Shelby 76, East Lincoln 48

Thanks to everyone for reading the blog tonight.

I'll post a few more stats, notes and quotes from the game when I get back to Cleveland County in a few hours.

The two teams are warming up ... at 8:33 p.m. there is still 13 minutes until tip-off. I'll have updates as frequent as possible during the game, so check back often.

In case you missed on the first blog, Shelby is the visitors and are wearing its black tops and shorts with white and gold trim. East Lincoln is the home team and is in white tops and shorts with green and orange trim.

Starters
Shelby Golden Lions
G - Michael Manning
G - Miles Lawrence
F - Tim Gullatte
F - Eric Mayo
C - Quevalas Murray

East Lincoln Mustangs
G - Wes Glover
G - Breon Jones
G - Adrian Forney
F - Keith Rendleman
C - Alex Newsome

First quarter under way
With 4 minutes left in the first, Shelby leads 9-7.
First quarter complete with score tied at 14-14. Shelby has missed out on a couple of chances near the basket, but has done a solid job on the defensive end. Two of Shelby's four field goals are 3-pointers by big men Quevalas Murray and Eric Mayo.

Second quarter under way
A quick 8-0 run by Shelby to start the 2nd makes it 22-14 Golden Lions at the 6-minute mark.
Now a 9-0 run after 1-of-2 at the stripe by Tim Gullatte makes it 23-14. Shelby is doing a solid job of limiting EL to just one shot per possession.
Shelby leads 28-20 with 2:15 left in the half.
Shelby leads 33-24 at halftime. A bit of an offensive lull down the stretch of the second quarter by the Lions, but they have turned in solid defense and rebounding through the half with the 6-foot-9 Alex Newsome and 6-foot-7 Rendleman roaming the paint.

Points leaders
Shelby
Murray 11 points; Mayo 9 points
EL
Newsome 10 points; Forney 6 points

A few stats ... Shelby shooting 36 percent from the floor; EL shooting 34 percent. Shelby outrebounding EL, 22-16 and has held EL to just four offensive boards. Shelby with six teals to EL's two. EL's Rendleman with three of teams' five fouls in first half.

Third quarter under way
Eric Mayo and Michael Manning with early baskets to make it 37-24 with 7 minutes left.
EL has found some rhythm offensively, but SHS still leads 41-34 with 3 minutes left.
Miles Lawrence drains Shelby's fifth 3-pointer of the game to make it 44-34 with 2:40 left.
Michael Manning threads a pass through the paint to Murray, who converts a 3-point play to make it 47-34 with 2 minutes left.
11-0 SHS run over a 1:30 stretch makes it 52-34 with 1:13 left.
Shelby will take a 52-38 lead into the fourth. Eric Mayo drills a halfcourt shot at the buzzer, but it was waved off by the referee.

Fourth quarter under way
Shelby leads 58-39 with 6:30 left. Murray now with 18 points on the night.
Shelby has increased lead to 63-41 with 5 minutes left.
Murray with 2-of-2 at the line as Shelby now leads 65-41 with 4:30 left. EL has just one FG and 3 points in the fourth quarter. SHS has outscored the Mustangs, 17-4 in the fourth quarter and leads 69-42.
With 2 minutes left, Hollifield is clearing the bench with five subs on the floor. SHS leads 73-44.
Shelby wins 76-48 and will face Pisgah Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem with a berth in the 2A State title game at stake.