Experience played a big role in the Queen City Classic between Selma High and Southside on Friday night.

Marqwavis Davis scored 14 points as the Saints prevailed 65-52 before a capacity crowd at Panthers Arena.

Selma completed the regular-season sweep over its crosstown rivals. The Saints won their first matchup 52-38 on Dec. 14 at Selma High Gymnasium.

Selma coach Ronald Lane expected a tough contest against Southside, coached by his former Saints teammate, Lenord Jones.

“Southside’s got a great future,” Lane said. “Those young kids took our older kids to the limit. That’s a credit to coach Jones and his staff. We couldn’t put them away, but we wore them down at the end.”

The Panthers were led by Taye Spears’ 13 points, Christopher Thomas added 10.

“It was a good, competitive battle, but we made too many turnovers,” Jones said. “We have to mature from making those turnovers, but I like the competitiveness of this team.”

Selma scored the game’s first 10 points and appeared headed toward a blowout, but the Panthers responded and closed within 21-14 after one quarter.

The Saints padded their lead to 33-18 midway in the second quarter, but the Panthers closed the period with a 7-0 run and trailed 33-25 at halftime.

Southside closed within 33-32 two minutes into the second half, as Spears and Thomas made clutch baskets.

Selma began to pull away late in the third quarter, taking a 47-34 lead into the game’s final eight minutes. Southside never mounted another comeback and Selma ultimately closed out the contest.

Lane has put the Saints’ biggest rivalry in the rear-view mirror and focuses on Tuesday’s Class 6A, Area 5 matchup at Stanhope-Elmore.

“We have a chance to win our area,” Lane said.

Selma girls 43, Southside 38: Tasharri Grimes scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Lady Saints held for a last-minute win. Rodericka Parker had 10 points for Selma, including a go-ahead three-pointer with 39 seconds left to put Selma up for good at 39-38. They never trailed again.

“I had confidence that I could make that shot,” Parker said. “I was hoping it would go in. If I missed it, we would’ve lost the game.”

Southside was led by Kylan Brown’s 12 points and 21 rebounds. Christina Watts added 11 points.

The Selma girls have won all three games against Southside this season, including in the finals of the Dallas County Schools Basketball Tournament on Dec. 22 at Wallace Community College-Selma.