Keith High School’s boys basketball team will be facing a familiar foe when they take the court in Orrville Friday night.

The Bears will take on St. Jude, who defeated Keith’s football team in the opening round of the state play-offs this year, and has also been a region opponent for Keith in previous years.

“This won’t be a game like Southside or Dallas County has where they are playing a team for the first time,” Bears coach Tommy Tisdale said. “We are familiar with their program and they are familiar with us.”

Tisdale said his team needed to limit the high-paced Pirates offense if they want to be successful Friday night.

“They are kind of like the Pheonix Suns in they like to shoot the ball… A lot,” said Tisdale.

“With a team like that, if you are able to rebound well and limit possession, you can really increase your chances of winning the game.”

“We have to just look at what we do, which is play defense. Out of our 26 games we have only given up 50 plus in about 5. If we play defense like that and limit turnovers, we should be good.”

R.C. Hatch is no stranger to basketball success, in fact; they have had more than anyone else in the state of Alabama.

Normally, a year without a title is considered a let down.

Coach Homer Davis said that to get back to the success his team is used to, was to take one game at a time.

“We have seven championship games this season and have won two,” said Davis.

“We can’t let up against anyone if we want to get back to the championship.”

Davis said the key to winning Friday night’s game against the Leroy Bears was to play good team defense.

“We have to play as a team,” Davis said.

“Everyone has to cover for everyone else. We can make mistakes on the offensive side of the ball, but we have to play lights out defense. That’s how we win most of our games in this time that we have been peaking.”

Both games will begin at 7 p.m.