SULPHUR – The Sulphur girls basketball team’s defense picked up right where it left off after a week-long break. The Tors locked down Jennings 59-25 on Friday at home to win their 12th consecutive game.

The Tors (14-1) held an opponent under 40 points for the 13th time this season, while forcing 30 turnovers. Saige Martin had six steals and Corie Ledet added 4.

“Coming off the Christmas break, we got a few more extra practices now, so the defensive intensity really picked up this week in practice and it kind of just carried over into tonight,” Sulphur head coach Matt LeBato said.

The game was close briefly when Jennings’ Kylah Moses hit a 3-pointer with 4:37 left in the first quarter to cut Sulphur’s lead to 5-3. But the Tors held the Bulldogs scoreless for five minutes and went on a 16-0 run. Therese Martin started the rally with the second of her three first-quarter 3-pointers.

Sulphur won its eighth game by 20 or more points despite shooting 37.5 percent. Ivy Broussard led Sulphur with 16 points, Ledet added 14 and Saige Martin finished with 13.

“A lot of missed shots, but I’m always happy for manufacturing good shots, make or miss, we’re not really tied to those,” LeBato said. “So as long as we’re getting good shots, eventually, hopefully they start falling for us.”

Moses led Jennings (2-11) with 11 points.

Over the next three weeks before District 3-5A play begins, the Tors will face four top 10 teams in  Barbe (Nonselect Division I No. 8), South Beauregard (Nonselect Division II No. 5), Pickering (Nonselect Division IV No. 8) and Iowa (Nonselect Division II No. 2).

“We got to get better,” LeBato said. “We got to get more consistent offensively.

“We are going to be playing a little better competition. The district is loaded. Our schedule definitely picks up here this month. To beat good teams, you got to play good.”