The Bainbridge High School Bearcat basketball team tipped off their season across the state line at Lincoln High School in Florida Tuesday, ultimately losing 68-52 to the Trojans.
“We were up nine points with 40 seconds left in the half,” Head Coach Rickey McCullough said. “We were able to cut it to three points, but we turned the ball over a few times and never really got our composure back.”
The Bearcats entered the locker room with the score at 32-29, Bainbridge in the lead. The margin was small and it appeared within the Bearcats’ means to continue to secure the lead early in the second half.
By the end of the third quarter, the Bearcats were only down by four points 46-42.
They were only able to score 10 more points in the final quarter, where Lincoln threw up 22 and finished the game victorious 68-52.
“We just turned the ball over too many times,” said McCullough. “By the end, we just had to foul them because we were down and they made their free throws. They were able to spread the floor.”
Leading the Bearcats was senior forward Dominique Douglas with 19 points. He was three for four for three-pointers, one for two on free throws and scored six points from inside the paint.
Behind him was senior guard Frank Bryant with eight points. Bryant hit two three-pointers and scored two points from inside the paint.
Sophomore forward Myles Thomas and senior guard Stephen Johnson both had five offensive rebounds.
“All you can do is get the team ready for the next game,” McCullough said. “It was our first game, and their third, so I think that had a lot to do with it.”
The Bearcats ninth grade team traveled to Thomasville on Thursday for a game against the Yellow Jackets. The game went down to the wire and the Bearcats emerged with a 41-40 win.
Big scorers were Milton Gaye with 10 points, Damien White and Jacquez Bruton both with eight points and Isiah Harris with seven points.
After their impressive 55-16 win over North Florida Christian on Tuesday, the JV Bearcats now hold a 2-0 record and continue to work hard this season.
The varisty Bearcats, now 1-1 this season after their 82-72 scrimmage win against Early County, are gearing up for the next game on Saturday against Thomasville.
Tip off is at 6 p.m. for the Lady Cats and 7:30 p.m. for the Bearcats at the Bainbridge High School gym.