THOMASVILLE — The roller coaster ride that is the Thomasville Lady Bulldogs’ basketball season heads into the final stretch Friday night when they host East Laurens in the first round of the Class AA playoffs.

Thomasville (11-15) captured a No. 2 seed in this week’s state tournament on the heels of a 61-48 victory over Fitzgerald in the semifinal round of the Region 1 tournament last Friday night. The win is the team’s only victory since Jan. 17, however. Thomasville coach Carmenonique Dawson is hopeful her team can capitalize on its opportunity when it takes the court Friday at 6 p.m.

“This season has been a little rocky for us, but we’re pushing through,” she said. “We’re persevering. We just played for the region championship. It didn’t end like we wanted it… we ended up being the runner-up. 

“We’re still playing basketball and that’s what we want. This is what a lot of teams want to be doing right now and you have teams that are not. We’re still in a good position.”

Thomasville will look to ride its senior class this postseason, specifically Dontaevia Johnson and Aalliyah Powell. 

Dawson is no stranger to the state tournament. Along with guiding the Lady Bulldogs as a coach, she was also a player for Thomasville, running the offense from 2008-11. She understands that the team needs urgency when it takes the court.

“Urgency is something I’ve been talking about all season. Urgency is something I’m trying to instill in the girls,” Dawson said. “We all have got to play with urgency. We can’t expect that people are going to lay down for us just because we’re Thomasville High. No, because you’re Thomasville High you have a target on your back so you always have to play with urgency.”

The Lady Bulldogs dropped the region championship game to Early County 70-46 on Saturday. The team’s mindset is simple heading into the state tournament: win or go home.

“Everybody’s got to do their job and do it well. That’s what I’m always telling them, you’ve got to do your job and do it well,” Dawson said. “Right now we’re at the point, we can’t lose. If we lose, we’re done and we don’t want to be done yet.”

Notes: Tickets for the GHSA state playoffs first round games are $7.