By Jaime Lackey
Staff Writer - tfponline.com
For the first eight minutes, Friday's game at Arts & Sciences looked like it could be a matchup between the top two boys' basketball teams in Region 3-A.
Then Tennessee Temple took over.
The Crusaders dominated the final three periods in an 87-48 rout of the Patriots that left both teams surprised by the outcome.
"I thought it was going to be a lot tougher than it was," Temple senior point guard Dee Newson said. "Coach told us to come out strong and don't let up, and we were able to keep the momentum."
Newson's control of the Crusaders' offense, along with Seth Skogen's shooting and Josh Smith's presence in the paint, helped them build a 41-26 halftime lead after an 18-16 first quarter.
Smith scored eight straight points as Temple tightened its defense in the second quarter, and Skogen had 11 in a row for the Crusaders in the third. The Patriots managed just 11 points of their own in the period, six of them on 3-pointers from Michael Johnson after coach Mark Dragoo subbed for all his starters.
"This is a very difficult place to play," Temple coach Kevin Skogen said. "We know Arts & Sciences didn't play their best tonight. It will be a different game when they come to our place."
With 29 points, Seth Skogen outscored all the CSAS starters, while Smith added 16 for Temple and Jeremy Sexton had 12. Newson scored 17 and was one of four Crusaders with more than five assists.
"Dee runs this team as well as you can run it," Coach Skogen said. "He's doing everything well."
Friday's game was just the fifth of the season for Temple, which delayed the start of its season because all but three of the Crusaders were still playing football. Despite having just nine basketball practices with a full team, Temple is unbeaten and improving.
"We're starting to play a lot better," Newson said. "The first few games we weren't in very good shape. But we're getting better every game."
Meanwhile, CSAS (4-4) is searching to find answers for its early-season skid.
"We're struggling as much as any team I've coached in 26 years," he said. "We're not rebounding, we're not defending, and we're taking terrible shots. Other than that, we're doing fine.
"But I truly believe we'll get it straightened out. We have the talent, and the ability, and the desire."
E-mail Jaime Lackey at jlackey@timesfreepress.com
Staff Photo by Tim Barber
Temple's Dee Newson, below, takes a charge from CSAS's Dontay Hampton in second quarter action at CSAS. The foul was assessed by officials after the play.
