the Bulldogs ahead. Davidson became the 13th player in NCAA softball history to hit 80 career home runs. She finished 2-for-3 with 5 RBIs, one short of her career high.

Montana Davidson: Montana appeared as a pinch hitter in Saturday’s loss to Florida.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team went 3-1 during the Spartan Classic over the weekend at UNCG Softball Stadium. On Thursday, Michigan State defeated the Spartans 7-2. Dalehite appeared in the game as a pinch runner. On Sunday, Dalehite started in right field as the Spartans defeated Delaware State 8-0. Dalehite went 0-for-2. The Spartans’ Reese Byrd threw a no-hitter. UNCG is 15-8.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior point guard J.J. Thompson. On December 30, Thompson scored a career-high 27 points as the Panthers defeated Granville Central 67-58 in the third place game of the South Granville Holiday Invitational in Creedmoor. Thompson shot 8-of-13 from 3-point range as the Panthers put together a complete performance to defeat Granville Central for the third straight time. Thompson has been the senior starting point guard for the Orange men’s basketball team the past three seasons. This year, he started all 22 games for the Panthers. He had a season-high six assists against Person on February 1 in Roxboro. The son of Shayne and Tracy Thompson, who met at and graduated from Orange High School, J.J. Played his final game for Orange last week in the semifinals of the Central Carolina Conference Tournament. Last Monday, Thompson started at point guard as Orange defeated Western Alamance, the Panthers’ first postseason tournament win since 2017.

Life moves fast.

Just ask Joey McMullin.

In 2016, he had been a high school student for only three months before he found himself, much to his surprise, playing extensive minutes as a freshman for Orange’s varsity basketball team.

After graduation, McMullin was isolated and mired in a northeast winter. He was barely playing at Division III Bryn Athyn College, a liberal arts college in Philadelphia.

A year later, he’s closer to home with his basketball prospects blindingly bright.

On Friday, McMullin was named the Region 10 Player of the Year for Sandhills Community College after the Flyers held off Central Carolina Community College 110-103 in overtime in the Region X Tournament Championship Game in Pinehurst. It was McMullin’s first championship of any kind since his freshman year at Orange, when the Panthers won the Big 8 Regular Season title.

The Flyers found themselves climbing out of deep holes throughout the tournament. In the semifinals, they trailed Lancaster Community College by eleven points in the second half. In the championship game, they trailed the Cougars by 13. McMullin scored 18 points against CCCC to spark a comeback.

In 32 games this season, McMullin averaged 14.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. The Flyers, who have won 15 of its last 16 games, are 25-7 overall, 11-1 in Region X.

The Flyers will face Region 20 Tournament Champion Prince George Community College in Largo, MD on Saturday. The winner will advance to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Tournament.

“It is a big game,” McMullin said. “But I’m ready for the national championship.”

In addition to being named to the All-Region team, McMullin was also named Co-Region 10 Freshman of the Year with Sandhill’s Bryan Quiller.

“Coming into this year, I didn’t think I was going to be player of the year,” McMullin said on Saturday. “We had a lot of returners so it was a shock to me when I got it.”

After the championship ceremony in front of a packed gym, McMullin immediately called his old high school coach, Greg Motley, to inform him of the news. Motley, now the head coach at Southern Durham High School, had just won the Northern Lakes Conference Tournament Championship on Friday night with a 76-74 victory over Carrboro in Stem.

“I am proud of him,” Motley said. “I’m proud of how he has continued to pursue his dream of getting an education and playing basketball. He is a great example of what hard work and determination looks like. I’m excited to see what the future holds for him.”

It was a dramatic rise to prominence after a demoralizing year in Philadelphia. McMullin found himself at Bryn Athyn because he felt it was his only path to college basketball at the time. Early on, the pandemic led to an inconsistent schedule. When the games did take place, it was always in empty gyms and McMullin was usually on the bench.

“Philadelphia really humbled me,” McMullin said. “I wasn’t playing any and I was just mad at myself. I was really close with two of my teammates there, but being a kid from the country area I missed by family and friends.

After just a few months, McMullin decided to transfer to Sandhills. Along the way, he decided to work out every day, something he really couldn’t do in Philadelphia gyms due to COVID.

“The first time I visited Sandhills, they treated me like family,” McMullin said. “They really care for you on and off the court, which is huge to me. I’m not really a kid to flaunt my accolades and post highlights on my social media. I enjoy doing work when nobody is looking. Coach Motley really instilled that in me as soon as he started coaching me.”

In fact, it was Motley who delivered McMullin the first big surprise of his basketball career. When he started at Orange in October 2016, McMullin figured he would be on the junior varsity squad. What he didn’t know was that Motley needed some bodies immediately for the Panthers’ opening games against Leesville Road and Rolesville at Millbrook High School in Raleigh. Some key role players, like Ryan Sellers, Eli Haitchock, Kendell Whitted and Morgan Paschall, were still in the midst of a deep playoff run with the football team. Thus, McMullin found himself playing varsity ball, often starting, as a freshman alongside All-Big 8 Conference selections Connor Crabtree and Logan Vosburg. In the first game of his career against Leesville Road, McMullin scored ten points.

He never saw a minute of JV ball.

