The Temple College women's basketball team started their Tyler JC Classic Tournament stay on Friday against NJCAA Division II powerhouse National Park College at Wagstaff Gymnasium.
Temple's defense held the Knighthawks in check throughout the game, which included having held NPC to one field goal in the third quarter and held off a push late to upend the Knighthawks, 54-48.
Ke'Myreul Wheaton scored four of her team-high 25 points in the first quarter, as she scored the first points of the game 18 seconds in and a jumper with 5:14 left in the quarter. Korina Garcia added six points in the frame, as the Leopards trailed the Knighthawks after the first ten minutes, 14-11.
The Leopards began the second quarter on an 8-3, with Wheaton pulling down two offensive rebounds and scoring on a putback to start the quarter 35 seconds in. Her three-pointer at the top of the gave TC the lead with 7:22 to play in the first half. Garcia added a pair of three-pointers and Raniyah Hunt each scored to give Temple the lead at the half, 24-23.
Temple's gritty, grinding defense helped open a seven-point cushion midway through the third quarter, 35-28. The Knighthawks closed the quarter on a 9-4 clip. Despite scoring just one field goal in the period, at the 8:38 mark of the third, NPC went 11-of-11 from the free throw line at one stretch in the quarter. The Leopards led the Knighthawks after 30 minutes, 39-37.
The Knighthawks scored five points to open the fourth quarter, and led by three points, 42-39, with 8:15 to play in regulation. They stopped their field goal drought at 9:14 of the fourth, a span of 9:14. NPC scored a three-pointer to take a 45-42 lead, then went another 5:08 between baskets.
Wheaton, Daija Mitchell, Gabbi Edo, and Kyla Clark combined for the 15 points in the quarter, as they outscored NPC by 16-11 score and won the game by six points.
The Leopards went 11-of-18 from the charity stripe and went just four times in the second and third frames combined. Wheaton hit five three-pointers.
Temple College (3-0) will take on the Tyler Junior College Apaches on Saturday at 3 pm.