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The Selma Saints have gotten off to a 18-1 start on the season.

One of the reasons for that success is due to its senior leadership, including Tristin Blocton.

Blocton is leading the team in points at 17.1 per game along with the leader in assists and steals. He also had one of the highlights of the season as his reverse layup against Southside with 10 seconds left gave the Saints a 50-48 win.

Blockton, who said Ja Morant is his favorite player, said that there was a play specifically called to get that shot.

“It was just team chemistry,” Blocton said. “We came down. We saw what they were in. So I just came over and got the ball and just saw it opening. I laid the ball up. That was it.”

Head coach Ron Rembert said Blocton didn’t have his best game shooting from the field, but he still made plays to help the team get the win.

“He really didn’t get it going on that night, but you know, with the type of person that he is, the type of player that he is, he loves to compete,” Rembert said. “He stayed with it and while he may not have gotten into a good flow, he was able to help close the game out for us. Not only did he hit the game-winning layup, but he had some very important free throws that he made down the stretch that were very clutch for us and absolutely put us in a position to win the ball game.”

Rembert said the seniors on this year’s team has really put them in a position to make a run for a state championship.

“Yeah, he and DeShawn Flanagan are the cornerstone pieces,” Rembert said. “They’re the foundation of the team. (Tristin has) been playing overall very well. We’ve been proud of his efforts this year. He’s been leading us on the offensive side of things, but he’s also been a big contributor on the defensive side as well. So with that being said, this elevated play this year has really helped propel us to have the type of season that we’re having right now where we stand at 16-1.”

Rembert said the key for winning a state championship is for the team to live in the moment and making good choices both on the floor and in life.

“We talk about just being focused on doing all of the little things — not overlooking any detail,” Rembert said. “And not only that, we’re on our guys about the choices that they make off the floor as well. I’m a firm believer that winning doesn’t start when you hit the floor. It starts when you wake up in the morning. So we’re on guys about making good decisions throughout the day. That will help transition into good decision making on the floor.”

Blocton said this season is special to him.

“It means a lot because we really weren’t doing it before my last year,” Blocton said. “So it feels good to have some success for my last year.”

Blocton believes the team has to keep their focus on the right things if they have a chance to win it all.

“I feel like at first we gotta believe in ourselves,” Blocton said. “We gotta go at each other at practice, 110% every day.”