Keith head coach Tommy Tisdale won his 100th game as head boys coach of the Bears last week, which speaks for the success he has had at the school in his six years at the helm.

Tisdale’s 100th victory came in the third place game of Keith’s Thanksgiving tournament and since then wins over Francis Marion and Selma have brought his win total to 102.

However, the coach refuses to take a lot of credit for the success the Bears have had.

“I haven’t shot a ball, dove on the floor, made a free throw or a layup since I’ve been here,” Tisdale said. “It is a testament to the community. We have a good group of supporters.”

Tisdale said most of the credit should go to the players that he has coached through the years.

“I’ve had kids that didn’t mind working,” Tisdale said. “Every year we start the second week of school in conditioning.”

Tisdale said when he became the varsity boys’ coach six years ago, the program was in good shape. Not only did Keith have a winning tradition, but the community always showed a lot of passion for basketball and that has not changed.

“We have a really good fan base and I have a really good supporting group of parents,” Tisdale said.

Keith assistant head coach Clifton Reeves has been Tisdale’s assistant for the last six years. Tisdale said Reeves may deserve as much, if not more credit for the Bears recent success because he’s there every single day.

“He’s been by my side, Tisdale said. “If I’m at practice, he’s at practice. If I’m here, he’s here.”

Reeves is also the seventh and eighth grade coach and the junior high head coach. Since Reeves’ teams run the same defensive sets as the varsity, Tisdale has a much easier time once the players get to him.

“If they can get the fundamentals or the notion of what we are trying to do as a program, then when they get to me it is refreshing it and speeding it,” Tisdale said.

Before taking over the varsity boys team, Tisdale served as the varsity girls coach. He had a 56-14 record in his time coaching the girls.

The Bears are 6-1 this season with their only loss coming in the Keith Thanksgiving Tournament to Paul Bryant.

Keith’s next game is at Billingsley Tuesday night.