SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – Shelbyville Central basketball stars Tae’Shawn Shelton and Jordan Taylor both recently signed with Vol State to continue their playing careers at the collegiate level.

Both Taylor and Shelton acknowledged that they will have a unique connection with the Pioneers, and are excited to see how it will translate at the next level.

Shelton surpassed the 1,000-points mark for his career during the 2025-26 regular season, and was the starting center for Shane Young’s program that finished with a 20-13 record after falling to the eventual Class AAAA Runners-Up, Walker Valley, in the Region 3-4A semifinals.

“I’m really just excited to continue to keep playing,” Shelton said, “I also would like to thank everyone for taking the time to see me play and for their support. They could be doing anything and they came to support me. It means a lot.”

After missing time near the end of his Junior year in 2024-25, Jordan Taylor returned with a vengeance in 2025-26. Taylor was a key member of the District 6-AAAA Runners-Up as a primary ball-handler, and his tenacious defense paired with his shot-creation on the offensive end gave opponents headaches on a nightly basis.

“It feels good,” Taylor said about signing to play at Vol State, “I’m ready to play. I felt great knowing that people support me and are excited to see me play at the next level. They [Coach Young and teammates] are my family. They helped me through a lot, they pushed me, and they helped get me to where I needed to be.”