Tennessee Temple’s Jeremy Sexton has been named the District 5-A player of the year as well as the Region 3-A player of the year.

    Sexton, a junior guard, averaged a team-best 23.4 points per game during the regular season while leading the Crusaders to a 17-9 record. He also contributed 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.7 steals and one block per game.

    Sexton shot 52.3 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 77.2 percent at the free throw line while scoring in double figures in all 26 games.

    “Jeremy was very deserving of both honors,” Temple coach Caleb Marcum said. “I know I am bias because I’m his coach, but anyway you break it down Jeremy was the best player in the region this year. Not only is he the best player in this area, he’s one of the best in the state. And he’s only a junior. There was some question before the season started about Jeremy, and whether or not he could carry the scoring load after losing what we did off last year’s state championship team. Well, Jeremy answered those questions and then some this year.

    “As good as Jeremy is, he could not have accomplished all that he did this year without the help of his teammates,” Marcum continued. “And he’ll be the first one to tell you that. It took a while for him to gain trust in his teammates, but once he did we really improved as a team. He began to realize he can’t do it all. That’s one of the many good things about Jeremy. . .he’s not a selfish player at all.”

    Temple’s James Kemp and Jarrod Johnson were also named to the All-Region team.

    Kemp, a junior guard, averaged 12.4 points, 3.3 assists, 2.1 steals and 2.1 rebounds per game during the regular season while shooting 40 percent from 3-point territory and a team-best 82 percent from the free throw line. He also made a team-high 60 3-point baskets.

    “James struggled with his shot a little bit early on, but about mid-January he found his stroke and he shot the ball extremely well over the last 10 or 11 games,” Marcum said. “He elevated his play the latter part of the season. . . averaging about 15-16 points per game during that stretch. .  .and that was big for our team. I told people before the season started that James was going to be one of the biggest surprises in Chattanooga. And it’s turned out that way. I don’t know very many people, if anybody, who would’ve expected him to make the All-Region team. . . you’re talking about a guy who was mainly used on the JV team last year.”

     Johnson, a junior post, averaged 9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 54 percent from the field in his first season at Temple. He led the team in rebounding with 239 rebounds – 127 more than the team’s second-leading rebounder (Sexton) – providing the Crusaders with an inside presence they would’ve sorely missed had it not been for his arrival.

    “Jarrod was a big part of our success this season,” Marcum said. “We had a lot of guards, but we didn’t have many post players. Jarrod came in and filled that void for us. It took him a while to find his niche, but once he did he really helped us out. I don’t know what we would’ve done without him. And he’s only going to get better now that he’s got a year in our system. He’s got great hands and he’s got great instincts. . .that’s what makes him such an outstanding rebounder. He can go get it.

    Sexton, Kemp and Johnson combined to help lead Temple to a 17-9 regular season mark against one of the toughest schedules in school history.

    “I was glad to see James and Jerrod made it along with Jeremy,” Marcum said. “All three of those guys are very deserving.”