LocalSportsJournal.com

The Shelby girls basketball squad held on to defeat Hart 55-52 on Thursday in a West Michigan Conference showdown.

The Tigers jumped out to a commanding 17-8 lead after the first quarter and led 39-23 at halftime.

Hart cut its deficit to 47-33 heading into the final stanza, then outscored Shelby by a 19-9 margin in the fourth quarter but fell just short.

Jenny Beckman paced the Tigers with 28 points and six rebounds, while Jaren Smith added nine points, seven rebounds and five assists. Tori Mussell chipped in with eight points and eight rebounds for Shelby.