By BRANDON SUMRALL/For the Advertiser

Despite a closely contested first period, the Chilton County Tigers boys basketball team picked up a first-round win in the County Basketball Tournament on Tuesday night against the Isabella Mustangs, 63-31.

Baskets by Dante Davis and Keaton Sullivan got the Tigers out to a 4-0 lead to start the game, but a free throw by Jacob Carroll and a basket by Fidell Wilson drew the Mustangs to within one point of the lead.

With a one-point lead late in the first period, Tolliver Gilliland knocked down a three-point basket to make it a 9-5 lead in favor of the Tigers.

Carroll added a three-pointer for the Mustangs late in the period, but the Tigers maintained a 12-9 lead at the end of the first period.

Chase Pate started the second period off with a basket for the Mustangs, but a basket by Jaquarius Martin jump-started a 10-0 run by the Tigers.

Pate ended the Tigers’ run with a basket while Willie Smith added two free throws to make it a 22-16 Chilton County lead late in the second period.

Six points by Austin Ray led the Tigers on a 12-2 run to bring the first half to an end as Chilton County took a 34-18 lead to the half.

Gilliland started things off in the second half with a two-pointer for the Tigers, but it was all of the scoring for either team through the first 3 minutes of the third period.

Jacob Carroll finally broke the drought with a two-point basket, but back-to-back three-point baskets by Chilton County extended the Tigers’ lead to 42-20 with 4:41 to play.

Cade Hatch added another Tigers three-point basket as Chilton County stretched its lead to 53-28 at the end of the third period.

With the Tigers sporting a comfortable lead going into the final period of play, the tempo turned down during the final minutes.

Gilliland started the scoring for the Tigers with a two-point basket while baskets by Martin and Sullivan brought the score to 59-28 midway through the period.

Two free throws by Gilliland and a basket by Ray ended the Tigers’ scoring, while Carroll accounted for all three of the Mustangs points in the period as the Tigers cruised to the 63-31victory.

The Tigers advance to take on the Maplesville Red Devils on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Alton Cobb Gymnasium in Jemison.

Gilliland led the Tigers with 14 points, seven rebounds, and four steals.

Carroll led the Mustangs with 11 points and four rebounds.