TEMPLE, TX — It took extra time to decide a winner at Wildcat Gym on Friday night, as the Temple Wildcat Freshman Blue team went toe-to-toe with Killeen Shoemaker in a defensive battle. Despite a late-game surge to force the extra period, Temple fell just short in a 50-47 overtime loss to the Grey Wolves.

The game was a classic District 12-6A tug-of-war, with momentum swinging wildly between the two sides before Shoemaker ultimately pulled away in the final minutes of overtime.

Lee Sparks Fast Start

Temple came out firing in the first quarter, fueled by a dominant performance from Elijah Lee. Lee provided nearly half of the team’s early offense, scoring all 8 of his points in the opening frame to help the Wildcats claim a 17-15 lead.
Shoemaker responded in the second and third quarters, relying on a stiff defense that limited Temple to just 15 combined points over those 16 minutes. By the start of the fourth, the Wildcats found themselves fighting uphill.

Clutch Fourth Quarter Comeback

Trailing heading into the final period of regulation, Temple’s offense reignited. Mack Hine and Leon Tolbert took command of the floor, each scoring 6 points in the fourth quarter to spearhead a 15-11 run. Their clutch shooting erased the deficit and sent the game into overtime tied at 47-47.

In the overtime period, defensive intensity reached a fever pitch. While Temple’s defense remained stout, the Wildcats were unable to find the bottom of the net in the extra frame. Shoemaker managed to scrape together 3 points to seal the narrow victory.

Temple Scoring:

Leon Tolbert: 8 points
Elijah Lee: 8 points (all in 1st Q)
Mack Hine: 8 points (6 in 4th Q)
Kaiden Brown: 7 points
Jo'Shon Jackson: 5 points
Drew Brischke: 5 points

Up Next: Bryan Vikings

The Wildcats will look to get back in the win column on Tuesday, January 20, when they host the Bryan Vikings. Tip-off is set for 5:00 PM at Wildcat Gym.