After a little bit of a slow start, the Cleveland Lady Raiders gave a preview of what to expect this season by shifting into high gear to plunder 12-time state champion Shelbyville, Tuesday evening at Raider Arena.

“It was a great first win,” proclaimed Cleveland head coach Bianca Hensley as the 69-26 blowout opened her third season at the helm.

“It was especially nice having Emily Patterson back on the floor after her season was cut short last year.

“We had five players in double figures, and I couldn’t have asked for a better team effort on the defensive end. We held them scoreless in the second period,” she praised. “Very proud of how our team executed offensively tonight as well.”

The debut for new Blue Raider head coach Howard Pride was the opposite, with a strong start with the lead at the first horn, before the Eagles soared to a 78-52 victory.

“Congratulations to Coach Shane Young. He had his team ready to play,” stated Coach Pride. “They’re long and athletic and their length bothered us on both ends!

“We have to learn to defend and that’s on Me! I’m disappointed in our transition defense and inability to box out! Practice will be fun tomorrow!!!”

The Raiders will regroup for a trip to Chattanooga Central Friday evening, before hosting East Ridge Saturday afternoon at 3:30.

Meanwhile, the Lady Raiders will trek the “Scenic City” as well Friday evening to take on Girls Preparatory School, which fell to Bradley Central 73-49 Tuesday.

The Cleveland boys will head to the Lenoir City Thanksgiving Tournament at the first of the week, while the Lady Raiders journey to Adairsville, Ga., for the Lady Tigers Thanksgiving event Monday and Tuesday.

LADY RAIDERS 69

LADY EAGLES 26

Shelbyville came out strong, building 7-2 and 10-5 advantages before back-to-back 3-pointers from senior Ilianis Rodriguez and junior Laney Copeland vaulted the hosts into the lead.

Although the visitors tied the score a moment later with a free throw, the rest of the first half belonged to Cleveland, which went on a 29-point scoring streak while holding the Lady Eagles scoreless for more than 12 minutes of playing time.

Hitting 11-of-22 shots, including four from long range, the Lady Raiders led 38-11 at the intermission, thanks in part to nine steals and holding the visitors to just 25% (4-of-16) from the field.

The second half was more of the same, with Cleveland stretching the difference to 53-20 at the third horn, setting up a “running clock” for the final frame.

Spreading the ball around with five players within two points of each other reaching double digits, Copeland drilled a trio of treys for a game-high 13 points, to go with four assists and a couple of steals.

Rodriguez, Patterson and sophomore Addy Gravelle each netted a dozen, while Ariyah Huffman, also a 10th-grader, netted 11.

Rodriguez swiped five thefts, while Patterson cleared four rebounds and Gravelle five, four of which came off the offensive glass. Huffman dialed long distance twice and was the chairman of the boards with nine caroms.

Junior Izzy Smith and sophomore Jada Davis helped out with five points apiece, with Davis also snagging a half dozen boards.

Shelbyville’s 6-foot-2 Jada Berry topped the visitors with nine points, but was held to just three ricochets, as Cleveland controlled the glass by a 28-8 margin.

The Lady Raider defense swiped 14 steals while forcing 27 Lady Eagles turnovers, plus held the girls from Middle Tennessee to just 7-of-23 (30.4%) in front of the arc and 3-for-7 (42.8%) beyond it. Shelbyville also went to the foul line just a half dozen times, making only three.

Cleveland’s hot hands connected on 65.4% (17-of-26) from close range, as well as 33.3% (7-of-21) from downtown, plus 76.5% (13-of-17) at the charity stripe.

EAGLES 78

RAIDERS 52

In a run-and-gun opening eight minutes, the lead changes hands a half dozen times and was tied thrice with Cleveland draining the final two baskets, including a wing jumper by senior Ben DeLoach just before the buzzer for an 18-16 edge.

The heated action continued to open the second period, with the hosts maintaining the advantage through the first half dozen made goals before the visitors took over with an 11-0 streak.

Down nine with 1:38 left in the opening half, the Raiders closed the gap a bit with an 8-5 run with senior Brayden Beavers dropping in a driving basketball just before the horn blared.

The much-taller Shelbyville squad came out of the locker rooms and once again claimed control midway through the third quarter, finishing off with a 17-2 run before Cleveland 6-foot-5 junior Gabe Krepps beat the buzzer with an offensive rebound put back trim the difference back below 20 points.

The teams traded the first 13 points of the final frame before the Eagles soared to a 12-4 streak in the final four minutes to seal the victory.

Drained five shots from “downtown, Beavers was the lone double-digit scorer for the Raiders, ripping the cords for a career-high 22, also grabbing a trio of caroms.

DeLoach, who had a pair of “triples,” and Krepps helped out with eight markers and three boards apiece.

Four Eagles sizzled the nylon for double digits, with 6-foot-7 Tae’Shawn Shelton netting 20 and snagging seven ricochets.

Shelbyville hit 33-of-48 (68.7%) overall from the field, with five 3-pointers, plus out rebounded the hosts 37-27.

Cleveland connected on 13-of-30 (43.3%) from two-point land and went just 7-for-28 (25%) from distance.

GAME SUMMARIESTuesday, Nov. 18at Raider ArenaGirls GameShelbyville            11      0      9       5 — 26Cleveland              17     21    15     17 — 69LADY EAGLES (26) — Jada Berry 9, Yasmine McFarland 6, Jayda Frazier 4, Janiya Leslie 3, Naomi Floyd 2, Dara Frazier 2, Patton, McCullough, Lopez, Ward, Painter.LADY RAIDERS (69) — Laney Copeland 13, Ilianis Rodriguez 12, Emily Patterson 12, Addy Gravelle 12, Ariyah Huffman 11, Izzy Smith 5, Jada Davis 5, Bradford, Pryor, Lambert.3-POINTERS: SC 3 (McFarland 2, Leslie); CHS 7 (Copeland 3, Huffman 2, Smith, Rodriguez).FG SHOOTING: SC 10-of-30 (33.3%); CHS 24-of-47 (51%).FREE THROWS: SC 3-of-6 (50%); CHS 13-of-17 (76.5%).RECORDS: Shelbyville Central 0-1; Cleveland 1-0.Boys GameShelbyville            16     16     22     18 — 78Cleveland              18     14       9     11 — 52EAGLES (78) — Tae’Shawn Shelton 20, Jevon Lee 15, Malek Johnson 12, Tommie Cannon 11, Jordan Taylor 8, Josiah Berry 6, Mike Crosby 5, McCall, B. Johnson, Derryberry, Bean, Whitelow, Young.BLUE RAIDERS (52) — Brayden Beavers 22, Gabe Krepps 8, Ben DeLoach 8, Pride 2, Giannasio 2, Matthews 2, Evans 2, Ndegwa, Johnson, King, Morla.3-POINTERS: SC 3 (McFarland 2, Leslie); CHS 7 (Beavers 5, DeLoach 2).FG SHOOTING: SC 33-of-58 (56.7%); CHS 20-of-58 (34.5%).FREE THROWS: SC 6-of-11 (54.5%); CHS 2-of-4 (50%).RECORDS: Shelbyville Central 1-0; Cleveland 0-1.