TULLAHOMA, Tenn. – After suffering a home overtime defeat in the first iteration of the 2025 ‘Battle of Highway 41-A’ two weeks ago, the Shelbyville Central Golden Eagles (9-5) once again came up short against the Tullahoma Wildcats (6-2), 55-52, on Tuesday night.

Tommie Cannon scored the final bucket of the night for Shelbyville on a nifty up-and-under layup with exactly 60 seconds remaining to put his team back on top, 52-50. However, on a night where the Wildcats routinely kept possessions alive with their tenacity on the offensive glass, Tullahoma managed to come through one more time when a long rebound was hustled down by Jackson Knight, immediately leading to what turned out to be the game-winning three-point play to put the Wildcats on top for good, 53-52, with 34.0 seconds left. 

On the ensuing Shelbyville possession, Cannon – who finished with a game-high 16 points and was the best player on the floor for the Golden Eagles for long stretches – drove down the lane, drawing a crowd and kicking to an open and freshly-inserted Jack Conditt for a corner three. Unfortunately for Shelbyville, Conditt’s shot was an air-ball, and after Sam Bobo nailed a pair of free throws on the other end to take a three-point lead, Conditt’s game-tying three-point attempt from the left wing bounced off the rim before the buzzer sounded, sealing the season sweep for Tullahoma over their rival for the third consecutive season.

Cannon scored a game-high 16 points, Jevon Lee got going for a stretch in the second half to finish with 12 points, and Tae’Shawn Shelton chipped in with 10 points. As a team, Shelbyville went 4/10 from the free throw line and connected on just two three-pointers.

Tae'Shawn Shelton (3) looks for a pass against Tullahoma's Jackson Knight (23) scored seven of his 10 points in the second half of Tuesday's loss to the Wildcats.

T-G Staff Photo - Noah Maddox

For Tullahoma, Jayden Thompson scored a team-high 15 points, Knight scored seven of his nine points in the fourth quarter alone, and both Sam Bobo and Alex Bobo finished with eight points apiece.

In the opening period, Shelbyville looked like they were starting to find their footing, taking a slim 13-12 lead heading into the second quarter. However, Thompson was a menace in the second, scoring seven of his 15 in the period to lead the Wildcats to a 27-25 lead heading into the halftime locker room.

In the third quarter, Jevon Lee got going for Shelbyville against the Tullahoma zone, scoring eight straight points from the high-post area to give Shelbyville a two-point lead, 41-39, heading into the final frame.

Jevon Lee (30) lays in two of his 12 points in Tuesday's loss at Tullahoma.

T-G Staff Photo - Noah Maddox

In the fourth quarter, Shelbyville scored the first basket on a Cannon floater to go up by four points, but the Golden Eagles were never really able to create any more separation. After Jordan Taylor missed a pair of free throws along with Shelton splitting a pair, the door was propped open for the hosts to come running right through at the very end. 

Shelbyville falls to 9-5 overall. The Golden Eagles travel to Hoover, Alabama on December 22nd to take on Hoover High (AL) in the Big Orange Classic for three days.