The Bainbridge Bearcats improved their record to 11-2 with a 73-66 road victory Saturday over the Americus-Sumter Panthers.
The team featured four men in double figures. Tyree Crump led the way with 25 points, Malik Middleton added 16 and Myles Thomas and Trevon Shaw added 12 apiece. D.J. Harris scored 16 for the Panthers.
The Bearcats led 16-14 at the end of the first quarter. They were on top 29-25 at half time and 56-44 after three quarters.
Bearcats coach Rickey McCullough said he was pleased with his team’s performance against the Panthers.
“We just played a good all around game,” he said. “Americus-Sumter is a very good team. And going into the game they were 11-2 overall and had not lost at home.”
McCullough also said having four men in double figures was the difference in the game. “We also rebounded well and played good defense,” he said. “It was a solid overall team victory.”
The Bearcats returned to action Tuesday, hosting the Thomasville High School Bulldogs. During the weekend they will host a pair of Region 1-AAAA games, the Crisp County High School Cougars Friday and the Cairo High School Syrupmakers Saturday in Cairo.
Each Region 1-AAAA team plays each other region opponent twice, but only the second game counts in the Region 1-AAAA standings. The weekend games with Crisp County and Cairo will be the first to count in the Region 1-AAAA standings.
“It is important that we strongly focus on the rest of our Region 1-AAAA schedule,” McCullough said. “Our region is strong and we will be facing a lot of very good players each week, so we can not afford to let up at all.”