(Courtesy of Ben Kelly, Messenger Newspapers)

The Bearcats’ season hopes are still alive after a much needed 95-83 win against the Southern Tigers on Saturday night.

West took a 106-66 beating from Forestville the previous week and lining up against the Tigers was going to be no easy task.

Enter the experience of point guards Brendan Mann and Adam Pearce from injury as well as a handy Luke Callier and West were firing.

Mann (14 points) was in good touch from the three point line, while Callier was effective inside the paint. Shane Crothers was key with 11 rebounds and 10 points while Anthony Spadavecchia ran the lanes to register a game high 24 points and 8 assists.

West fired out of the blocks in the first quarter, Rory Craddock (19 points) hit two three pointers to get West an early lead that the Tigers could not close.

Paul Smith was best for the Tigers with 21 points, while Daniel Lalic made 12 with 11 rebounds with strong inside efforts, but it was not enough. West controlled the game, forcing the Tigers to make a number of turnovers.

In the women’s game the Bearcats were narrowly defeated 59-56. The Tigers were up by as much as 13 points in the third quarter, before West swung the momentum its way and closed the gap.

Down by one point with 20 seconds to play, West's Irene Sourlatzis hit a three pointer to get the Bearcats within a point. Off of the inbound a lapse in West's defensive concentration allowed the Tigers' Tracey Beatty to make a lay up in the dying seconds to extend the lead.

Beatty finished with 26 points, 14 rebounds while Sam Woosnam top scored for West with 12 points and 10 rebounds.