Senior Alexis Burke poured in a game-high 31 points Friday night to power coach Latreisha Moon’s Bainbridge High School Lady Cats to a 73-56 victory over the Americus-Sumter County High School Lady Panthers in Americus.

The victory came in the first Region 1AAAA game of the season for the Lady Cats, which are ranked No. 1 in The Albany Herald’s Southwest Georgia girls basketball poll.

They were ahead by 21 points, 30-9, at the end of the first quarter.

Burke took command of the game in the first quarter when she scored 16 of her points while coming up with two blocked shots and a pair of steals.

April Thomas was also in double figures for the Lady Cats with 17 points.

The Lady Cats were 16-2 overall going into Tuesday night’s Region 1AAAA home game with the Thomas County Central High School Lady Yellow Jackets.

At halftime, Burke had 23 points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. Jayme Gilbert paced the Lady Panthers attack with 20 points. Diamond Denark scored 13 for the Lady Panthers.

Moon described Burke’s performance against the Lady Panthers as awesome.

“Alexis played a great game,” she said referring to Burke’s performance. “I’ve never seen a dominating first-quarter performance like that before. Our whole team played well, and that was important because in was our Region 1AAAA opener.”

Rounding out the Lady Cats’ scoring chart behind Burke and Thomas Friday were Diamond Bouie and Richana Jackson with six apiece, Bria Harris with five and Briana Wade and Takeia Crankfield with four each.