Sabine Pass only had 46 hours after conclusion of Tuesday’s bi-district victory to prepare for its area round game in Class 2A, so understandably Trey Harvey didn’t want to miss a minute of preparation.

His Sharks are the only Port Arthur-area boys basketball team remaining in the postseason. Tonight, they could be 32 game minutes away from a berth in the Region III quarterfinals.

“The year started with a new group of guys that hadn’t played together,” said Harvey, the Sharks’ ninth-year head coach who is also athletic director and head football coach. “It’s tough sometimes to get team chemistry going when things are new. Everyone has to find their niche or their role on the team and accept it and be the best they can at it.”

Boy, have the Sharks done that.

Winners of eight of their past nine games, they only have Tenaha standing in the way of advancing. The Tigers and Sharks will clash at 7 tonight at Woodville High School.

Regardless of what happens tonight, the Sharks (16-7) have already accomplished plenty with a young lineup. They doubled their win total from last season with Tuesday’s 75-64 win over Zavalla in Kirbyville.

“Team defense was great, everyone stuck with the gameplan and got after it on defense,” Harvey said.

But how the Sharks have risen to the occasion may be the big story.

Jamyus Jones is part of a sophomore trio that has given District 24-2A teams fits all season. Jones had a season-high 35 points against Zavalla, giving the Sharks five 30-point games this season — all in the past eight. Tuesday’s game was Jones’ third accomplishing that feat.

Daniel Sam and Jamal Dorsey are part of that sophomore punch. Sam had the Sharks’ most recent 30-point game, hitting 30 in a Feb. 5 home blowout of Colmesneil, and that was the fourth time a Shark had reached that plateau in five games. But Jones has continued to lead the Sharks, scoring 20 or more points the past three games.

“These two young guys [Sam and Jones] have stepped up and played some really great games,” Harvey said. “I think the consistency comes from their willingness to do what’s best for the team.”

Tenaha is coming off a 63-47 win over New Summerfield in its bi-district game. Harvey said Sabine Pass must take care of the ball and “keep things simple” in order to win.

If Sabine Pass wins, it could set up a third meeting with Evadale this season in the regional quarterfinals. Evadale, which has beaten Sabine Pass twice, faces Alto in its area-round game.