KERNERSVILLE — Perennial powerhouse Bishop McGuinness topped the Lady Eagles 62-38 Tuesday.

Bishop, which makes a deep run in the 1A playoffs every year, showed it is ready for another good season against Surry Central.

The Eagles started the game well, said Coach Mandy Holt. They built an early six-point lead before Bishop responded with a run.

Bishop led 22-16 to start the second. The Eagles cut it to 24-21, but then the Lady Villains pulled away for a 39-26 halftime advantage.

Holt said she thought her group was going to make a run in the third, but after getting five points, the Eagles didn’t scratch the rest of the quarter and trailed 52-31 going into the fourth.

“They kept good pressure defense on us,” said Holt. “And we had uncharacteristically bad handling of the ball on cuts.”

Shots just weren’t falling on the inside with the team shooting percentage in the 20s, while Bishop’s shooting was very good, she noted.

“And there were no second-chance opportunities for us,” she said.

“I think I have a good basketball team, but Bishop was the better team tonight,” she said.

Cassidy Joyner led the Eagles with 11 points, and forward Courtney Hegler had another double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.

Holt was pleased with reserve Marlee Wilmoth chipping in a season-high eight points. Tess Dockery added five, Brittany Lewis two and Sarah Bruce two.