Senior forward and shooting guard Alexis Burke, who signed a basketball scholarship with the University of Illinois Fighting Illini on Nov. 11, leads coach Latreisha Moon’s Bainbridge High School Lady Cats into the 2009 2010 basketball season.

The Lady Cats will begin play with a Thursday 6 p.m. preseason scrimmage against the Early County High School Bobcats at the new Bainbridge High School gymnasium.

They are coming off an outstanding 2009-2010 season during which they went 24-6, won the Region 1AAAA championship and went to the state Class AAAA Final Four.

Returnees in addition to Burke include 5-foot-10 junior center Bria Harris, who was named most improved player last season, and 5-foot-3 shooting guard April Thomas.

Key losses to graduation were Zaiki Dawson, an outstanding basketball and softball player, who was 2008-2009 Bainbridge High School female senior athlete of the year, rebounding award winner Megan Bell and assist award winner LaShawnda Middleton.

Dawson, who won the best all-around player award, and Burke, who was Region 1AAAA player of the year and first team All-State, were team captains last season.

Admission to the scrimmage and the following 7:30 p.m. scrimmage between coach Rickey McCullough’s Bainbridge High School Bearcats and the Early County High School Bobcats, is $5 for students and adults.