Saints defeat Panthers at home in final meeting of the season

Published 11:40 pm Saturday, January 19, 2013

Selma High’s Keshawn Ford (32) attacks the basket against Southside’s Robert Sullivan during Saturday’s game at Selma. -- Robert Hudson

In the third and final meeting of the season between the two local rivals, the Selma Saints defeated the Southside Panthers 44-36 at home on Saturday.

While the Panthers captured the first two games, the third time was a charm for the Saints (2-12), as Selma head coach Woodie Jackson said his team found some consistency in Saturday’s win.

“We played a little bit more consistent than when have in the past,” Jackson said. “We played better defense. We still made some turnovers, but we protected the ball a little better tonight than had been protecting it in the past.”

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Cedric Brown, head boys basketball coach of Southside (15-7, 3-2), said the Panthers had a chance, but couldn’t get their shots to fall.

“That last little stretch, we thought we were going to get it. It was a four-point game and then that whistle kind of blew and it kind of stopped what we thought would have been momentum to make it a two-point game,” Brown said. “My hat’s off to Selma — this was their championship, but we kind of beat ourselves, after a long game last night. Second-chance points killed us, and to be frank, we just did not make any shots tonight.”

The Saints took a 34-26 lead into the fourth until Southside’s Je’Von Hall scored in the paint and Jeffery Mack hit a pair of free throws to make it a 34-30 game with 4:56 left to play.

Selma responded, as Keshawn Ford hit a jumper in the lane and Kahmaul Jones hit a free throw to make it a 37-30 game with 3:40 left.

Hall finished off a fast break with a layup before Selma’s Jesse Boggs hit a free throw to put the score at 38-32.

Robert Sullivan scored to bring the Panthers closer at 38-34 with 2:02 left, and it looked like Southside caught a break when Mack stole the ball on the Saints’ next possession, but he was called for a double dribble as he tried to split a pair of Saints defenders.

Ford scored on a layup to put the Saints’ lead at 40-34 with 1:10 left, and after a missed shot by the Panthers, added two more free throws to lock up the victory for Selma.

Ford had 13 points and 6 rebounds, while Devontae Rembert had 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 steals for the Saints.

Jones had 9 points and 7 rebounds for Selma.

Sammarkus Jones had 10 points for Southside.