The Temple College athletics department has been a busy collective group this past week. With road trips, season wrap-ups, and preseason preps, life at TC moves on.
Here is a look back at last week's action and the week ahead in Temple College athletics:
Men's basketball splits pair of road games
The TC men's basketball team had their Monday game postponed, which allowed the team two more days to prepare for their Wednesday road game at Dallas College – Brookhaven.
The Leopards outplayed the Bears throughout the game, as Temple outlasted Brookhaven, 82-73.
Temple led the game 45-40 at the half, with both teams posting significant streaks in the opening first part of the half, and led the game by as many as 14 points with 4:51 to play.
The Leopards shot 47% from the floor, which included 40% from beyond the three-point arc, and 52% from the free-throw line.
Roy Gardner led the Leopards with 17 points. Josh Telfort and Jason Ward each scored 14, and Harry Bates added 11 points.
On Friday, the Leopards traveled to Corsicana to take on Navarro College in a non-conference matchup.
The Leopards grabbed an 11-point halftime lead, but was unable to hold on as the Bulldogs got by Temple, 87-85.
Temple shot 45 % from the floor, which included 45% from behind the three-point line, and 72% from the charity stripe.
TC had five players score in double figures, led by Jaymes Brown-Peterson with 20 points. Telfort and Tayshaun Goston each scored 12 points, and Bates and Joel Brown each scored 11.
Where the Leopards sit
Temple is sitting at 2-1 overall, 1-0 at home and 1-1 on the road.
The trail ahead for the Leopards
TC has three games at Kirby Johnson Court this week. On Monday, Dallas College – Cedar Valley Suns (0-1) drop in for a 7 pm battle. On Wednesday, No. 25 Kilgore College Rangers (3-0) swing in for a 6 pm matchup. On Saturday, the Dallas College – North Lake Blazers (3-0) swoop in for a 4 pm tilt.
If you cannot be at Kirby Johnson Court in person, all three games will be broadcasted on Temple College's PlaySight page.
TC women's basketball has 2-1 week
The Temple College women's basketball team began their first full week of regular season action with a Tuesday afternoon home game against Coastal Bend College at Kirby Johnson Court.
Temple's 10-0 run 2:23 into the game set the tone for a contest that helped the Leopards flex their bench on their way to an 83-44 win.
The Leopards outscored the Cougars in all four quarters, by totals of 27-12, 12-11, 28-10, and 13-11.
Temple had balanced scoring in the contest, with 11 different scorers and four in double-figures. They shot 32% from the floor, which included 26.3% from beyond the three-point arc, and 59% from the free throw line. The Leopards grabbed 59 rebounds, which included 28 offensive boards, 25 steals, and 21 assists.
It was the second game this season where Temple had at least 28 offensive rebounds in a game. They pulled down 38 against Palo Alto College.
Ke'Myreul Wheaton leading the way with 13 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and four blocks.
The Leopards traveled to Tyler on Friday for the two-day Tyler JC Classic at Wagstaff Gymnasium.
On Friday afternoon, the Leopards took on NJCAA Division II powerhouse National Park College.
Both teams suffered through rough field goal shooting. While made six more three-pointers than the Knighthawks, NPC was 21-of-30 from the free throw line to keep matters close. The Leopards grounded the Knighthawks, 54-48.
NPC led after the first quarter, 14-9, and Temple's 13-9 second quarter gave them a 24-23 lead at the half. The Leopards outscored the Knighthawks in the second half, 30-25, to take away the six-point win.
The Leopards held the Knighthawks to 19.1% shooting from the floor, 1-of-13 from beyond the three-point arc.
Temple shot 27% from the floor, which included 33% from
Wheaton and Gabby Edo had double-doubles for the Leopards. Wheaton had 22 points and ten rebounds, while Edo had 15 rebounds and ten blocks. Korina Garcia added 12 points, five assists, four steals, and three rebounds.
On Saturday, the Leopards took on the host Tyler Junior College Apaches.
In another physical contest, the Apaches converted 30-of-37 free throws while shooting 51% from the floor and 42% from three-point range as they got past the Leopards, 71-64.
Temple's scoring was exclusively inside the arc, having shot 32% from the field, and 20-of-29 from the charity stripe. The Leopards were 0-of-6 from behind the arc.
Sy'Nariea Snow led all scorers with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Daija Mitch Mitchell logged a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Wheaton contributed 12 points
Where the Leopards sit
The Leopards are 3-1, 2-0 at home, 1-0 at neutral site, and 0-1 away.
The trail ahead for the Leopards
Another East Texas trip is up for the Leopards as they head out to Lufkin on Wednesday afternoon to take on Angelina College (1-2). The Roadrunners went 1-1 at the TJC Classic, falling to Collin County Community College (69-51) and defeating NPC (75-71).
Leopard Volleyball's Ward named 2nd Team All-Conference
Leopards' freshman defensive specialist/libero Hanna Ward was named to the North Texas Junior College Athletic Association's (NJCAA) 2nd Team All-Conference this past Wednesday.
The former Lake Belton High School Broncos standout had a breakout freshman season for the Leopards.
She played in all 31 games and all 107 sets, tied for the team highs with fellow freshman Yasmine Traore. Ward led the team with 446 digs (4.2 digs per set), 696 receives with just 32 errors, 37 service aces, and was third on the team with 74 assists.
Baseball, softball in workouts
While both the baseball and softball fields have been turfed, both the baseball and softball teams have continued their off-season conditioning programs. Their spring seasons will start in January.