The Tem-Cat basketball team hosted the Midway Pantherettes in a 12-6A contest at Wildcat Gym on Friday afternoon. In what a tight contest throughout the game, Midway used a 19-14 third quarter difference to hold off the Tem-Cats and defeat Temple 50-45.

Temple led 10-8 after one quarter of play with Dejah Thomas tallying 4 points in the quarter. However, Midway was able to pull even at 17-17 going to the halftime break.

Despite 5 points from both Jesse Johnson and Dawn Smith in the third quarter, Midway won the third 19-14 and carried the five point led into the final quarter.

Trailing 45-38 late in the fourth, Jayla Govan's bucket and Tierney Perkins 3-point play, pulled the Tem-Cats within 45-43 with 1:59 remaining. The Pantherettes answered with a bucket and Paris Morris kept the rally alive with a pair of free throws to make it 47-45 with less than a minute. However, in the final minute, Temple couldn't find an answer offensively and Midway pulled down several key offensive rebounds that were converted into points at the free throw line.

Dawn Smith led Temple with 12 points while grabbing 5 rebounds and a steal.

Tierney Perkins and Jesse Johnson each tallied 9 points while 3 assist, 2 rebounds, 2 steals and Johnson had 3 rebounds, 2 assist, 1 steal and 1 block.

Jayla Govan had 7 points, 3 steals, 3 rebounds; Dejah Thomas 6 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks; Paris Morris with 2 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal.

The loss drops Temple to 1-2 in district play and will take some time off before return to play on December 27 with play Gainesville in the Kaufman Tournament.