PORT NECHES — Port Arthur Memorial won the District 22-5A boys basketball championship the way it’s won the past 18 games: Frustrating opponents on defense and capitalizing on offense.

The Titans are also known to shoot well from the three-point arc.
The same styles of basketball were on display Friday night when Memorial clinched the title outright, beating Port Neches-Groves 77-23. Memorial entered Friday leading Beaumont Central with two games to go.

“Every game, we’re trying to get better at something,” Titans coach Kenneth Coleman said. “It’s defensive rebounding and execution right now, because we’re trying to sharpen up for the playoffs. We just take it one play and one game at a time.”

That method has resulted in 18 straight wins for the fourth-ranked team in 5A.

The Titans (26-5, 13-0 in 22-5A) connected on 11 three-point baskets, with twins Jaric and Jyson Butler each knocking down three.

It was just that kind of night.

“We take shots every day,” Memorial junior Jaden Conner said after scoring 12 points, including two treys. “We work on our shot and our form every day.”

Thailan Wesley scored a game-high 17 points for the Titans. Jaric Butler had 13 and Jyson scored 12.

Brandon Petix led PNG (12-21, 2-11) with nine points in his final home game. No one else for the Indians had more than four.

The Titans made such quick work of Friday’s game that the first quarter finished within 10 minutes, Memorial owning a 24-4 lead.

Memorial’s defense caused numerous turnovers in the half-court game before PNG could take a shot, and the Indians never scored more than five points in a period until the fourth quarter.

“We just do what coach tells us to do and get stops in the half-court and steals in the full court,” Conner said.

Memorial will finish the regular season at home Tuesday against Livingston. PNG, which has dropped five straight, will wrap up its season at Lumberton.

For teams that make the playoffs, next Friday will be a night off, but Coleman would much rather his team stay busy.

“This is not the time to relax,” he said. “The bottom line is, when you’re doing things like your last bit of conditioning and things like that, it starts a new season after that, so we should be taking it to a new level.”
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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews