By Tony Adams for Temple College
Temple College Athletics have a huge week ahead, with four of the five programs in action this week.
- On Monday, the TC baseball team will take on No. 4 Blinn College at Leon Dreyer Field in Brenham. The doubleheader games will be at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The match was moved from this past Saturday to Monday due to poor field conditions.
- On Wednesday, the Temple College softball team hosts Navarro College in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
- The Temple College women’s and men’s basketball teams travel to Hillsboro to take on Hill College in pivotal NTJCAC matchups. The women’s game starts at 5 p.m., which is followed by the men’s contest at 7 p.m.
- On Friday, the TC baseball squad starts a three-game home series against San Jacinto College-North. Game time is at 2 p.m.
- On Saturday, the softball team returns to the field to host UMHB in a doubleheader starting at Noon.
- The TC baseball squad completes its series with San Jacinto College-North on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at Noon.
- Temple College’s basketball teams host Collin County Community College on Saturday afternoon in Leopards’ Gymnasium. The women’s game, in another matchup of ranked opponents, tips off at 2 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 4 p.m.
Leopards and Lady Leopards home games are broadcast live on PlaySight with Tony Adams on play-by-play.
The PlaySight basketball games are live at https://bit.ly/TC_BBall_LIVE.
Baseball and Softball are live at https://bit.ly/TC_Baseball_Softball_Live.
This week’s Leopards Report looks back at Temple College basketball, as the women’s and men’s squads took on McLennan Community College in a pair of North Texas Junior College Athletic Association (NTJCAC) contests.
No. 22 Temple College women’s hoops upset No. 3 MCC
On Jan. 24, the No. 22 Leopards hosted No. 3 McLennan Community College.
MCC, the NJCAA previous week’s No. 5 team in the nation, upset No. 2 Collin County Community College in overtime on Jan. 20.
The Leopards trailed by 13 points early in the second quarter before they bounced back to register a 66-57 win over the Highlassies.
McLennan hopped out to a fast start with an eight-point quarter from Mersadez Nephew, as the Highlassies held the Leopards without a field goal in the first 10 minutes. MCC took a 15-4 advantage into the second quarter.
See Steve Lemmons’ full photo gallery of the game.
Kira Bass exploded for 12 points into the second quarter, as the Leopards outscored MCC 19-15 and reduced the margin to seven by halftime, 30-23.
Bass and Wilashia Burleson combined for 15 of TC’s 21 third-quarter points. The Leopards outscored MCC 21-11, with TC carrying a 44-41 lead into the fourth period.
Temple continued to roll in the fourth quarter with Bass and Evelyn Lorenzo having scored eight points and Tia Mitchell adding six to account for the Leopards 22 points in the final stanza.
The Leopards shot 31.5% from the field, which included 29.4% from beyond the three-point line, and 15-of-21 from the free-throw line.
Bass led all scorers with 28 points. Lorenzo added 14, and Burleson chipped in eight.
Jalayah Ingram and Aniya Williams each had 14 points for the Highlassies.
TC men suffers loss to McLennan
On Jan. 24, the Temple College men’s squad hosted McLennan Community College in NTJCAC action.
The Highlanders pulled away from the Leopards in the second half as they outlasted TC, 90-79.
McLennan led 13-9 with 14:47 to play in the first half before TC embarked on a 10-2 run to take at 19-15 lead with 13:03 to go in the half.
The teams traded baskets over the final 13 minutes of the half before a basket by MCC gave the Highlanders a 45-43 lead at the break.
McLennan’s 16-8 stretch in the second half extended the Highlanders’ lead to 12 points. The Leopards cut the margin to six points but were unable to get any closer.
TC shot 50% from the field, which included 36% from behind the arc. The Leopards converted 8-of-19 from the free-throw line.
Caleb Gaston scored 17 points, Andrew Iyamah added 14 and Theo Grant chipped in 13.
See Steve Lemmons’ full photo gallery of the game.
MCC shot 54.2% from the field, which included 41.2% from behind the three-point line. The Highlanders converted 19-of-22 free throw attempts.
Nick Shogbonyo led all scorers with 27 points, nine assists, and six rebound. Antwone Gonzales scored 19 points off the bench and Cameron Crockett chipped in 16.
Softball starts play on Wednesday
The Temple College Leopards season-opening, non-conference doubleheader against Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Their season-opener will now be held on Wednesday against Navarro College in doubleheader action.
Game times at the Danny J. Scott Athletic Complex are at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
TC will play their first 12 games at home. UMHB (Feb. 3), Blinn (Feb. 6), Alvin (Feb. 7), Kilgore (Feb. 10), and San Jacinto-South (Feb. 14) will all visit Temple in doubleheader action.
TC was 41-17 last season. The Leopards return 12 sophomores this season and are joined by nine freshmen.
ABOUT TEMPLE COLLEGE
Temple College is “Your Community’s College,” a dynamic and growing community college that equips thousands of Central Texas students with the knowledge and skills for 21st-century success. Temple College, which has campuses in Temple, Hutto and Taylor, offers more than 75 degree and certificate programs to students who seek to earn credits for transfer, graduate with an associate degree or complete a certificate for fast entry into the workforce.
Founded in 1926, Temple College has enjoyed a reputation for academic excellence for 97 years. It is nationally recognized for its exceptional programs, from visual and performing arts to competitive athletics. The College has become one of the state’s premiere institutions for health care providers’ education and training, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development programs. The faculty and staff are committed to providing exceptional quality instruction.