HERALDS STUMBLE LATE IN SEASON OPENER
Bristolville, OH
— The Saint John Heralds opened their 2024-25 basketball season on Tuesday night with a road matchup against the Bristol Panthers. Despite a strong offensive effort led by their senior core, the Heralds couldn’t keep pace with Bristol’s fast transition game, ultimately falling 77-57.
Bristol relied on their speed and relentless transition offense to gain the upper hand, outscoring Saint John 14-10 in the first quarter. The Heralds responded with a strong 22-point second quarter, but Bristol maintained control by matching their scoring output and heading into halftime with a 40-32 lead.
Both teams traded buckets in a balanced third quarter, each putting up 16 points, but Bristol’s pace overwhelmed the Heralds in the fourth. The Panthers closed out the game with a 21-9 run, using fast breaks and quick ball movement to seal the victory.
Senior Dylan Newsome led the Heralds with 13 points, showing his scoring versatility. Fellow seniors Grayson Petros and Vin Narducci each added 11 points, with Narducci connecting on one of the team’s four three-pointers. Senior Aaron Wychock chipped in three points, playing a solid role on defense.
Sophomore Chase Newsome added 11 points, including two three-pointers, and Junior Don Crawford contributed six points, rounding out Saint John’s offensive efforts.
The Heralds hit four three-pointers in total, with two from Chase Newsome and one apiece from Dylan Newsome and Vin Narducci. While the scoring was well-distributed, Saint John struggled to match Bristol’s tempo in transition, which proved to be the difference in the game.
The loss drops the Heralds to 0-1, but they’ll look to regroup quickly as they head back on the road to face the Horizon Science Academy Dragons on Saturday, December 14.
