ORRVILLE — The first time Keith and Dallas County met this year, the Bears scored the first 26 points and turned a highly anticipated game into a blowout.

In the rematch Monday, it was nowhere near that easy.

Dallas County (9-12) used a 13-4 run in the third quarter to get within two, but No. 3 Keith (20-6) pulled away and held on for a 56-45 victory.

“They went on a run to cut it within two and I think we spread it back out to 15 or 16. Now, that’s character,” said Keith head coach Tommy Tisdale. “Everybody is going to make a run. It’s how you respond to that run that speaks volumes of your team.”

John Pettway scored 35 points to lead the Keith offense, but the Bears’ defense was probably the difference in the game.

After Mario Simmons made a 3-pointer to pull Dallas County within 32-30 in the third quarter, all the momentum was clearly on the side of the Hornets.

Keith responded with a 12-0 run and held Dallas County to only one basket in the next seven and a half minutes of action.

“I think we got a little tired running up and down,” said Dallas County assistant coach Cliff Nix, who was filling in for head coach Willie Moore. “We’re improving. I still wanted to win, but we did get better.”

To start the run, Pettway made two free throws and a driving layup. Morris Collins also knocked down a pair of free throws and Keith led 38-30 after three quarters. The Bears kept extending their lead from there.

Pettway made back-to-back driving layups and Justyn Pettway knocked down a floater to make it 44-32 Bears.

Henry Baker responded with a basket to slow the run, but Keith quickly got back to work.

Pettway knocked in two more freebies from the charity stripe and Dalven Johnson added a layup to put Keith in front 48-33.

A layup by Jimmie Powell helped extend the run to 18-3.

Dallas County tried to get back into it with a shot by Josh Benford and a 3-pointer by Jaydon Buford, but by that point the lead had grown too large. Baker scored 16 points to lead the Hornets in scoring and Benford put up another 12 points.

Dallas County will host Sumter Central on Jan. 26. Keith will host Montgomery Academy Feb. 4 in the Bears only remaining regular season contest.

 

Keith 49, Dallas County 20 (Girls)

The Keith starters weren’t on the court at the same time at any point Monday against Dallas County. In the first quarter, the Bears played all their guards. In the second period, they played all forwards and centers.

The lineup mixing continued the whole game, but the finally result was still the same. Keith (24-2) defeated an improving Dallas County (3-18) squad 49-20 and continued to get ready for postseason play.

“It is different situations and scenarios in case someone fouls out so we have to have people to fill in,” said Keith head coach Cecil Williams. “That’s something we’ve been doing the last couple of games.”

Harriet Winchester scored 12 points and Zykia Pettway added 11 for the defending 1A champions. Ten different Keith players scored in all.

The Bears led 29-9 at halftime and extended their lead to 41-12 after the third quarter.