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The Bearcats Varsity Basketball team ended their season last Tuesday night against Cairo, following a slew of injuries prior to and throughout the game.

The Bearcats and Syrupmakers both started off strong in the first quarter, with the Bearcats scoring 13 points, while the Syrupmakers scored 14.

Leading the Bearcats in the 1st quarter was Dontae Broadnax, who nailed two 3-pointers, giving the team six points. Dialan Beard followed up Broadnax with three points, making a free throw and a layup. VJ Ervin and Demetriss Chappell rounded out the quarter with two points each.

The Bearcats tied up the game in the second quarter, scoring 10 points, while the Syrupmakers were held to nine points.

Gabriel Smart and Ervin both hit 3-pointers, while Zyrell Williams and Ashton Parris brought in two points each, headed into halftime.

Coming out of the half, the Bearcats managed to score 13 points, while the Syrupmakers netted 12 points.

Ked Bryant led with six points in the third quarter, while Ervin followed him with four points. Broadnax also made a 3-pointer to grab the lead.

It all came down to the fourth quarter, where the Bearcats and Syrupmakers battled it out in a tight game.

With 7:21 to go in the fourth quarter, the Syrupmakers and Bearcats had already tied it up again 38-38.

With both the offense and defense giving it all they had, the teams found themselves once again tied with 5:18 left to go, 41-41.

It all came down to the last 1:51 in the quarter, when the teams were tied 51-51.

The Syrupmakers were able to pull ahead after Jalon Spence was fouled multiple times, allowing him to convert on each free throw attempt.

Beard led the Bearcats in the fourth quarter with 8 points, while Smart followed close behind with six points.

Ervin closed out the game and the season with three points. The final score was 55-53.

Although this was not the ending the team hoped for, Head Coach Jeff Page was still proud of the team and their season.

“We had a good season,” he said. “Unfortunately, if you look at the books, after the debacle at Westover, we just went down.”

According to Page, the Bearcats were cheated out of a win when they played against the Patriots in Albany.

“If you look at the books, we won, but they took it away from us,” he explained. “So, the last week and a half or so, we’ve declined. We got away from relying on our defense and thinking we could just shoot.”

Relying on the defense and the injuries sustained led ultimately to the Bearcats’ loss.

KJ Cochran had sustained a shoulder injury Friday, prior to the game, while Parris was suspected to have broken his ankle during the Cairo game. A possible concussion also put out Williams during Cairo’s game.

Knowing all the injuries the team was facing, Page admitted if they had continued into the playoffs, they would’ve been walking wounded.

“I’m proud of our seniors though,” he said. “Ashton Parris is the poster child for hard work. We cut him his ninth grade year, but he worked hard and then came back and has started every game. He may be one of the only ones who played every game this season.”

Page said he hated the seniors had to end their season this way, but thought the team played hard, regardless of everything that happened.