The defensive effort for both the Wildcats and the Tigers has been there. Scoring, though, has been a painful struggle at times.
Just once in their last three games has either team scored more than 50 points. That feat came in Belton’s 57-55 overtime win against Austin Crockett on Dec. 19, the last time either team won.
Both Temple (6-9) and Belton (6-12) seek to find consistency and snap losing streaks when they clash at 7:30 tonight at Wildcat Gym.
For Temple, loser of its last three games, avoiding lapses that have led to four losses by five points or fewer has been the message of first-year coach Tim Thomas.
“We’re still on schedule to be a really good team,” he said. “We’ve shown flashes of what we can be, but we haven’t been consistent. We’ve got to put everything together to be consistent in our play.”
The problem in the Wildcats’ 52-48 loss at Austin Reagan on Tuesday was rebounding and poor free-throw shooting in the fourth quarter.
Part of the Wildcats’ struggles in close games is youth. Only four players - guards D.J. Wright (5-8) and Lache Seastrunk (5-10) and forwards Erik Valdez (6-2) and Ray Williams (6-6) - had any varsity experience entering the season.
Junior 6-foot guard Donovan Shumpert is starting in his first season on varsity, seeing time as the primary ball handler. The Wildcats’ bench is made up of players who had no varsity experience entering this season.
“We’re playing a lot of young guys,” Thomas said. “It’s been an adjustment for them. They’re making the adjustment and I’m pleased with the progress.”
The Tigers have dropped two straight games entering tonight, scoring a combined 71 points. Belton’s latest loss was a 81-33 defeat at Georgetown on Tuesday.
The fact that Belton made just 15 of 60 shots and no 3-pointers in a 41-38 home loss to Cedar Park Vista Ridge on Dec. 22 has drawn coach John Osborn’s attention.
And it hasn’t just been 3-pointers that the Tigers haven’t gotten to fall.
“It’s our outside shooting and our shooting altogether,” Osborn said. “We haven’t made them inside or outside as a group.”
Like Temple, the Tigers had few varsity players returning from last season - guards Saquonne Crump (5-9) and Eric Braeuer (5-10) and forwards Michael Huddleston (6-3) and Kevin Saunders (6-2).
Osborn and the Tigers have depended on sophomores Sean Voss (5-9), David Ash (6-3) and Jacob Whitman in crucial situations.
“I really think they’ve got a good group of older kids around them,” Osborn said. “It’s not just a sophomore effort.”
For the first time in nearly five years, it’ll be the Wildcats - not the Tigers - who enter their rivalry game with a long district losing streak.
Belton ended a string of 39 straight district losses with 66-64 win at Wildcat Gym last season, though few players remain from that team.
“As good as it was, that’s long past us,” Osborn said. “I don’t think the streak, the win at Temple . . . I don’t think any of that comes into play now.”
NOTE: The Temple boys basketball program is hosting a tailgate party for today’s game beginning at 3 p.m. in front of Wildcat Gym. Fans from both schools are invited and proceeds will benefit the Wildcats’ basketball booster club.
Telegram sports writer Craig Meister takes a look at how the rest of the 12-5A botys teams look going into the start of district play today:
- Bryan (14-2) vs. Killeen Shoemaker: The Vikings were hit hard by graduation after last season, but they appear to be loaded again coming off of their victory in the Lufkin Holiday Hoopfest.
According to ESPN.com, freshman J-Mychal Reese - son of Bryan coach and Temple graduate John Reese - is a smooth combination guard and is widely considered the top prospect in the 2012 recruiting class. A left-hander, Reese scored 30 points against Pflugerville Hendrickson in his high school debut. With 6-2 Dacorian Burleson and 6-4 Terrence Wilbert, defending league champion Bryan will be difficult to dethrone.
- College Station A&M Consolidated (5-12) at Harker Heights: The Tigers are off to a slow start but should compete for one of the district’s four playoff berths. Seniors Tyler Hatch and Jarvon Searcy and junior Kevin Jefferson lead a tall Consol team on which every player stands between 6 feet and 6-4.
- Copperas Cove at Killeen Ellison: The Bulldawgs, coached by former Temple assistant David Farber, placed sixth in the Gatesville Holiday Tournament. Raheem Odomes scored 112 points in Cove’s four tournament games.
- Ellison (15-2) vs. Cove: Ranked No. 9 in Class 5A, the balanced Eagles figure to challenge Bryan for the 12-5A championship. Zack Mims has found his shooting touch, pouring in 31 points against Austin on Wednesday. Marquavius James and Devonte Brown lead Ellison’s vaunted press defense, while 6-6 Chris Harpe occupies the middle.
- Harker Heights vs. A&M Consolidated: High-flying 6-5 Delante Stephens and 6-3 junior Dwayne Hutchinson lead the Knights, who should contend for one of the final playoff berths.
- Shoemaker at Bryan: The Grey Wolves have the smallest lineup in the district with just one player standing at least 6 feet. Jade Allen leads a guard-oriented, up-tempo team that likes to shoot the 3.
cmeister@temple-telegram.com
