TEMPLE, TX — The Temple Tem-Cat freshman basketball team put on a defensive clinic Friday night at Wildcat Gym, stifling the Harker Heights Lady Knights in a commanding 47-12 District 12-6A victory.

The Tem-Cats set the tone early with a relentless 9-0 surge in the opening frame. Cristina Garza ignited the offense with five early points, including a 3-pointer, while Catherine Dunklin dominated the paint with four points to help build the initial lead. While the scoring slowed slightly in the second frame, the defense remained stout, heading into the locker room with a comfortable 16-4 advantage.

Juarez Leads Balanced Attack

The Tem-Cats saw an incredibly balanced performance, with 12 of the 13 players on the roster finding their way into the box score. Leading the charge was Kyleigh Juarez, who put up a game-high 12 points. Juarez was especially lethal in the second half, scoring four points in the third quarter before adding five in the fourth—a stretch highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers.

Perhaps even more impressive than her scoring was her court vision; Juarez orchestrated the offense with 7 assists, consistently finding open teammates in transition.

"Tonight was fun," said Temple coach Taylor Sims. "It's always exciting when everyone can get good quality minutes and have a positive effect on the outcome of the game. The entire night, the girls on the bench were cheering for those that were in the game and there was never any let down when other players subbed in and out of the game. This group of young ladies continue to build a FAMILY type atmosphere."

Defensive Dominance

The game was effectively put out of reach in the third quarter. Temple rediscovered its rhythm on the offensive end while completely locking down the Lady Knights. The Tem-Cats exploded for 17 points in the period while holding Heights scoreless for the second time in the game.

Temple Box Score:

Kyleigh Juarez: 12 points (2 3-pt FG), 7 assists
Catherine Dunklin: 8 points
Cristina Garza: 6 points (1 3-pt FG)
Kimberly Serrano: 4 points
Hayden Williams: 3 points
Bailey Culbreat: 3 points
Sha'Khyria Freeman: 2 points
Ma'Kayla Pendleton: 2 points
Addison Pemberton: 2 points
Lyla Shamlin: 2 points
Te'Zariyah Sauls: 2 points
Keianna Byrd: 1 point

Season Outlook

With the win, the Tem-Cats improve their impressive overall record to 14-4. More importantly, they move to 3-1 in District 12-6A play, keeping them firmly in the hunt for a district title.

Temple will look to carry this momentum back to their home floor next week. The Tem-Cats are scheduled to host the Killeen Lady Kangaroos on Tuesday, January 13, with tip-off set for 5:00 PM at Wildcat Gym.