With their biggest tournament of the season to date just one week away, the Selma High School Lady Saints had the chance to atone themselves to a fast-paced game.

One week prior to the River City Classic in Decatur, the Lady Saints ran over the Keith High School Lady Bears, 76-34, Tuesday night at Selma High School.

Selma’s guards proved the factor, with Ashley Green helping to key the speedy Selma offense. Green scored a team-high 22 points as the sixth-ranked Lady Saints improved to 8-2 on the season.

“We’ve got guards who can get the ball down court,” Selma coach Anthony Harris said. “We just need to slow down when we’re ahead. We’re still forcing too many things.”

The shots came fairly easy early on for the Saints, who jumped out to an early lead and never trailed. Green stripped the ball from Keith guard Anjelica Dukes and fed it ahead to Santana Seay, who finished the play with a baseline lay-up to give Selma a 13-4 lead. The Lady Saints led 23-14 after the first quarter.

Keith stayed close in the second period, scoring a pair of baskets on inbound passes under the Bears’ basket. Salisha Parker’s inbound pass found Latoria Gray, who drained a short jumper from the right baseline to make it 25-16.

“We gave up way too many baskets on inbound passes,” Harris said. “I don’t understand it. Last year we were running on all cylinders. This year, we have 10 players back, including four starters and we’re not playing as well as we should be. I think maybe the girls have become self-satisfied. The only thing we can do about that is keep working and correcting.”

Leading 40-25 at halftime, Selma came out more aggressive in the second half and went on a 9-0 run to open the third period, capped by a steal and lay-up by Green that made it a 49-25 game.

The Lady Bears were kept off the board for the first 4:27 of the third period and did not score until Gray sank a right baseline lay-up to make it 49-27. Selma opened its lead to 62-29 entering the final period.

Despite his team’s loss, Keith coach Ray Rucker was happy with the Lady Bears’ performance.

“I think we came out with a little stage fright, playing in front of a big crowd like this,” he said. “I’m proud of my girls. We’ll be back. We’ll be ready next time.”

The teams meet again Jan. 29 at Keith.