Franciscan 84, Hilbert 82

Franciscan Starters
Josh Zimmerman, Travis Lien, Colton Hage, Nicholas Allienello, Tristan McDannell 

Hilbert Starters 
Briggs, Eldridge, Perez, Jackson, Miller

How It Happened 
   The Barons earned their first victory of the season in nail biting fashion against the Hilbert College Hawks. While Franciscan led for most of the game, the Hawks rallied late in the second half. With just 20 seconds left, Aidan Hickey beat his defender to score a game winning layup. The Hawks had one final possession, but the Barons played excellent team defense to clinch the victory.
    The team traveled all the way up to Buffalo, NY to play their second non-conference game of the season. The starting lineup was unusual: Travis Lien started at center instead of Yann Yonkeu. The Barons came straight out of the gate with Nicholas Allienello scoring a transition layup. Josh Zimmerman showcased his two-way talents by landing a layup then blocking a shot on the other end. After the junior guard knocked down a three, the Barons gained an early 9 point lead. An intense back and forth ensued, with both teams committing turnovers and missing shots. Aidan Hickey reignited the offense, draining a midrange jumper and assisting a three from Travis Lien. The team looked like a well-oiled machine, with pinpoint passes creating open looks. With 9 minutes left in the first half, the Barons led by a healthy 17 points. Unfortunately, a scoring drought allowed the Hawks to claw back into the game, scored 8 unanswered points. Yann Yonkeu finally ended the run with an and-1. Frank Bellissimo scored 6 straight points, but the Barons ended the first half only up 4.
    The Hawks fought back and gained a small lead. With the starting lineup back in, the Barons went back to work. Tristan McDannell and Josh Zimmerman took turns getting buckets, making sure the Barons wouldn't fall behind. Zimmerman in particular was active in transition, scoring an and-1 and drawing multiple fouls. As the game went into crunch time, every basket mattered. Colton Hage scored numerous points in the clutch, draining a huge three with just 2 minutes left. The Barons were down by just 1. Travis Lean knocked down a baby hook to tie the game with 1 minute remaining. Then, after a Baron timeout, Josh Zimmerman cut to the basket, only to find Aidan Hickey on the left corner. The senior guard sped past his defender to finish the layup, giving the Barons a 2 point lead with 20 seconds left. But the game wasn't over yet. The Hawks had one final possession with the chance of winning the game with a three. In spectacular fashion, the Barons played lockdown defense, and with Josh Zimmerman grabbing the missed shot, the team clinched their first win.
    After losing their first three games, the Barons were glad to see the fruits of their labor end in victory. Travis Lean led the way with 17 points on an efficient 8-14 shooting. Josh
    Zimmerman was close behind with 16 points, a block, and 2 steals. Tristan McDannell facilitated the offense with 5 assists, and Aidan Hickey scored 10 points off the bench, including the game-winning layup. Overall, everyone on the team played well, forcing turnovers, finding the open man, and scoring buckets in transition. This is a statement win that the Barons hope to emulate as the season moves on.

Inside the Numbers 
-The Barons had 10 players score including three in double digits; Travis Lien, Josh Zimmerman, and Aidan Hickey
-Tristan McDannell and Travis Lien led the Barons with 7 rebounds each
-29 of the 84 points came from the bench
-The Barons gave up only 17 second chance points off 22 Hilbert offensive rebounds
-The Barons shot a season high 78% from the free throw line

Up Next
Next Wednesday Nov. 30, the Barons will travel to Grove City, Pa. to face Grove City College. Last year these two conference opponents split their season matchups 1-1 with both home teams winning. Their last time on the road against the Wolverines ended in an 84-81 loss. Colton Hage and Josh Zimmerman each scored 14 points.

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