Keith scored the first 21 points to take a commanding lead over county rival Dallas County in the first round of the Dallas County Christmas Tournament. Bears head coach Cecil Williams had seen enough.

He pulled his starters in the first quarter, allowing his bench players to play the entire second quarter and the majority of the second half. There was hardly a difference. The Lady Bears dominated the Lady Hornets 55-14 in a game that was never in doubt.

“That lead gave me an opportunity to get the other girls in the game and let them get some experience,” Keith head coach Cecil Williams said. “That’s what we are really going to need down the road.”

The Bears led 35-6 at halftime with their bench not allowing the Hornets to close the gap. Actually, the lead just kept growing.

Keith’s Okeemia Lewis and Ty’ceayonna Murray knocked down deep three-pointers in the second quarter to extend the Lady Bears advantage to 31-5. The Hornets made only two field goals in the first half, but turnovers limited their chances at the basket.

Multiple times in the first half, Dallas County had wide open layups only to have a carrying or traveling call wipe out what seemed to be a sure two points. Zykia Pettway and Jakayla Pettway scored eight points to lead the Bears. Keith will take on R.C. Hatch in Tuesday’s championship game, while Dallas County will play Southside in the third place contest.