TEMPLE - A new chapter of Temple High School boys basketball got off to an electric start on Saturday morning as the Wildcats defended Wildcat Gym with a decisive 72-58 victory over the visiting Cleburne Yellow Jackets.

With last season’s entire starting lineup lost to graduation, Saturday’s opener marked the debut of both a fresh roster and new Head Basketball Coach Billy White Jr. Despite the heavy turnover, Temple showed immediate chemistry, utilizing a balanced offensive attack that saw 11 different Wildcats find the bottom of the net.

Game Recap

Temple wasted no time setting the tone in the first quarter, jumping out to a commanding 23-10 lead. Jeremiah Larkin, Sam Smith, and Gunnar Westbrook established an early rhythm with four points apiece, while Lealon Harris and Zephaniah Gibson stretched the floor by each draining a three-pointer.

Cleburne fought back in the second quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 21-16 to trim the deficit before halftime. Larkin kept Temple afloat during the Yellow Jackets' surge, knocking down a pair of three-pointers for six points in the period, while Tristan Reeves chipped in five points, including a triple of his own.

Both squads traded blows evenly coming out of the locker room in a 15-15 third quarter. Brody Baxter led the Wildcat effort in the frame with four points, supported by perimeter shots from Larkin, Ryan Bridges, and Kaden Brown, who each connected from beyond the arc.

Leading heading into the final period, Temple closed the door on any comeback hopes by outscoring Cleburne 17-10 in the fourth quarter. Baxter took over down the stretch with seven points in the final frame, and Bridges added four more to seal the 14-point season-opening win.

Scoring Summary

Temple Wildcats (72)

Jeremiah Larkin: 15 points (three 3-pointers)
Brody Baxter: 11 points
Sam Smith: 10 points
Ryan Bridges: 9 points
Tristan Reeves: 7 points
Kaden Brown: 5 points
Gunnar Westbrook: 4 points
Lealon Harris: 3 points
Landon Taylor: 3 points
Zephaniah Gibson: 3 points
Bradyn Williams: 2 points

Cleburne Yellow Jackets Leading Scorers (58)

Kourtlynd Bryan: 19 points
Kade Whiteley: 10 points
Miles Cunningham: 9 points

Up Next

Now 1-0 on the young season, Coach White and the Wildcats will enjoy a quick turnaround before returning to Wildcat Gym on Monday, November 16, to host the Killeen High School Kangaroos. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.