As Kenneth Coleman saw the Barbers Hill-Porter third-place playoff in District 21-5A unfold Friday night, the third-year Port Arthur Memorial boys basketball coach found himself scouting both teams.

“It was really a good game,” he said. “I saw a four-point separation the whole game. Both of them played like it was their last game.”
Porter came away with a 45-43 victory, meaning Barbers Hill (23-14, 12-6 in 21-5A) gets the tough task of taking on 22-5A outright champion Memorial (27-5, 14-0 in 22-5A) at 6 p.m. Monday at Channelview High School. The winner will play either Alvin Shadow Creek or Houston Sterling, who square off at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Delmar Fieldhouse in Houston.

Coleman wanted a Monday game in hopes Shadow Creek vs. Houston Sterling would be on a Tuesday, but he said he might get out in time to catch the second half. He is unsure when or where the area round would be should his Titans win.

His mind is just on Barbers Hill for now.

“They’re a very sound basketball team,” Coleman said. “They’re a lot like some of our teams in the district. I would compare them to Nederland. Nederland’s always going to come play. We practiced [Saturday], and we’re going to have to be sound in our defensive plays. Everyone will have to do their job and can’t take plays off.”
Defensive has been the common denominator in the Titans’ 19 straight wins leading to their third district title in the program’s 16-year history.

“I think it’s the common denominator for all victories,” Coleman said. “I think basketball is about stops.”

The Titans look to be in full strength as senior Jamyus Jones played last Tuesday against Livingston for the first time in a number of games while sitting out with a back injury. Jones, Wesley and Darion Chatman have provided the bulk of the Titans’ offense this season.

Defensively, Memorial will key in on Barbers Hill point guard Max Armer, a 6-foot junior.

“He gets aggressive and goes downhill,” Coleman said.

Dogs and Cats: The rematch

Nederland (25-12, 8-6 in 22-5A) gets another shot at Humble (28-8, 18-0 in 21-5A) in the bi-district round, and this season’s Humble team reminds Nederland coach Brian English of the one that won last season’s bi-district meeting 59-56 in overtime.

“They’re deep and play a whole lot of kids,” the 12th-year lead Bulldog said. “We saw them on film. They’re good, but we think if we play well, we can play with them and hopefully come away with a win.”

Game time has been solidified at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Goose Creek Memorial High in Baytown, an hour earlier than originally scheduled.

The Wildcats are clear favorites, having won 13 straight (last loss: 57-46 to Cypress Lakes on Dec. 28 in Kingwood). The Bulldogs defeated Vidor 72-42 at home Tuesday to earn the fourth and final playoff spot from 22-5A.

Nederland started the season 15-1, having won 12 straight at one point.

“I think basketball’s a weird game,” English said. “I think we played good in the middle of the season and not as well in district. I think we played well the last six of eight games.”

Nederland has won five of eight, but it was nearly six of eight, given a 42-39 loss at Beaumont Central.

English said the Bulldogs, who rely on many scorers including sophomore multi-position player Hayden Hefner and senior point man Jonathan Rayford, have regained the confidence they had early on and are playing more cohesively. But English surmises the Bulldogs will have to shoot the ball well to have a chance to take down the Wildcats.

“We’re not going to get many second shots, so we have to shoot well to compete,” he said. “This is the least size we’ve had in 10 years.”

The winner will take on Houston Furr or Texas City, who’ll duke it out at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Barnett Fieldhouse in Houston.

Sabine Pass draws Pineywoods again

Lufkin Pineywoods Community Academy didn’t graduate anybody from last season’s team, second-year Sabine Pass coach Scott Hagedorn said.

“They have the exact same team minus four players,” he said. “Those four players combined to score six points last year.”

Given Sabine Pass fell 100-93 in last season’s 2A bi-district meeting, Hagedorn isn’t worried about his chances at stopping the Timberwolves this time. The rematch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Colmesneil.

Jamyus Jones, now a Memorial senior, had 55 points against Pineywoods while playing without two starters, one who was injured and another held out for academic reasons.

This time, Daniel Sam — the third-leading scorer in 2A — is running the show at Sabine Pass (10-15, 2-6 in 24-2A), averaging 28.9 points per game (with 22 of the Sharks’ 25 games counted), and sophomore Harold James (14.1) will get his first taste of the playoffs.

“We’re feeling pretty good about ourselves,” Hagedorn said, adding the Sharks have overcome the flu bug that has tagged his team much of the season.
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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews