The Rockdale County girls varsity basketball team earned a much needed victory Friday night over region rival Lovejoy, downing the Lady Wildcats on a go-ahead 3-pointer from Shebretta Alexander with 11 seconds left in overtime at home.

Alexander’s bucket pushed the Lady Bulldogs’ ahead 62-60, a margin that they held on to for their first win of the season.

Lovejoy scored the first four points in overtime, but it was Alexander’s bucket off a feed from Bianca Riley that sealed the win.

Sydney Fields led the Lady Bulldogs with 22 points, while Riley added 11 for Rockdale to finish in double figures.

Entering overtime tied 55-55, Rockdale fell behind by four as Lovejoy opened the period with a Diamond Butler layup and a pair of free throws from Carmen Woodward.

Fields brought Rockdale back to within a score on a jumper before the Lady Bulldogs tied the contest at 59-59 on a pair of Brianna Patton free throws.

Woodward hit one of two shots from the charity strip with 20 second to go in the extra period, giving the Lady Wildcats a one-point advantage before Alexander’s bucket.

The loss dropped the Lady Wildcats to 1-3 overall, while Rockdale improves to 1-2.

Mariah Gray led Lovejoy in scoring with 11 points, while Chelona Holmes and Morgan Jackson added 10 points apiece for the Lady Wildcats.

Wildcats tame Bulldogs

In the late contest, the Wildcats got revenge for the night’s earlier loss, as Lovejoy downed the Bulldogs boys varsity basketball team 62-51.

Jalen Jordan led the Bulldogs with 17 points, nailing a 3-pointer with under three minutes left in the contest to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 47-45.

Despite dropping their fourth game of the season, the Bulldogs led by a point with under six minutes to go in the game, but Lovejoy scored six consecutive points to regain a 47-42 lead that it never let go.

"It was another senior led team against our young guys," Rockdale coach Alen Williams said. "I saw a lot of heart from some of our guys and they never quit, but we have to get some more experience. It's coming along."

Darris Bridges, who led the Wildcats in scoring with 14 points, scored six unanswered points in the final two minutes of the contest to seal the win.

Connor Ferrel added 14 points for the Bulldogs in the loss, while Marlon Currington (13 points), Deandre Mathis (13 points) and Jayron Shivers (12 points) joined Bridges in double figures for the Wildcats.

Both Rockdale County teams return to action Saturday on the road against Pope. The girls contest will begin at 4 p.m., with the boys contest to follow.