SULPHUR — With Sam Houston closing the gap late, senior point guard Zavien Trent gave the host Tors the spark they needed to pull away for a 49-31 win at home Thursday night.

Sam Houston’s Brendon Guidroz drove to the basket and banked one off the glass with 5:32 left in the game to cut the Tors lead to 34-29.

But Trent grabbed two quick steals, passing to junior guard Ian Malone for a pull-up jumper and scoring on a layup to start a 15-2 run. Trent either scored or assisted on every point during the run.

“That is where (Trent) has been his entire career,” Sulphur head coach Adam Coleman said. “He is one the best on-ball defenders and best off-ball defenders that I have coached, and I have coached some really good defenders. He makes plays happen. He is a playmaker on the defensive end first. That is no surprise.”

Trent scored 12 of his game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter and finished with nine rebounds, four assists and four steals. Malone finished with 10 points.

“That guy is the best guard in this part of the state, and I would take him every day over anybody,” Coleman said. “He is a great young man.”

Coleman credited seniors Trent, Kohl Navarre and Zachary Bates with leading the Tors’ late charge. Bates scored 13 points, including three 3-pointers in the first half, and grabbed six rebounds. Navarre had six rebounds, a pair of assists and four points.

“Those seniors have been here,” Coleman said. “Two of those guys have been on the floor for four years. They have been through some difficult times. They are definitely seasoned and ready for these types of games. Give credit to Sam Houston for battling back. That was completely player-led, controlling the game down the stretch.”

Sulphur (19-5) held Sam Houston to 4-of-16 shooting in the fourth quarter.

“I am impressed with our team defense,” Coleman said. “We play a true pack-line defense. There is no one individual that is responsible for that. That is a total team effort. All five of those guys do a great job of what we call the pack line. There is no other way we want to win.”

Sam Houston (13-8) went deep early with Blaine Davey and Max Quarles hitting 3s for an early 6-3 lead. But Bates hit a pair of 3-pointers to tie it, and Navarre scored the go-ahead bucket with 4:26 left in the first quarter. The Tors never lost the lead after that.

Davey led Sam Houston with nine points.