The Bainbridge High School varsity boys basketball team evened their record at 1-1 with a 74-67 home opening victory over the Randolph-Clay High School Red Devils Friday night.

The Bearcats, who opened their season with a 41-39 loss to the Malone, Fla. High School Tigers Tuesday, Nov. 30 in Malone, took an early 4-0 lead on a layup by Devon Baulkman, who led all scorers in the game with 28 points and a layup by Rodney Glenn.

Red Devil Tim Stringer countered with a jumper with 5:01 remaining in the first quarter to cut the Bearcats lead to 4-2.

Malcolm Jones, who led the Red Devils in scoring with 18 points, pulled them even at 6-6 when he banged home a layup off the left glass at the 3:34 mark of the first quarter. The Bearcats led 17-11 at the end of the first quarter.

The Red Devils bounced back to take a 35-30 second quarter lead, but a three-pointer by Ronald Crawford with10 seconds remaining cut the opponents’ halftime lead to 35-33.

Trailing 45-43 with 3:03 showing on the third quarter clock, the Bearcats outscored the Red Devils 7-2 down the stretch to take a 50-43 lead into the fourth quarter.

They built their lead to 10, at 63-53, when Jamar Cosby hit a jumper with 6:05 left in the game.

Bearcat Shawn Samuels had a big fourth quarter, scoring seven of his total 10 points. Rodney Glenn also had 10 points for the game.

Bearcats Coach Rickey McCullough said he told his team at halftime to just settle down and execute their offense.

“Randolph-Clay was not a lot taller than us, but we were getting out rebounded in the first half,” Coach McCullough said. “In the second half, we did a good job getting the ball up and down the court and did a better job of rebounding.”

The Bearcats will return to action Saturday when they play the Thomasville High School Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. in Thomasville.