NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Shelbyville Central Golden Eagles (7-4) played their second overtime in three games, falling by four points, 74-70 (OT) at Montgomery Bell Academy (3-1) on Monday night.

Knotted up at 63 at the end of regulation, the Big Red’s Loni Pughsley put the finishing touches on a team-high 25-point night by matching the Golden Eagles with seven points in the extra session. Shelbyville’s Jordan Taylor, who finished with a 20-point outing, connected on a pair of free throws and a three-pointer to lead his team with five points in overtime. Unfortunately for the visitors, they went 0/4 at the free throw line in overtime and 16/28 overall in the four-point defeat.

Tae’Shawn Shelton, who led all scorers with 26 points on the night, was shut out in the extra period. Shelbyville was also without starting senior point guard Malek Johnson as well as Tommie Cannon, but saw the return of Jack Conditt. Conditt connected on one of Shelbyville’s four made three-pointers in the game in the first quarter. Jevon Lee was the other Golden Eagle to finish in double-figures with 13 points. 

For MBA, Hart Weatherford and Korako Dickens joined Pushley in double-digits with 14 and 12 points, respectively.

This game was close from the very beginning with Shelbyville holding just a one-point lead, 15-14, at the end of the opening period. The Golden Eagles held onto that lead going into the halftime locker room, 34-33, behind Shelton’s explosive 16-point second quarter to bring his scoring total to 22 points in the first 16 minutes.

However, in the third quarter, the lack of their two starting guards began to hurt Shelbyville as MBA took a slim 52-48 lead heading into the final frame. The Golden Eagles would respond by outscoring the hosts, 15-11, to force overtime behind Jevon Lee’s seven-point fourth quarter, but ultimately came up just short due in part to their struggles as a team from the foul line.  

Shelbyville falls to 7-4, but looks to rebound on Thursday night as they return home to take on Summit at 7:30 p.m.