ROCKINGHAM — The Temple Christian School varsity girls basketball team returned to the court after the Holiday Break and got right back to its winning ways, picking up three straight victories in order to improve to 8-0 on the season.
The Lady Tigers were set to open the new year with a game on Friday, Jan. 4, but Grace Christian (S.C.) ended up having to forfeit, so their first battle of 2019 took place on Tuesday, Jan. 8, at home against South Pointe Christian (S.C.)
Sophomore guard Anna Smith was phenomenal in that one, scoring a game-high 33 points, racking up 19 steals and dishing out 12 assists to lead Temple to a 66-24 victory over the visiting Wildcats. Senior guard Rachel Smith added 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in the win that pushed Temple to 4-0 in Carolina Christian Athletic Association play.
On Thursday, Jan. 10, the varsity girls toughed out a 48-40 victory over Marlboro Academy (S.C.) behind 25 points from Anna Smith, who shot 10 of 13 from the foul line to help close the door on the Lady Wildcats.
Temple’s varsity boys team (3-6, 3-3 CCAA) has split its two games since being back from break, grabbing a dominant 84-33 victory over Grace Christian on Jan. 4 and then falling 49-74 to South Pointe on Jan. 8.
Both Josh Greene, senior center, and Hayden Heavner, junior guard, posted double-doubles in the win over Grace. Greene finished with 31 points and 13 rebounds while Heavner scored 28 points and pulled down a team-high 22 boards.
Another monster performance from Greene (23 pts, 13 rebs) and another double-digit effort from Heavner (18 pts) wasn’t enough for Temple when they ran into South Pointe, however, and it dropped its sixth game of the season.
In junior varsity action, Temple’s girls (9-0, 6-0 CCAA) have extended their winning streak to nine games after taking down Pageland (S.C.) 41-17 and Marlboro Academy 35-26. The JV boys team (3-7, 1-6 CCAA) is now winners of two in a row following its 46-42 win over South Pointe, which was spear-headed by freshman forward Malik Green’s 26 points.
Temple’s varsity girls will visit Berean Baptist on Tuesday, Jan. 15; the varsity boys team is set to host Columbus Christian on Thursday, Jan. 17; and both JV squads will travel to Sandhills Classical Christian on Monday, Jan. 14.
Temple Christian’s Anna Smith rips the ball away from Columbus Christian’s Hannah Clark (33) after setting a trap alongside her sister, Mary, on Jan. 29, 2018.