SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. — Heading into the locker room Tuesday night, Tennessee Temple knew if something didn’t change for the second half, it might be the Crusaders’ last time to make that trip.

Temple responded by taking control of its Region 3-A boys’ basketball semifinal with a dominant third quarter and holding on for a 55-46 victory over Arts & Sciences at South Pittsburg High School.

“I feel like we came out playing to win instead of playing as a team,” said senior Jarrod Johnson, whose dunk punctuated the Crusaders’ 17-1 third-quarter run. “In the second half, our attitude really made the difference. The seniors didn’t want this to be our last game.”

District 6 champion Arts & Sciences led 11-10 at the end of the first quarter and built a seven-point advantage in the second period before Temple cut it to 26-24 at the break.

“We couldn’t buy a bucket in the first half,” Crusaders coach Caleb Marcum said. “But we guarded well, and that’s what kept us in it. We took their punch, and our defense gave us a chance.”

After Aaron Cousin scored for CSAS to open the third quarter, the Patriots managed just three more points the rest of the period. Six players scored in Temple’s run that brought the District 5 runners-up from a six-point deficit to a 10-point lead.

“We started getting some stops in a row, and that’s how you put together a run,” Marcum said. “James (Kemp) got more aggressive offensively and started making some shots, and we outrebounded them 43-22. I think we just wanted it more. When we missed, we got the rebounds and put them in.”

Terrell Townsend ended his CSAS career with a game-high 21 points, while Temple (25-4) got 16 from Johnson and 12 from Jeremy Sexton. The Crusaders will play Grace Academy for the championship Thursday at 8 p.m.

TENNESSEE TEMPLE 55, ARTS & SCIENCES 46

Tenn. Temple 10 12 21 12 — 55

CSAS 11 15 5 15 — 46

Tennessee Temple (55) — Petersen 4, Kemp 7, Pendergrass 2, Jeremy Sexton 12, Jarrod Johnson 16, Andrews 4, Reaves 5, Montgomery 5.

Arts & Sciences (46) — Dodd, Stallion 1, Johnson 9, Austin, Jackson, Cobb, Terrell Townsend 21, Aaron Cousin 12, Ball, Lenoir 3.

3-point goals: Temple 1 (Kemp); CSAS 4 (Townsend 2, Johnson, Cousin). Record: Temple 25-4.