Basketball Game Preview: Shelby Golden Lions vs. Burns Bulldogs

Shelby is a perfect 10-0 against Burns since January of 2022 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The two teams will face off at 5:00 p.m. without much rest, having both just played. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.

Shelby had to skate by with only a two-point margin when they last took the court, which might have inspired the 34-point drubbing they dealt East Gaston on Monday. Shelby claimed a resounding 64-30 victory over East Gaston. The Golden Lions have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won eight matches by 25 points or more this season.

Jamiah Hopper

Points

02/17/25 vs East Gaston	19
02/14/25 vs Burns	11
02/11/25 @ Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy	10
02/07/25 vs East Gaston	9
02/05/25 vs Bessemer City	11
+ 16 more games

Jamiah Hopper was the offensive standout of the contest as she posted 19 points. That's the most points she has posted since back in December of 2024. Bre Mcentire was another key player, putting up 11 points.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Burns, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They came out on top against Highland Tech by a score of 57-44 on Monday. The win continues a trend for the Bulldogs in their matchups with the Rams: they've now won six in a row.

Burns' victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-9. Those victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 27.0 points over those games. As for Shelby, they have been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games, which provided a nice bump to their 17-8 record this season.

Shelby came out on top in a nail-biter against Burns in their previous meeting on Friday, sneaking past 41-39. Will Shelby repeat their success, or does Burns have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.