BEAUMONT — The latest Port Arthur vs. Beaumont rivalry tipped off Tuesday night.

Memorial led 35-25 early in the third quarter, but a big third-quarter run proved to be enough help for Beaumont United as the Timberwolves came away with a 63-58 victory.

And it was just like a rivalry game to be contested down to the wire in front of a packed gymnasium at United, located on the former Ozen campus.

“The game is about runs,” first-year Titans coach Alden Lewis said. “It’s a four-quarter game. It’s never over. Basketball is about runs. They made their run. We have to sustain their run and keep competing.”

A drive by Jakia Oliver with 2:26 left in the third tied the game at 39-all, the first deadlock since it was 18-18. Oliver finished with 14 points.

Memorial (2-3) continued its demanding tour as defending 5A state champion opening the latest chapter of a storied basketball rivalry between Jefferson County’s two principal towns. The Titans, ranked No. 10 in 5A, were trying to rebound from a loss to 5A second-ranked Lancaster in Houston on Friday, but have won games over 6A Cypress Lakes and two-time reigning 4A champion Silsbee, which is ranked No. 1 in that classification.

“You don’t win a state championship in preseason or in district,” Lewis said. “You’re preparing for district, a playoff run and hopefully a state title run.”

Kenneth Lofton Jr., Steven Wilson and Jaden Conner each scored 13 points for the Titans. Nate Clover added 10.

For a while, the Titans were dominant against the 6A Timberwolves, a combination of recent 5A powers Central and Ozen.

Memorial closed the first half on an 11-5 run to lead 29-23. Colton Mitchell scored five of the Titans’ points during the rally, including a three-point shot to beat the buzzer.

Before that rally, the Titans had the biggest lead at 6-2.

The lead grew to 35-25 with 5:21 left in the third quarter before United (3-2) turned the tide by attacking off the dribble, something Memorial denied the Timberwolves from doing much of the first half. United guard Jakia Oliver keyed a 17-4 rally to close the period with six points.

“We kind of got away from the gameplan,” Lewis said. “But in the fourth quarter, we got back to it a little bit, but it was too little, too late. I’ve got to give it up to United. They played a great ballgame. We just came up short today.”

But the Titans surged to a 50-49 advantage with 3:17 left in the game with the help of Steven Wilson, who had six points in the rally.

Conner knotted the game at 54-all on a three-point shot from the top of the key with 2:16 left. A three-point basket gave United a 59-56 lead, but Lofton narrowed the gap with an inside basket as he was fouled with 1:01 to play. Lofton missed the free throw.

Oliver nailed two free throws with 26 seconds left to bump the lead back to three. After the Timberwolves nearly forced a turnover, Lofton drew iron on a three-point shot with 3 seconds left, and Jaylen Subject iced the game with two made foul shots.

“Once we got the [Memorial] lead down, we made them slow it up because they were just getting by us and getting to the basket,” United coach David Green said. “With those bigs, they killed us on the boards, so that [change of defense] took that out of play.”

Kason Harrison had 13 ponts, and Justin Pleasant and Jacolby Veasie each added 10 for the Wolves.

 

FAMILIARITY

Green, who recently coached North Shore, was Memorial’s first head coach when the school opened for the 2002-03 season. Lewis was a senior then on the first Titans team.

“It’s always good to see people that you know and give them some entertainment,” Green said. “All the fans should be proud of what both sets of kids did.”

More than four seasons removed from a state championship with North Shore, Green is still identifying his playmakers, but Tuesday’s win helped him to do that.

“It’s a process with a new team trying to find out who will step up and at what time,” Green said. “Basically, we were just trying to find someone who would hit a jump shot, so I went with this kid named Jacolby Veazie. He hit some big threes for us.”

 

FAMILIAR VOICE

Longtime Beaumont broadcaster Dave Hofferth did the public address Tuesday night. Hofferth retired from KBMT (ABC channel 12) after two decades last December.

 

NEXT UP

Port Arthur Memorial will take on Houston Milby and Houston Memorial in the Carlisle-Krueger Classic in the Clear Creek ISD.

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

 

Timberwolves 63, Titans 58

Memorial 11 18 10 19 — 58

United 10 13 19 21 — 63

Memorial (2-3)

Jaden Conner 13, Steven Wilson 13, Kenneth Lofton Jr. 13, Nate Clover 10, Colton Mitchell 7, Amaree Abram 2.

United (3-2)

Jakia Oliver 14, Kason Harrison 13, Justin Pleasant 10, Jacolby Veazie 10, Norris Bourne 7, Jaylen Subject 5, Tyrese Baker 2.

Three-point goals — Memorial 3 (Conner 2); United 5 (Bourne, Veazie 2). Fouled out — None. Free throws — Memorial 13-21 (Lofton 5-8, Abram 2-2); United 20-23 (Harrison 7-7). Total fouls — United 18. Technicals — None.