Weekly Announcements: January 5 – January 9

The Heritage Panthers thrilled a raucous home crowd with an exciting 46–43 victory over Dublin Grizzell, earning a hard-fought win built on energy, toughness, and poise down the stretch.

The Panthers came out firing, jumping to a 13–6 lead after the first quarter with quick baskets and strong tempo. That momentum carried into the second quarter as Heritage continued to execute on both ends, taking a 24–13 lead into halftime. Heritage maintained control in the third quarter, extending the advantage to 38–31, but Grizzell refused to go away and mounted a late comeback attempt. In the closing moments, the Panthers responded with lockdown defense and clutch free-throw shooting, sealing the victory.

Offensively, the Panthers were led by a big night from Ethan Smith, who poured in 19 points, and Thomas Smith, who added 17 points. Supporting the scoring effort were Carter Holstein and Jacob Maul with 3 points each, along with Cole Lybarger and Conor Moore, who chipped in 2 points apiece. On the defensive end, Luke Schimmoeller, Dylan Vincent, Angelo Gum, and Caden Ludban set the tone with relentless effort and strong team defense. Luke Kosarko and Brandt Windholz also provided quality minutes, contributing to the Panthers’ all-around team performance.

With the win, the Panthers evened their record at 5–5 on the season and will look to keep the momentum going when they return to action Thursday at Marysville Bunsold. Great win, Panthers! 🐾

The Heritage 8th Grade Boys Basketball Team returned to action Tuesday night after a long holiday break, welcoming a skilled Dublin Grizzell squad to their home court. Though well-rested, the Panthers knew they would need to be ready to go from the opening tip.

Grizzell came out firing and quickly put Heritage on its heels, knocking down five three-pointers in the first half. The Panthers showed resilience, however, and began to find their rhythm as the half progressed. Led by Braxton Wingo’s steady scoring, who finished with a team-high 12 points, Heritage battled using full-court pressure and taking advantage at the free-throw line. Despite the early deficit, the Panthers kept the game within reach and headed into halftime down 29–18.

Coming out of the break, Heritage received the message and delivered a renewed sense of energy and togetherness. The Panthers turned up the defensive intensity in the third quarter, forcing turnovers and converting them into points. Heritage poured in 22 points in the period, highlighted by strong efforts from Maddox Hart (7 points) and Isaiah Jones (2 points), while Zavier Hunter (11 points) and Amir Keita (9 points) continued to fuel the offense. The electric atmosphere helped propel the Panthers all the way back, cutting the deficit to just one point, 41–40, entering the fourth quarter.

Heritage carried that momentum into the final frame as Myles Sankey drilled a three-pointer to give the Panthers a 44–41 lead.  The Panthers were fired up! However, as the quarter wore on, the Panthers saw their sudden lead dwindle to a solid Grizzell squad that had just a little more in the tank. Despite a gritty comeback and a never-quit attitude, Heritage ultimately fell 52–44.

Though the final score didn’t go their way, the Panthers showed tremendous heart, effort, and growth throughout the game. With their heads held high, Heritage looks ahead to their next road matchup at Marysville Bunsold Middle School, carrying an impressive 8–2 record into Thursday night.