McMullin would be a freshman starter on an Orange team that would win the Big 8 regular season championship, sweep the regular season series from rival Southern Durham, win the Eastern Guilford Holiday Hoops Championship (beating Eastern Guilford on its own floor in Gibsonville for the title), and advanced to the state quarterfinals of the 3A State Playoffs.

McMullin would conclude his Orange career in February 2020 with over 1,000 points. As fate would have it, as McMullin was about to earn the biggest accolade of his basketball career last week, the 1,000 point club at Orange got a new member.

Jerec Thompson, who played alongside McMullin for two years at Orange, earned his 1,000th point at Western Alamance last Monday in the opening round of the Central Carolina Conference Tournament. Thompson could wind up playing against McMullin next season in a junior college somewhere.
“I wasn’t really surprised by that,” McMullin said of Thompson. “He works really hard. Hard work pays off in the long run.”

When an adolescent Jerec Thompson played in the Mebane Parks and Recreation Department on a pee-wee team, he was so shy about entering games, his father Jeremy, who was also the head coach, begged him to go out on the floor and play.

Eventually, it worked, but it took a lot of pleading.

On Wednesday night, Thompson came full circle. His Orange career ended against Northwood–but he didn’t want to leave the floor in Pittsboro.

And he certainly didn’t want to take off his Orange uniform for the last time.

Thompson, who surpassed 1,000 points for his career against Western Alamance on Monday, scored 24 points in his final game for Orange. Northwood (20-3) relied on 20 points from 6-foot-11 center Kenan Parish to beat the Panthers 65-52 in the Central Carolina Conference Tournament semifinals.

As the clock wound down on this chapter of his life, Thompson ended it the same way he started it. He pulled up from ungodly distances to shoot, even making a 30-footer in the third quarter. When the game was no longer in doubt late in the fourth quarter, Thompson still sprinted after a loose ball going out of bounds, only to run into a metal stair handle that leads into the bleachers at Northwood. Momentarily, it was a scary moment, but as they say in the pro wrestling world, Thompson “didn’t sell it.” He just ran back on the floor as the final seconds of his career ticked down, showing no signs of pain.

He hugged classmates J.J. Thompson and Joshua Jackson. Together, they started playing recreation ball together, stuck through Stanford Middle School. On weekends and during the summer, they were together with the Mid State Magic in AAU travel ball. Center Hunter Burch, Orange’s fourth senior, eventually joined the Thompsons and Jackson in their journey together.

The Chargers, who are 13-0 against CCC opponents this year, will host Person on Friday night for the Central Carolina Conference Tournament Championship.

Orange ends the year 8-17.

While the Chargers beat the Panthers for the third time this year, Orange was competitive for the entire 32 minutes more than any other meeting this year against the CCC regular season champions. Thompson hit a 3-pointer early to give Orange its only lead of the game at 8-7. The Charges responded with an 8-0 run, five of which came from Parrish, to go ahead 16-7. Thompson and Burch finished the quarter with back-to-back field goals to trim the Charger lead to 16-11.

Burch scored on a finger roll to open the second quarter, but Northwood’s Max Frazier retaliated to snap the 6-0 Orange run. Northwood sophomore Drake Powell electrified the home crowd when he picked off a pass thrown by Orange and threw a laser to Frazier, who had it bounce off his hands. Powell sprinted down the floor, galloped down the lane and dunked spread eagle one-handed to send the fans into a frenzy.

Orange center Isaiah Seymour provided six points in the first half as the Panthers trailed 31-25 at the half.

The Chargers exploited its size advantage with Parrish, Frazier and Powell to push its lead to as much as 16 points in the second half. Thompson scored 13 points in the second half, while J.J. Thompson drained two 3-pointers in the third quarter to keep the Panthers within striking distance until the very end.

The game not only marked the end of the Orange careers of four seniors. It was the close of a vital chapter for Orange head coach Derryl Britt.

He started at Orange in the summer of 2018. It was the most tumultuous time ever for Orange’s men’s basketball program. Greg Motley, the winningest coach in school history, had resigned the previous spring after 20 years. A year later, Motley would take over at Southern Durham High School as men’s basketball coach while still teaching at Orange. One December day In 2019, Motley gave an Economics final exam to J.J. Thompson at Orange, then coached against him when the Panthers played the Spartans later that night in Durham.

Needless to say, it left Britt in a peculiar position. He started as a head coach in high school at North Carolina School of Science & Math, which is a two-year high school. After that, he stayed at Warren County for two years.

This was the first time that Britt had started with a group of freshman at a school and watched them grow to become seniors. Regardless of sport, the task of replacing a winning coach can be a thankless task. The seniors who are leaving Orange helped bridge that difficult transition to something more palatable to where Britt has become widely embraced by parents, students and school officials.

Britt said the thing he will remember about this team is resilience, particularly after Thompson missed the opening three games of the season after suffering a injury after he was undercut going up for a dunk during a preseason jamboree event in Franklinton. It was an injury that left Thompson in the hospital and various people connected to the Orange program furious.

In his first game back, Thompson scored 41 points against Science and Math on December 2, a career high.

“This team had to deal with COVID and injuries,” Britt said. “Everything I asked them to do, they did. This has been a special group. This is the first time I’ve had kids from their freshman through senior years. This group will always be special to me. JJ, Jerec, Josh and Burch. I’ll never forget them. There were a lot of tears in the locker room just now. The wins will come, but this was a great group to have.”