Sophomore Jamyus Jones scored a career-high 26 points to go with a dozen rebounds Friday night as Lamar State College Port Arthur ended a three-game losing streak with an 88-80 win over Baton Rouge Community College.
The 5-foot-11 Port Arthur Memorial grad hit on 3 of 6 3-pointers and 8 of 14 shots overall as the Seahawks improved to 3-3 on the season with a spirited effort at the Carl Parker Center.
The 12 rebounds were also a career high.
"We just had to find ourselves in the game," Jones said. "We had to find the hot people and get them the ball, and in the second half, we came in with better defense."
Teammates Devaughn Thomas and Terrence Smith scored 16 and 10 points, respectively, for the Seahawks and big 6-foot-7 freshman center Kenyawn Bowie added eight points and six rebounds.
But the team's shortest player, 5-foot-8 sophomore Terrance Minor, made the game's biggest play with 13:55 to go when the Bears led 52-50 and their Brandon Vessel was soaring in from the baseline for a dunk.
Minor not only blocked it, he tied up the ball, which went over to the Seahawks on the alternate possession rule.
Bowie tied the game on a bucket assisted by Nederland High grad Darrell Jones before the Bears got a free throw to go back up by a point, 53-52, with 13:21 left. It was their last lead of the game.
"That was a great play," Jones said of Minor's block. "It made us have more energy in the game."
The Seahawks' next game will be their Region XIV opener, 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23 against Tyler Junior College at the Parker Center.
Jones and the 6-foot-7 Thomas each scored 11 second-half points as the Seahawks outscored Baton Rouge 48-38 in the final 20 minutes.
Despite Jones' 15 points and 5 rebounds, BRCC led 42-40 at the break.
The Bears had two reach double digits in the first half, freshman guard Ray Pugh with 16 and sophomore big man Prince Campbell with 11. Pugh finished as the top scorer for Baton Rouge, with 24 point.
The first 20 minutes featured 11 lead changes and six ties, the last at 30-30 with 4:12 left in the half.
BBRC held its biggest first-half lead of five points at 38-33 with 1:42 left in the half.
Jones rattled in a pair of 3-pointers in the first half and hit on 6 of 10 field-goal tries for the Seahawks.
