Bainbridge High School senior Devon Baulkman hit a shot at the end of regulation against Cairo High School Saturday night to send the game to overtime, and then came up big again to lead the Bearcats to a 79-77 victory.

Baulkman tied the game at 68-68 as the fourth quarter ended. He then had five points in overtime, including a three-pointer, to lift the Bearcats up over their rivals, the Cairo Syrupmakers.

The win improved coach Rickey McCullough’s Bearcats regular season record to 23-2 and provided a strong tuneup for this week’s Region 1AAAA Tournament at the new BHS Gym.

The Bearcats, who are 4-0 and in first place in Region 1-AAAA South, will play the Houston County High School Bears, the number four seed in Region 1AAAA North, tonight at 8:30 p.m. in the tournament’s opening round.

Rodney Glenn led the Bearcats in scoring Saturday night against the Syrupmakers with 25 points. Baulkman added 23 and Ronald Crawford put in 11. Cairo’s Terrell Bryant took game-high scoring honors with 46.

“Cairo is a rivalry game,” Coach McCullough said Monday. “They are always a good, well-coached team and it is always close when we play. We were behind by 10, 54-44, going into the fourth quarter.”

“Now we put the regular season behind us and get ready for the Region 1AAAA Tournament.”

First round region tournament action begins with the South Sub Region number two seed Thomas County Central High School Yellow Jackets taking on the North number three seed Northside Columbus High School Patriots at 4 p.m.

At 5:30 p.m., the North Sub-Region number one seed Hardaway High School Golden Hawks of Columbus will play the Warner Robins High School Demons.

At 7 p.m., the North Sub-Region number two seed Northside Warner Robins High School Eagles will play the South Sub-Region number three seed Lee County High School Trojans.