Basketball Game Preview: Highland Tech Rams vs. Shelby Golden Lions

Highland Tech hasn't had much luck against Shelby recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. Having just played yesterday, the Highland Tech Rams will head out on the road to face off against the Shelby Golden Lions at 7:30 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Highland Tech took a loss when they played away from home on Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They blew past Langtree Charter Academy 59-39. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Rams have posted since November 18, 2024.

Highland Tech's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Elijah Sherrill, who went 5 for 10 on his way to 23 points. Sherrill's evening made it 17 games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Coleman Schafer, who posted 14 points.

Highland Tech was working as a unit and finished the game with 13 assists. That's the most assists they've posted since back in February of 2024.

Meanwhile, Shelby strolled past Bessemer City with points to spare on Tuesday, taking the game 72-58. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Golden Lions.

Shelby has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matches, which provided a nice bump to their 6-5 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 62.3 points per game. As for Highland Tech, their win bumped their record up to 6-7.

Things could have been worse for Highland Tech, but things could have been a whole lot better as they took an 83-68 loss to Shelby in their previous matchup back in February of 2024. Can Highland Tech avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.