With just over three minutes to play, Selma and Greenville were tied Friday in the championship game of the Selma Thanksgiving Shootout Tournament.

In the final three minutes, the Saints (4-2) made all of the big plays to capture their biggest win of the season. Quentavious Davis and Marshall Woods each knocked down a free throw and Loveless Craig ran the floor for a layup in transition to give Selma the points it needed to defeat Greenville 49-46.

“This was a big game against a very good, big team,” said Selma head coach Woodie Jackson. “They had the size on us. We played up to our ability … it was a good game, the biggest game we’ve played this year. Hopefully this will be a building block for us.”

It was Greenville that defeated Selma in the championship game of last season’s Thanksgiving Tournament and on Friday the teams waged another tremendous battle.

Selma led until the final minute of the second quarter, when Charles Warren knocked down a 3-pointer to put the Tigers up 24-23. Craig, who won the tournament’s MVP award, answered with a three of his own to put the Saints up 26-24 at the break.

The second half was a back and forth battle most of the way. After a layup by Brandon Hatcher in the fourth quarter, Selma led 44-38. Greenville answered with a 3-pointer by Tracy Franklin to pull within one.

After a Tigers’ free throw, the game was tied 44-44 with 3:08 left.

Davis and Woods each knocked in a free throw to put Selma up two and Craig rebounded a miss in transition and laid the ball in to put the Saints on top 48-44.

“You saw that if we [run the offense] and don’t get in a hurry, we will have some success,” Jackson said.

Greenville tried to answer, but all hope looked lost for the Tigers when Char’Darrius Davidson was fouled with 3.1 seconds left and Greenville trailed by four.

Davidson made it interesting though, as he knocked down the first free throw and then missed the second, which was tipped out to a wide open Warren, whose 3-point attempt rimmed out.

Craig led the Saints with 13 points and Davis scored nine.

Selma defeated Ellwood Christian and Greensboro in the first two rounds of the tournament to make the championship game.

Along with Craig, White and Davis were named to the all-tournament team.  The Saints will host Chilton County in their first area game Tuesday.