Early season competitive games at are a premium when it comes to play in the NJCAA.
For the Temple College women's basketball team, there are no off-nights.
That statement rung true on Saturday afternoon, as the Leopards took on Tyler Junior College at the TJC Classic.
The Leopards and Apaches played tightly throughout the course of the game. Patient and steady, the Leopards were in a 51-51 tie when Tyler went on 9-0 run over a 2:06 early in the fourth quarter and held off Temple late to win 71-64.
Tyler jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead on a Monica Bottley field goal, two free throws and converted free throw by Kennedi Johnson.
Korina Garcia and Ke'Myreul Wheaton hit field goals to bring the Leopards back to within one point with 6:45 in the first quarter.
Wheaton and Sy'nariea Snow combined to score Temple's last eight points for the quarter, as the Leopards exited the period with a five-point deficit, 19-14.
Tyler pushed their lead out to eight points on free throws by Siara Bracey with 3:44 to go in the first half.
Temple (3-1) countered with a string of baskets by Wheaton, Ranyiah Hunt, and Gabbi Edo, as the Leopards and Apaches each scored 15 points in the quarter. Tyler led at the half, 34-29.
The Leopards took their first lead of the game with 5:53 to go in the third quarter when Daija Mitchell was fouled on her way to a layup. The ball went through the hoop and Mitchell hit the foul shot to give the Leopards a 40-38 advantage. She had another three-point play to give Temple their biggest lead of the game with 3:08 to play in the third, which made the score 43-38.
Tyler responded with a quarter-closing 10-6 run, as the Leopards clung to a one-point lead going into the final stanza, 49-48.
With the game locked in a 51-51 tie, Tyler went on a 9-0 run, which included a play when the game officials called a blocking foul on Temple when one of the Leopards was elbowed in the face by an Apache player on her way to scoring a basket. The basket counted, and the free-throw was converted with 8:12 to play.
The Leopards were 20-of-29 from the free throw line for the game, but were 3-of-9 during a 7:43 stretch leading into the final minute of game, which came after the Tyler foul.
The play that turned the momentum of the game against the Leopards, as they battled back to within three points late. Tyler managed to stave off Temple at the end.
Snow scored 23 points, Wheaton added 12 points, and Mitchell chipped in ten points.
The Leopards travel to Lufkin on Wednesday for a 5:30 pm contest against Angelina College. Following that game, the Leopard will not have a game until their three-game stay at the Western Texas College Classic in Snyder Nov. 20-22.