Worcester Wolves 65-81 Bristol Academy Flyers

Saturday 28th September 2024

By Colin Taylor

A Worcester Wolves side not yet able to put their best foot forward had to accept an 81-65 defeat in their National Basketball League season-opener against Bristol Academy Flyers on Saturday.

A tight first quarter at the University of Worcester Arena saw Bristol nudge 17-16 in front, but thereafter the visitors were able to draw away to a clear victory.

“It’s not the start to the season we would have wanted,” admitted Wolves’ coach Dean Blake. “But we have to apply some context to it.

“We don’t yet have a full roster and we have guys playing out of their usual positions.

“When we get players healthy and the team is more settled it’ll be a different story.”

Flyers took aim from opposite corners of the court to sweep 6-0 ahead in the first minute of the contest.

Worcester stalwarts Wilfrid Santhe and Emmanuel Yeboah put up the points to bring the teams back together.

An inspiring last play of the quarter saw Panagiotis Kavalas dispossess his attacker and set up a Santhe basket.

Nearly five minutes of the second period elapsed before Wolves could further impact the scoreboard, leaving Bristol to accumulate a 40-25 half-time cushion.

A Yeboah spin-dribble straight after the interval gave brief hope for the hosts before Flyers’ ongoing accuracy from distance widened the third quarter margin to 61-40.

Late rat-a-tat three-pointers from Santhe gave respectability to the final scoreline.

Santhe and Yeboah led the scoring with 28 and 16 points respectively, supported by a dozen points from Finn Rennie

Wolves face a doubleheader of action next weekend. On Saturday 05 October they travel to Cardiff City for a 12.30pm tip off, with Big Sky Basketball visiting the University of Worcester Arena the next day (5pm) for a National Cup tie.

“Next weekend will be about the team coming together offensively and defensively and about putting in good performances,” added Blake.

Get your tickets for this weekends Super Sunday of Basketball here