MONT BELVIEU — Coming off an early-morning disappointment, Port Arthur Memorial returned to action Tuesday afternoon seeking a third-place trophy from the Gulf Coast Classic.

Jakeira Ford made sure the Lady Titans had their hardware. The senior had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Memorial held off Katy Taylor 51-48 at Barbers Hill High School.

Ford’s presence was felt all over the court. She was strong defensively with two steals and two blocks.

She was the only Lady Titan in double figures, and Memorial (11-8), which won three of four in the tournament, had to fight off a balanced scoring effort by Taylor to pick up the win. Three of Taylor’s players each had 11 points.

Victoria Brown scored nine and Autumn Jones had eight for Memorial.

The Lady Titans return to District 21-6A play at 1 p.m. Saturday at home against Channelview.

SPRING DEKANEY 58, PA MEMORIAL 37

MONT BELVIEU — A sluggish third quarter Tuesday morning cost the Lady Titans a chance to play for the Gulf Coast Classic.

Memorial was outscored 25-9 in the third and lost 58-37 to Spring Dekaney. Memorial was to play for third place Tuesday afternoon.

The Lady Titans (10-8) trailed 15-12 at the break before the bottom fell out. Memorial shot 11 for 39 from the field and was 5 for 17 from behind the three-point line.

Jakeira Ford was the only Lady Titans player in double figures with 16 points. She pulled down six rebounds and had three steals and two blocks.

Autumn Jones and Channel Hamilton each had eight points for Memorial. Victoria Brown added four rebounds and three points.

Free throw shooting was a bright spot for Memorial. The Lady Titans were 10 for 13 from the charity stripe.

Memorial got zero points from the bench while Dekaney got 22 points from its subs.

PA MEMORIAL WINS TWICE MONDAY

MONT BELVIEU — Port Arthur Memorial won two games in one day to reach the semifinal round of the Gulf Coast Classic at Barbers Hill High School.

Memorial came out with plenty of firepower against Aldine Eisenhower and raced to a 50-33 victory in their first game Monday. The Lady Titans outscored Eisenhower 17-7 after one period and were up 39-14 at halftime.

Jakeira Ford and Channel Hamilton each scored 12 points to lead the Lady Titans. Ford was a rebound shy of a double-double. Victoria Brown added nine points.

In Memorial’s second game, Ford also had 12 points and Brown scored 10 in a 49-42 win over Alief Hastings. Kennedi Lofton (seven points) and Ford each had 10 rebounds, and Hamilton added nine.

BOYS

PN-GROVES 54, ORANGEFIELD 27 (MON.)

BRIDGE CITY — The Port Neches-Groves Indians won their second game on Monday, 54-27 over Orangefield at the Bridge City Holiday Classic.

The Indians sprinted out to a 17-4 lead after the first period and then built a 26-10 lead at the break.

Edsel Damo led the Indians with 14 points while Ryan Abel notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Adam Morse also had 10 points.

Alex Catt led Orangefield with seven points.

PN-G outscored Orangefield 28-17 in the final two quarters.

BRIDGE CITY 46, TARKINGTON 45 (MON.)

BRIDGE CITY — Hunter Wegreffe made the first of two free throws with 3 seconds left, and that was all the Cardinals (6-7) needed in beating the Longhorns.

But Tarkington stormed back from 11 points down to tie it up in the final minute. Ricky Martin canned a three-point basket to pull within 44-43. Then, after Bridge City made 1 of 2 from the line, John Willis drove to the basket for a heavily-contested but successful layup with 30 seconds left.

Wegreffe was fouled in the post and made 1 of 2 at the line. Coming out of a timeout, Willis fired a three-quarter-court shot that hit the front of the rim as time expired.

Willis scored the game-high 20 points, and Martin had nine. For Bridge City, Ryan Mirabella scored 14 and Wegreffe netted 11.

BRIDGE CITY 60, ANAHUAC 41 (MON.)

BRIDGE CITY — The Bridge City Cardinals kicked off their own tournament Monday with a 60-41 win over the Anahuac Panthers.
Bridge City got 15 points from Graydon Glover and 14 by Ryan Mirabella in the victory. Justin Romero pitched in nine points for the Cardinals.
Anahuac (2-8) had 13 points come from Melvin Spencer and Bret Looley scored 10 points.
The Panthers led 20-14 after the first quarter before the Cardinals held Anahuac to four points in the second.
Bridge City built a 27-24 lead at the break.
The Cardinals then led 47-33 after the third. Bridge City outscored Anahuac 13-8 in the game’s final 8 minutes.

 

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Other scores from Bridge City: Monday, Port Neches-Groves 64, Vidor 54; Buna 58, Orangefield 40; Evadale 45, Tarkington 38; Buna 84, Vidor 64; PN-G 54, Orangefield 27; Evadale 65, Anahuac 38. Tuesday, Vidor 65, Orangefield 56; Bridge City 54, Evadale 37; Tarkington 47, Anahuac 42; PN-G 56, Buna 38.