Beonka Madge hit a lay up off the right glass with just one second remaining Saturday night to give the Bainbridge Lady Cats a thrilling 37-35 road victory over the Thomasville High School Lady Bulldogs and a weekend sweep.
Friday night the Lady Cats defeated the visiting Cairo High School Syrupmaids 80-50 behind a game-high 25-point performance by Patra Parris.
Joining Parris in the double figure-scoring column for the Lady Cats Friday night were Asia Gordon with 14 and Alexandria Carter with 12. Takia Robinson was high for the Syrupmaids with 21 points.
After Saturday’s final-second winning layup Madge hit against the Lady Bulldog, she and Tameria Levens, who saved the ball from out of bounds and got it to her, talked about the play.
Levens said she was concentrating on getting the ball in bounds but she really was not sure who might get it.
“I really didn’t see Beonka,” she said. “I just threw the ball in blindly hoping one of our players would come up with it and put it in.” Madge said the ball came right to her and she made sure she got it up quickly.
Lady Cats coach Kelvin Cochran said he could not be prouder of Levens, Madge and his entire team.
“We initially fell behind Thomasville 10-0,” he said.  “I called a time out and told the players to play close up on them defensively, and they did. They caused some turnovers and gradually shortened the lead. It was a true team victory.”
Carter’s 3-point jumper from the left side with 5:08 left in the first quarter put the Lady Cats ahead to stay 6-5 Friday against the Syrupmaids. Levens increased the advantage to 8-5 with a layup off the left glass with 5:14 remaining.
Gordon’s two free throws with 3:04 showing on the first quarter clock gave the Lady Cats their first double-digit lead at 16-5. Madge’s 3-point jumper increased the advantage to 19-5. A lay up off the right glass by Alexandria Carter made it 21-5.
Another lay up off the right glass by Carter with 1:30 remaining gave the Lady Cats a commanding 25-9 lead.
Rikita Hughes closed out the first quarter scoring with a jumper from the right side at the 40-second mark to send the Lady Cats to the second quarter up 27-9.
Levens’ free throw at the 4:50 mark of the second quarter put the Lady Cats up by 19, 30-11. They led 41-26 at halftime and 63-44 after three quarters. They opened the fourth quarter with a 63-44 lead. They scored the initial four points of the quarter on two free throw by Carter and a driving lay up by Madge to take a 31-point, 76-45 lead.
Parris led the Lady Cats in scoring Friday night with a game high 25 points.
Coach Cochran said he thought his team played hard and well against Cairo. He pointed out that they did a particularly good job on defense.