ATHENS, Ala. – The Shelbyville Central Golden Eagles (11-7) jumped out to a 20-point halftime lead over the Tanner Rattlers (AL) in the first game of the ‘Border Wars’ invitational on Monday, 82-58.

Tae’Shawn Shelton led the Golden Eagles with a team-high 19 points all in the first three quarters, Josiah Berry added a season-high 17 points, Jordan Tayor finished with 14 points, and Jevon Lee chipped in with 12 points.

For the Rattlers (8-9), Rickey Speights Jr. scored a game-high 22 points, including connecting on five of Tanner’s eight three-pointers in the contest. Kaden Freeman added 10 points as the only other member of the Rattlers to reach double-figures.

After suffering a 61-53 defeat to Pinson Valley (AL) in the Allen Iverson Classic at Oakland High on the day after Christmas, Shelbyville came out with an increased level of intensity against Tanner, taking a 23-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

Speights, who was held scoreless in the opening period, hit a couple of threes in the second, finishing with nine points in the quarter, but Shelbyville outscored Tanner, 22-18, to take a 45-25 lead into the halftime locker room. 

In the third quarter, Shelton led the Golden Eagles by scoring nine of his team’s 15 points in the period. Meanwhile, Speights scored eight points as Tanner was able to hold serve in the quarter, but the Rattlers still trailed by 20 points entering the final frame, 60-40.

Shelbyville Central actually outscored Tanner by four, 22-18, in the fourth quarter to reach the final margin of victory, 82-58. 

Shelbyville Central improves to 11-7 overall. The Golden Eagles return to the court for Day 2 of the ‘Border Wars’ invitational in Athens on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. against an Albertville (AL) squad that comes in with a 15-2 record.