Staff reports

Basketball’s version of Mid-County Madness got an early start Friday at the Hardin-Jefferson Basketball Marathon in Sour Lake.

Hayden Hefner had 27 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 61-46 win over Port Neches-Groves in the Gold bracket of the tournament.

Hefner has scored 27 or more points in three of the Bulldogs’ four games there so far. On Thursday, he went for 30 in a 60-42 loss to Spring Hill, but came back that day to net 28 in a 61-54 win over Little Cypress-Mauriceville.

Hefner is averaging 26.4 points per game.

Tyler Jackson had 12 points and 14 rebounds and Joseph Gipson added nine points in the win.

PNG, which lost two straight Friday, had 24 points from Tracy Smith and 10 from Drake Rojas.

Earlier Friday, Nederland beat Porter 65-27. J.B. Rahe and Hefner each had 14 points, but Rahe also pulled down seven rebounds.

Nederland will face Hardin-Jefferson or Huffman at 12:30 p.m. Saturday for the right to play in the 6:30 p.m. championship game. The third place game will tip off at 5 p.m.

PNG (7-5) will take on the Huffman vs. H-J loser at 9:30 a.m.

 

Memorial 71, Spring 68

At the Cypress Hoops Invitational, Kenneth Lofton Jr. pulled down 18 rebounds for the second game in a row, and the Titans (9-4) won their sixth straight.

Lofton, who had 18 points, was one of two Titans attaining a double-double. Nate Clover had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Kenneth Washington added 12 points and Steven Wilson 11 for Memorial, which will face Cypress Springs at 1 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals.

  

Tatum 56, PNG 48

At H-J, PNG outscored Tatum 31-19 in the second half, but the Eagles still came out with an eight-point win.

Trent Lee was PNG’s only double-digit scorer with 14 points. Four Tatum players finished in double figures, led by Kendric Malone’s 15 points.

The Indians were outscored 22-4 the second quarter and fell behind 37-17.

 

GIRLS

Hardin-Jefferson 83, Memorial 44

In Port Arthur, four Hardin-Jefferson players reached double figures and helped the Hawks hold a sizeable lead for most of the night.

Julia Sion was Memorial’s only double-digit scorer with 18 points. She made 7 of 9 shots from the floor.

 

Hardin 48, Sabine Pass 35

At the High Island tournament, an 18-7 first quarter in Hardin’s favor came back to haunt Sabine Pass (2-4).

Yainn Zuniga led Sabine Pass with 16 points and three rebounds. She shot 7 for 13 from the floor.

Brooklyn Dixon made 3 for 3 and added seven points.

 

High Island 65, Sabine Pass 32 (Thu.)

In High Island, the Cardinals beat the Sharks for the second time in three days.

This time, it was a little more decisive.

Jaizee Landry scored 11 points to lead Sabine Pass.