DELAWARE, Ohio – Turning the page on a new season and looking ahead, the Alma College men's basketball team tipped off the 2025-26 season on Friday, November 7th, matching up against the Battling Bishops of Ohio Wesleyan University. The Scots young core found a bump in the road in the first game as the hosts would come away with a win over Alma by a final score of 86-67.
Logan St. Martin opened the scoring the season as he opened the scoring for the game with a made layup 25 seconds into action giving Alma their first lead. Following a free throw make and a good jumper by Korbin Heitzman, the Scots held a lead three minutes into the game, though the Battling Bishops knocked down a three and some free throws to take their first lead. Both teams traded the lead until the 14-minute mark before Ohio Wesleyan tagged together a couple baskets for a two-possession lead. The Scots found themselves stagnant for a short amount of time allowing the hosts to stretch a lead out to double digits before snapping out of silence. For seven minutes, neither team could put a run together to either close the gap or pace their opponent as the Scots deficit ranged from eight to 12 points. Ohio Wesleyan ended the first half on an 18-0 run with five minutes left in the first half to stretch a lead out to 26 going into the break, putting the Scots in dangerous territory early.
A 13-2 run from Alma to open the second half brought the young squad back within 15 and a manageable score with the given time remaining. The Battling Bishops snapped out of their drought and started to trade baskets and defensive stops with the Scots, creating a tough environment for the Scots to storm a comeback. Alma would find themselves on the wrong side of short offensive runs put together by Ohio Wesleyan as time ticked away and the Scots needed to close the gap. The hosts slowed the Scots offense down in the final ten minutes of the game and held steady on their lead to hand Alma their first loss of the season on opening night by a final score of 86-67.
The Scots played 15 players throughout the contest on opening night including first career games for Brighton Gavin, Elijah Sykes, Darrion Sardo and Waylon Sales, with Gavin and Sykes recording their first collegiate points. Donovan Collins led the scoring for Alma recording 16 points while going three for six from downtown. Korbin Heitzman collected seven rebounds for a team-high while Joss Bradley, Sykes and Collins all recorded three assists apiece. Heitzman and Sales each recorded a block in the game as well.
Alma will be back in action tomorrow, Saturday, November 8th, as they take on the Big Red of Denison University, who were receiving votes in the d3hoops.com preseason poll. The Scots and Big red will tip off tomorrow at 5:30 PM.
