The Selma Times-Journal

Ten free throws and two turnovers were the difference between Selma and Robert E. Lee Friday night.

The Saints (21-6) went 7-for-17 from the free throw line and gave the ball back on two separate occasions in the final 14 seconds of the game.

Lee held on and advanced to the Central Regional tournament with a 51-47 win.

“We’ve lost 13 games this season, and won 13 (before Friday),” Lee coach Bryant Johnson said. “The 13 games we won, we looked good. We got in some foul trouble early tonight, but other guys stepped up. This is a special group of guys.”

Selma guard Jakobe Shannon hit a pair of free throws with 41 seconds left, and Lee led 48-47.

With 13.9 seconds on the clock, Brandon Barlow turned the ball over to the Generals on a five-second guarding call.

Henry Timmons hit both free throws after a foul, and Lee led by 3 with 5.3 seconds left.

The Saints turned the ball over almost immediately after the inbound and were forced again to foul.

Timmons just hit one free throw this time, but it was enough to clinch the game with 3.9 seconds showing on the clock.

Lee dominated early in the contest and had to withstand a Selma run. Brandon Crawford capped an impressive second quarter for the Generals with a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded, and they led 44-31 at halftime. Crawford led all scorers with 20 points.

Courtney Carr scored the first seven points of the third, sparking an 11-0 run for Selma that cut Lee’s lead to 44-42.

Lee didn’t get its first points of the third quarter until the 3:50 mark when Olabisi Latunde-addey had a 1-of-2 trip to the line.

Selma was leading until late in the first quarter, then Tyler Lowe hit a 3 to put Lee ahead 10-8. Lee never trailed afterward.

Wendell Lewis had 12 points and eight rebounds for Selma. Barlow scored 11, and Carr scored 10.