It took three tries but Keith finally found the right formula to defeat Selma Thursday during the first round of the Dallas County Schools Tournament at Wallace Community College Selma.

The Bears closed the game on a 10-3 run to win 43-38 and to set up a rematch with Dallas County, another team that beat Keith (5-6) in Orrville earlier this year.

The Hornets may see a different Bears’ team this time around. Keith has won three straight games and appears to be gaining confidence. On Thursday, they won without senior Jimmie Powell, who was out sick.

“This was probably the most team win we’ve had in my career,” said Keith coach Tommy Tisdale.

Without Powell, the Bears went with four guards and one big man and Selma never found an answer offensively. The Saints were held to four points in the first quarter and only seven in the third quarter.

“He had a great defensive strategy and his kids executed well. We never solved the riddle of that high 1-3-1 with the traps,” said Selma coach Ronald Lane. “We made adjustments to it but we weren’t consistent enough to make the plays against that and that was the difference in the ball game.”

Keith honored former teammate Jaequan Simmons during the game by placing his No. 12 jersey on the first seat on the Bears’ bench. Simmons, 19, was shot and killed on Saturday.

He graduated from Keith in 2015 and was a standout on the Bears’ basketball team.

“Everybody knows our circumstances, everybody knows our situation as a program and as a Bear family. We are playing with heavy hearts,” Tisdale said.

Justyn Pettway, who normally wears No. 12, wore No. 50 during Thursday’s game.

Tisdale said the senior was more than happy to wear a different number so the team could honor Simmons.

“We will have his blue No. 12 on the side tomorrow night just out of respect for what he’s done and what he’s meant for the program and the community as a whole,” Tisdale said.

Pettway led Keith in scoring with 11 points. Jeffery Huff Jr. scored 12 points to lead all scorers, including a 3-pointer with 3:34 left that gave Selma the lead.

“When Huff knocked in that 3-pointer in the corner, if this was the first game, we lose this game by eight after that shot,” Tisdale said.

Selma will move on to play in the third place game, which is anything but a consolation match. The Saints will get to take on rival Southside, giving the schools three meetings this year. It’ll also be a rare chance for the teams to play on a neutral floor.

“We expect them to come out and match us intensity wise,” Lane said. “It’s going to come down to who makes the plays.”

Tournament games start Friday at 3 p.m.  The championship game between Keith and Dallas County will start around 7:30 p.m.