The issue was finally settled on the basketball court.

Nate Clover had 23 points to lead four Memorial players in double-digits, and the UIL 5A champion Titans organized a 34-point turnaround in an 80-61 win on their home court over two-time reigning 4A champion Silsbee.

“I wasn’t worried at all,” Clover said. “Being down at state by 10 [against Justin Northwest], this ain’t nothing to me.”

It’s not immediately known how many years have passed since the two teams previously met in basketball, but a long-awaited battle finally took place in Port Arthur, with a reloaded Titans squad (2-1) dominating the offensive glass and getting their defense-to-offense game as the Tigers (0-1) grew cold from the field in their season opener.

https://www.facebook.com/portarthurnewssports/videos/1908806989214784/?__xts__[0]=33.%7B%22logging_data%22%3A%7B%22page_id%22%3A792543060887109%2C%22event_type%22%3A%22clicked_all_page_posts%22%2C%22impression_info%22%3A%22eyJmIjp7InBhZ2VfaWQiOiI3OTI1NDMwNjA4ODcxMDkiLCJpdGVtX2NvdW50IjoiMCJ9fQ%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22www_pages_home%22%2C%22interacted_story_type%22%3A%22565413710334575%22%2C%22session_id%22%3A%22434c534dba8e37635e97f9f7b31bbc1d%22%7D%7D

The only travesty to Saturday’s game was that it ended in travesty.

Officials stopped the contest with 43.7 seconds left after Silsbee standouts Devon McCain and Jordyn Adams each drew technical fouls for their roles in verbal altercations with Titans players. The two Tigers signed with Austin Peay (Tennessee) of the Ohio Valley Conference earlier in the week.

“We’ve got to understand that when we play, we’re going to get everybody’s best,” Silsbee coach Joe Sigler said. “The atmosphere here is what you want, and we are learning how to play with that atmosphere this year because this is not last year or the year before. This is a learning experience for us. We’ll take it like that.”

Adams had 17, McCain 15, Braelon Bush 11 and Landyn Tyler 10.

https://www.facebook.com/portarthurnewssports/videos/1600061936760090/?__xts__[0]=33.%7B%22logging_data%22%3A%7B%22page_id%22%3A792543060887109%2C%22event_type%22%3A%22clicked_all_page_posts%22%2C%22impression_info%22%3A%22eyJmIjp7InBhZ2VfaWQiOiI3OTI1NDMwNjA4ODcxMDkiLCJpdGVtX2NvdW50IjoiMCJ9fQ%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22www_pages_home%22%2C%22interacted_story_type%22%3A%22565413710334575%22%2C%22session_id%22%3A%22434c534dba8e37635e97f9f7b31bbc1d%22%7D%7D

For Memorial, Jaden Conner scored 17 points, Kenneth Lofton Jr. 11 and Steven Wilson 10.

“Guys stepped up big-time, we did what we were supposed to do, and we played to the gameplan,” Lewis said.

Silsbee built a 25-10 lead after a McCain three-pointer with 1:39 left in the first quarter. The Tigers made four of their nine three-point baskets in that early run but also used their athleticism to make well-contested short-range shots.

But playing with two games under their belts — a loss to TAPPS 6A champion Tomball Concordia Lutheran and win over UIL 6A Cypress Lakes — helped the Titans tap into their energy base and turn the game around. They extended their half-court defense to keep the Tigers from scoring off the dribble and found much of their offense inside, scoring 16 points on second-chance baskets.

“We started getting stops, and we started making them play basketball, and that’s what we wanted to do,” Lewis said. “That’s where we’re going to make our money at, and that’s where we’re going to be successful.”

Memorial strung eight unanswered points in the second quarter thanks in large part to the 6-foot-8 Clover and pulled within 29-27. A Bush drive to the basket and Adams’ tomahawk jam pushed Silsbee’s lead back to six before Armand Callihan sank two free throws and Lofton put back his own missed layup with 3 seconds in the half narrowed the gap to 33-31.

“They weren’t boxing out, so I had to get offensive rebounds best I could,” Clover said.

Memorial moved ahead for the first time, 37-35, on a Steven Wilson putback, but two McCain treys helped keep Silsbee in the game, as the Tigers trailed 49-48 at the end of the period.

“Our energy level got greatly reduced,” Sigler said. “We were looking for stuff and we weren’t getting it, so frustration set in, and that kind of contributed to it.”

Conner and Clover combined for 18 of the Titans’ 31 fourth-quarter points and helped them take a 59-53 lead with 5:41 to go. Silsbee was within 61-56 with 4:24 left before Memorial ran a delay offense and attacked the rim to create free-throw opportunities, scoring on two three-point plays and making 10 of 12 at the line before the game was stopped.

“We were ready to play, and Silsbee, they were talking a lot,” Conner said. “But we weren’t worried about it. We were executing our gameplan and wanted to win the game.”

The Titans will take on Lancaster next Friday at Episcopal High School in Houston.

•

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

 

**CORRECTS location of Memorial’s next game**

 

Titans 80, Tigers 61

Silsbee             25       8          15       13       —        61

Memorial        16       15       18       31       —        80

 

Silsbee (0-1)

Devon McCain 15, Braelon Bush 11, Jordyn Adams 17, Dekarius Butler 5, Shon Gilder 3, Landyn Tyler 10

Memorial (2-1)

Armand Callihan 9, Steven Wilson 10, Jaden Conner 17, Kendall Calcote 4, Nate Clover 23, Amaree Abram 6, Kenneth Lofton 11

Three-point goals — Silsbee 9 (McCain 3), Memorial 3 (Wilson 2). Fouled out — None. Free throws — Silsbee 7-11, Memorial 16-19. Total fouls — Memorial 13. Technicals — McCain, Adams.