ORRVILLE — It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

The Selma Saints (1-0) proved that saying true Friday night in Orrville, rallying from an early 13-point deficit to defeat Keith (0-1) 68-62. Jeff Huff scored 27 points to lead all scorers and James Anderson poured in another 19 points.

Both players made big shots down the stretch as the Saints held on in front of a packed house at Keith.

“Not many people come into the Bears Den and win,” said Selma coach Ronald Lane, who coached his first game as the Saints’ head coach Friday. “Coach Tisdale, you’ve got to take your hat off to him … his kids always play hard, play with character and it exemplifies the whole Orrville community. This is a great feeling to get this first win as Selma High School’s coach, and I’m so proud of our guys.”

The game was back and forth the last three quarters, and not surprisingly, it came down to just a few plays in the fourth quarter.

Keith led 56-53 with just over four minutes to play. A basket by Korbyn Kelly brought Selma to within one and on Selma’s next possession, Anderson was fouled on a 3-pointer. He made two of the three free throws to put Selma up one.

On Selma’s next possession, Anderson made a step back jumper to put the Saints ahead by three with 2:30 left.

Tyre Webster made two free throws, pulling the Bears within one.

Selma responded by getting the ball to Huff and Anderson. Huff spun in the lane for a layup and Anderson got open for a fast break layup to put the Saints up 63-58.

Ivan Williams knocked down two free throws, putting Selma up seven with 1:03 left. Keith didn’t get closer than four the rest of the way.

“I thought Selma High wanted it more than we did,” said Keith coach Tommy Tisdale. “Mentally we say we wanted it, but I think they actually did what it took on the court, not only in the last few minutes of the game but at points in the third and fourth quarter to put us in a position to make it look like we were fighting from behind.”

Early on, it looked like the other outcome might go the other way.

With a huge crowd providing energy, Keith started the game 5-for-7 from the field. Lane had to use a timeout with Selma down 13-4 early, but Keith still made the game’s next baskets.

The Saints kept chipping away and pulled within nine at the end of the first quarter. By the end of the first half, the Saints were within three and early in the third quarter, Selma took the lead on a layup by JerrYone Patterson.

“It’s about weathering the storm,” Lane said. “With difficulty comes ease. It wasn’t an easy win, but we settled in and started playing the way we know how and I think that blue and gold started to exude.”

Webster scored 16 points to lead the Bears and Justyn Pettway chipped in 13 more. Keith The Bears cooled down after their hot start, finishing the game 19-for-44 (43 percent) from the field.

Selma rebounded from a 2-for-11 start to make 25 of 61 shots (41 percent).

Keith hosts Dallas County on Tuesday, while Selma hosts Francis Marion Tuesday.