TJC’s Jonah Nesmith (14) drives against Luiz Pena of Loyalty Prep during Wednesday night’s game at Wagstaff Gymnasium. The Apaches won 93-63.

It was an appetizer for a big weekend of turkey, football and basketball.

Tyler Junior College hosted a Thanksgiving Eve basketball game as the Apaches defeated Loyalty College Prep, 93-63, on Wednesday at Wagstaff Gymnasium.

Corey Camper Jr., a 6-5 junior guard from Little Rock, Arkansas, led TJC to the victory with 22 points, including five 3-pointers. He also had eight rebounds.

Boubcar Mboup, the 6-10 freshman forward who spent most of the fall on the football team, added 12 points and seven boards.

The Apaches were on fire at the free throw line, missing their first attempt and hitting 16 straight before missing the 18th attempt.

Luiz Peña, a 6-3 guard from the Dominican Republic, led the Wildcats with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Edwin Preston, a 6-0 guard from Houston, added 13 points.

The Apaches (5-3) started slow and finally took their first lead at 28-25 when Marcus Rigsby Jr. drained a 3-pointer with 6:00 on the clock in the first half.

TJC led 44-34 at halftime.

Others scoring for TJC were Rigsby (9), Dariyus Woodson (9), Amir Locus (8), Randy Crosby (7), Makel Johnson (7), Sean O’Neal (7), Jonah Nesmith (5), Ray Barrion (2), Matt Wade (2) and Bullen Taban (2).

Woodson added six rebounds, followed by Taban (5) and Locus (4). O’Neal had three blocks with Crosby and Rigsby swiping three steals apiece.

Also scoring for the North Richland Hills prep school were Juan Alberto Sanchez (7), Gaddiel Akele (6), Alfredo Cuello (5), Braedyn Ellison (5), Luis Morel (4) and John Monzele (3).

Akele added seven rebounds with Cuello adding four boards and five steals.

Loyalty College Prep is a “Post Grad Program to build a foundation for a college student-athlete’s experience, to build a solid foundation as a college student-athlete in college,” according to the organization’s mission statement. It continues, “The program is a system for student-athletes to allow a year of growth development, educationally, emotionally, physically, and mentally.”

The Apaches have a matinee performance on Friday, hosting CYM Prep at 4 p.m. at Wagstaff Gymnasium. The Wildcats are scheduled to play Western Oklahoma State College on Dec. 2 and 3 in Altus, Oklahoma.

TJC opens Region XIV Conference play on Wednesday, Nov. 30 by hosting Victoria College at 7:30 p.m.

SMOKE SIGNALS: The Apache Ladies, ranked No. 20 in the nation and defending national champions, are scheduled to take part in the Collin College Thanksgiving Classic in Plano. TJC, fresh off a 99-64 victory over LSU-Eunice in Lufkin, is 4-2 on the season. The Apache Ladies meet host Collin at 1 p.m. Friday and Grayson College at 11 a.m. Saturday. TJC will host the Ranger College Lady Rangers at 6 p.m. Monday.