Tyree Crump and Trevon Shaw combined for 35 points Saturday night, but the visiting Americus-Sumter County High School Panthers hung on for a 50-49 victory over the Bainbridge High School Bearcats.

Crump led the way with 19 and Shaw put in 16. After the game, Bearcats head coach Rickey McCullough said he thought turnovers were the difference in the game.

“We shot well, set our offense up well and played good defense, but we had too many turnovers,” coach McCullough said. “Overall I think it was a game that we should have won.”

Crump hit a 3-pointer from the left side with 5:25 left in the first quarter to pull the Bearcats to within two at 7-5. Following a Panthers bucket to increase the lead to 9-5, Trump hit another three pointer at the 4:14 mark to cut the advantage to one at 9-8. The Panthers led 11-10 at the end of the first quarter.

Shaw put in a layup off the right glass with 6:22 left in the second quarter to put the

Bearcats back out front 12-11. The Bearcats then went on a 16-11 run the remainder of the quarter to take a 28-22 halftime lead. They left 40-34 at the end of the third quarter. The Panthers then scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter to take a 41-40 lead.

The Bearcats returned to action Tuesday when they traveled to Thomasville to take on the Thomasville High School Bulldogs. They will travel to Cordele Friday to take on the Crisp County High School Cougars.