TEMPLE, TX — A dominant first-quarter surge proved to be the difference on Thursday evening as the Temple Tem-Cat freshman basketball team secured a 40-30 win over Copperas Cove at Wildcat Gym.
The victory keeps the Tem-Cats' momentum rolling as they navigate the heart of their conference schedule, improving their impressive season marks to 17-4 overall and 6-2 in District 12-6A.

Early Blitz Sets the Tone

Temple wasted no time asserting their dominance, suffocating the Lady Dawgs with a defensive clinic in the opening frame. Behind a balanced attack, the Tem-Cats jumped out to a commanding 16-3 lead by the end of the first quarter.

While Copperas Cove managed to claw back in the second, outscoring Temple 4-10 to trim the halftime lead, the initial cushion allowed the Tem-Cats to maintain control of the tempo for the remainder of the contest. Both teams traded blows in a deadlocked third quarter (10-10) before Temple pulled away for good in the final minutes.

Stat Leaders

The Tem-Cats saw three players reach double digits, providing a balanced offensive front that Cove struggled to contain:

Hayden Williams: 11 points
Kyleigh Juarez: 10 points
Sha'Kyhria Freeman: 10 points
Catherine Dunklin: 4 points
Cristina Garza: 3 points
Ma'Kayla Pendleton: 2 points

Game Flow by Quarter

1st: Temple 16, Cove 3
2nd: Temple 4, Cove 10
3rd: Temple 10, Cove 10
4th: Temple 10, Cove 7
Final: Temple 40, Cove 30

Looking Ahead

The Tem-Cats won't have much time to celebrate as they prepare for a high-stakes home matchup. Temple will return to action at Wildcat Gym today, January 30, to host the Midway Pantherettes. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 PM