Port Arthur Memorial won each of its James Gamble Classic games by double-digit margins.

Still, Thailan Wesley just had to go out with a bang.

The senior forward nailed six of Memorial’s 11 three-point baskets in Saturday night’s championship game against Fort Bend Ridge Point and scored 33 points to earn tournament “Mr. Outside” and MVP awards in an 85-62 victory. Earlier that afternoon against North Shore, Wesley made five of seven treys for the Titans in a 59-38 semifinal victory.

Wesley averaged 26.5 points per game during the three-day Classic, and 5A fifth-ranked Memorial (14-5) has won six straight, all at home. This is the seventh time the Titans have won the tournament and fourth time in five years.

This week, Memorial stood taller than the 6A opposition they faced — Ridge Point (twice) and North Shore. Memorial’s other tournament win came Friday against 4A Houston Scarborough.

The Titans looked flawless in their execution in the title game, building a 20-4 lead through one quarter.

But Wesley was just getting started. He had 16 points in the second period and went into the locker room with 24 points — half of them on threes — as the Titans led 53-22.

Jamyus Jones scored 21 points and Jyson Butler had 10 points off the bench for Memorial. Jones and Wesley each nailed a pair of treys in the first quarter.

As the game wound down, all that was waiting for Wesley and other members of the all-tournament were plaques. Gamble, the tournament namesake who coached Lincoln to four state championships in the 1980s, even had Memorial guard Elijah Hines push a cart with the awards across the playing surface during stoppage.

Darion Chatman, last year’s Gamble Classic MVP, and Nate Clover were named to the all-tournament team for the Titans. Andrew Reed, who led Ridge Point (16-7) with 19 points, and Kevin McGaskey, who had 10 for the Panthers, were selected as well. Tayvion Johnson of North Shore earned the title of “Mr. Inside.”

 

MEMORIAL 59, NORTH SHORE 38

The result Saturday afternoon was a far cry from the first meeting of the season, when North Shore won 61-47 in a tournament at Cypress-Fairbanks earlier this month.

Wesley scored 29 points against North Shore, making 10 of 10 free throws. Jones had 15 points and Chatman added nine points.

Keiman Capers led North Shore with 12 points, and Rikko Frazier added eight. The Mustangs didn’t let the Titans run out to as quick a start as they would against Ridge Point, trailing only 14-11 through one quarter, but was down 30-18 at halftime.

Memorial resumes District 22-5A play with a crucial showdown at Beaumont Central on Tuesday night. Memorial and Central shared the district title last season.

I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews