Selma’s seniors had never lost a game to Southside entering Friday night’s game. The Saints made sure to keep that undefeated record intact.

Playing in their last game against their county rivals, Selma took control early and coasted to a 60-38 win over the Panthers. Not surprisingly, the Saints’ senior trio — Jamya Smith, Areyana Williams and Jacquetta Dailey — led the way with a combined 29 points.

“This was our last game against Southside and we had to make it through undefeated,” Dailey said.

The Saints started the game on a 13-2 run and led by double digits the rest of the way, but it wasn’t as simple as the score suggests. During the Saints’ 19-1 start, an early lead has often meant an easy win, but that wasn’t the case Friday.

Southside’s Christina Watts knocked down three 3-pointers to keep the Panthers (9-10) in it.

After getting down by as many as 15 in the first half, Southside managed to stay within 42-31 midway through the third quarter.

“They are almost a top 10 team in 6A, and we hung in there with them for what I feel is four quarters on our part,” said Panthers coach Ed Dean. “A 22-point loss, some people will take that and look at is as a blowout but I’ll look at it as a learning experience and something to build on for next season when we play Selma again.”

Smith knocked down two first quarter 3-pointers for the majority of her 8 points. Williams made the most of her opportunities at the free throw line — shooting 6-for-7 — and led the Saints with 14 points on the night. Dailey also chipped in 7 points.

The only other Saints’ player in double figures was junior Kynadra Lewis, who will still get a couple more games against Southside next year. Lewis finished with 12 points. Aaliyah Hatcher also had 8 for Selma’s balanced scoring attack.

“They did a good job defensively to stop us from penetrating,” said Selma coach Anthony Harris. “We missed a lot of shots right under the inside, but I know that happens sometimes. You’ve got to come with your game this time of the year … Southside is looking good.”

Selma will play Robert E. Lee, the only team that has beaten it, on Tuesday on the road. Southside’s will play at Montgomery Academy Saturday.

 

Selma 84, Southside 56 (Boys)

Selma took control early and held off a second half run from Southside in an 84-56 blowout win Friday night.

The Saints jumped out to an 11-0 lead and led 24-5 after the first quarter. Selma (10-7) led throughout and only had one nervous stretch, when Southside pulled within nine after a DeQuan Johnson 3-pointer in the third quarter.

Selma quickly regained control, outscoring Southside 39-20 the rest of the way.

“We hadn’t shot the ball like that all year. To come out and hit shots and do stuff we’ve been wanting to do all year, I’m hoping this is a good sign that we can into this tough stretch we’ve got to help us prepare for the postseason,” said Selma coach Ronald Lane.

Jeffery Huff Jr. scored 19 points to lead the way for the Saints and Tommie Moore joined him in double figures with 14.

Johnson provided a spark for Southside in the second half, as he knocked down three 3-pointers, including one that pulled the Panthers within 45-36. He finished the night with 19 points.

“We started off before the season with a mantra of mental toughness, extra effort. We break it down with the initials MTXE and that’s something we’ve been talking about, being mentally tough,” Lane said.

“We go into the dressing room with the mentality that we are down 18 or 20 and not up 18 or 20 and maintain that composure, maintain that fire and keep our foot on the gas.”