By BRANDON SUMRALL/Special to the Reporter

After getting off to a 4-0 start, the Tigers varsity boys have since dropped three of their last four, but their fortunes changed on Dec. 13 as they picked up a win in their first regional test, 60-55 over Shelby County.

After two minutes of scoreless basketball to start the game, Braylen Parker finally got the Tigers on the board, starting a 8-5 Chilton County run.

A Justin Martin basket late in the first gave the Tigers an 11-9 lead after one period of play.

Raquaez Cora and Cedric Youngblood exchanged three pointers for each team to start the second period to bring the score to 14-12.

A Chilton County 15-3 run to end the period would give the Tigers (6-4, 1-0) a 34-22 lead at the halftime break.

Justis Martin led a Wildcats (5-5, 0-3) comeback in the third period by pitching in six points in an 11-2 Shelby County run to make the score 36-33 late in the third period.

Davre Williams put an end to the Wildcat run by adding consecutive baskets for the Tigers, as Chilton County ended the third period with a 43-38 lead.

With a three-point lead and three and a half minutes to play, a Cade Hatch basket started a 10-5 Chilton County run to bring the score to 60-53 with just 0:20 to play.

Martin added two more for the Wildcats with 0:14 to play, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Tigers escaped with the win.

Hatch, Williams and Parker all were in double digits in points: Hatch with 13 points, four rebounds and two steals; Williams with 12 points, eight rebounds, one steal and one block; Parker with 11 points, 16 rebounds, one steal and six blocks.

Martin led the Wildcats with 24 points, five rebounds and two steals.