THOMASVILLE – Thomasville’s undefeated start in region play came to an end Saturday against rival Fitzgerald.

The Purple Hurricane scored the game’s first 10 points, raced to a 14-2 lead, and surged to a 59-52 victory at Thomasville. 

Xavier Burkes led the Bulldogs (9-6, 3-1) with 23 points, followed by Major Mitchell’s 12. Fitzgerald built a 42-21 lead with four minutes remaining in the third quarter before Thomasville rallied to within six with three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Thomasville has now lost three of its last four games.

The Lady Bulldogs were also dealt a tough region defeat on Saturday, losing their game earlier in the day to the Lady Hurricane 46-38. Thomasville lost despite a valiant effort in the fourth quarter from guard Jayla Brooks. She scored all nine of her points in the final period, as Thomasville outscored Fitzgerald 13-9 in the fourth quarter. However, turnovers and Fitzgerald’s offensive rebounds proved too much for the Lady Bulldogs to overcome.

“It was really challenging. Fitzgerald played good,” Thomasville girls coach Jeray Randle Sr. said. “We just didn’t perform as well as I thought we should have.

“(Brooks) is really just coming off the flu. You can tell her energy wasn’t there in the first two quarters. After that, she picked it up, right there in the second half. That’s what I expect out of her. She’s young, a freshman. With maturity, I think she’ll learn how to get through those times when she’s not feeling as good.”

Thomasville’s girls dropped to 8-7 and 2-2 in region play.

Thomasville will return to the hardwood on Tuesday at Worth County.