Forward Paul Chukes and guard Justin Baker scored 11 points apiece Tuesday night, leading the Bainbridge High School Bearcats to a 53-45 basketball victory over the Thomasville High School Bulldogs, in Thomasville, Ga.

The win improved coach Rickey McCullough’s Bearcats’ season record to 13-4.

Neither team had more than a five-point lead until the fourth quarter when we were able to pull away a little,” coach McCullough said Wednesday morning. “I thought players off our bench, like Greg Lee, Mike Jones and Mez Harris, came in and did a good job.

“Our defense played well against Thomasville’s 6-foot-8 inch center Willie Clayton, holding him to 13 points.”

The Bearcats trailed 14-10 at the end of the first quarter, led 27-24 at haftime and trailed 37-35 at the end of the third quarter.

Behind Chukes and Baker in the Bearcats’ scoring column Tuesday night were forward Rodney Glenn and guard Dontavius Marshall with seven apiece, Greg Lee with six, Trea Kelly with five, Dillen Thonas with four and Mike Jones with two.

Greg Wimberly joined Clayton in the Bulldogs’ double-figure scoring column with 11.

The Bearcats begin their Region 1-AAAA schedule this weekend. They hosted the Thomas County Central High School Yellow Jackets at 7:30 p.m. Friday and will host the Lee County High School Trojans at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.