Center Patra Parris and forward Asia Gordon combined for 20 points Thursday night to lead coach Kelvin Cochran’s Bainbridge High School Lady Bearcats basketball team to a 48-37 preseason scrimmage victory over the Early County High School Lady Bobcats. Parris led the way with 12 points and Gordon put in 8.
They were followed by forward Alexandria Carter and forward Longeisha Eamanuel with seven points each.
Carter gave the Lady Cats a quick 2-0 lead when she hit a layup at the 5:00 mark of the first quarter. Paris increased the advantage to 4-0 with a layup at the 3:55 mark.  The advantage reached 6-0 when point guard Beonka Madge banked home a jumper at the 3:55 mark.
After forward Emanuel hit a layup off the right glass to make it 8-0, the Lady Bobcats Dorian White hit two free throws to make it 8-2. A three-point jumper from the right side by Tynico McCoy got the Lady Bobcats to within three at 8-5.
Carter countered with a three point jumper from the right side at the 6:10 mark of the second quarter to give the Lady Cats their first double digit lead of the night at 15-5. They led 17-14 at halftime.
The lead was out to double digits, 32-21, entering the fourth quarter when they outscored the Lady Bobcats 16-12 to put the game away.
After the game coach Cochran said he was pleased overall with the performance of his team which returns three starting guards, Beonka Madge, Alexandria Carter and Tameka Levens.
“Our young players gained a lot of experience last year and we are a whole lot better with a year under our belt,” he said. “Everyone played hard and hustled the entire game. To Early County’s credit they played hard and cut the lead to below 10 points a few ties, but to our credit, we came back each time to increase it back to double digits.”
The Lady Bearcats will begin their regular season Friday and Saturday, Nov.29 and 30, when they travel to Albany to play in the Westover High School Lady Patriots Thanksgiving Shootout Tournament.
They will play Albany’s Monroe High School Lady Tornadoes Friday at 5:30 p.m. and take on the Westover High School Lady Pat Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Their regular season home opener will be Saturday, Dec. 7, against the Thomasville High School Lady Bulldogs. Tip off will be at 6 p.m.