Franciscan 80, Waynesburg 84
Franciscan Starters
Josh Zimmerman, Sawyer Butler, Karl Yonkeu, Joseph Ciola, Alan Wood
How It Happened
Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war... The Barons came home from a devastating game in Meadeville Saturday to play the only team in the PAC that consistently matches the physicality and defensive acuity of the Boys from the Ville. In prep all week and pregame locker room meetings, everyone knew there was a fight brewing. Everyone knew, battered or bruised, both teams were bringing a beating. The Barons rose from their prior woes and brought the fight to the Yellow Jackets.
The Boys had their best shooting performance of the year 54.9% from the field, 40% from 3pt, and 81.8% from the line. 84 points doesn't seem like a big defensive effort, but there were a handful of the boys that were grinding through the Waynesburg actions. The difference in the game came down to consistency. The Yellow Jackets made the Barons fight on every single possession and consistently make tough shots. The handful of plays of mental errors gave the Waynesburg easy points from the line and near the rim. Those easy chances were the small bump to put them over the edge.
Inside the Numbers
-Sawyer Butler led all scorers 26 and led the Barons in rebounding with nine
-Five Barons were in double digit scoring
-Aiden Townsend played a season-high 20 minutes and had four blocks and six points
Up Next
Franciscan will conclude the 2023-24 season at home on Saturday, as they host Saint Vincent at 4:00 p.m. It will be Senior Day, and Franciscan will honor Alan Wood and Joseph Ciola before the game for their years of dedication to the program. On the court, the Barons are hoping to take down one of the best teams in the PAC this season. Back in January, the Bearcats won 84-74 against the Barons in a battle in Latrobe. Josh Zimmerman led the way for the Barons with 18 points, and Sawyer Butler added 16 points.
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