Memorial falls to Hightower By Cody Pastorella The Port Arthur News BEAUMONT — Somebody had to lose Saturday’s James White Invitational championship game in Central’s boys gym. Memorial held leads at the end of the first three quarters but Class 5A’s No. 4 ranked FB Hightower managed to pull ahead with a minute to play in the fourth and squeezed out a 66-64 victory over the Titans. Going into the fourth quarter, Memorial owned a 50-42 advantage but the Hurricanes started to flex their muscles during those final eight minutes. The last period started with a Hightower, 12-2 run, that put the Canes up 54-52 with 3:10 left in the contest. During that run, the Titans’ J’Covan Brown was sidelined because of ankle injury. Brown was out for about 2:30 of the final period, getting retaped and treated. Brown’s abscence was certainly felt but when he returned, he picked up right where he left off — scoring points and serving the ball to open teammates. Brown scored with 2:56 to play, making the game 54-54. Hightower answered again, however, with a bucket from Chancellor Lewis, who scored eight of his 10 points in the final period. Lewis bucket put the Hurricanes ahead 56-54. Then Memorial’s Jordan Reno dropped in a layup to tie the game at 56-56. But Hightower responded with a 7-4 run, gaining some breathing room with just a minute to play. Hightower made nine free throws in the fourth quarter and four in the final 1:09. The Hurricanes were up 64-60 with less than 30 seconds to play when Brown went coast-to-coast to cut the game to 64-62 with 13 seconds left. For the game, Brown led all scorers with 32 points and had seven assists and three steals on the night. Memorial, who dropped to 5-3 on the season, fouled Hightower’s Daryell Taylor immediately after Brown’s bucket.