FRANKLIN – Following an 11-day layoff, the Franklin men's basketball team resumed Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) play on Wednesday (Dec. 28) afternoon with a meeting against the Transylvania Pioneers.
 
Four Grizzlies (6-4, 2-1 HCAC) finished the afternoon in double figures, giving Franklin a critical 74-70 win over the Pioneers (4-7, 1-3 HCAC) in their return to league play.
 
How it Happened
-The two sides battled through the opening 14 minutes of play, with six lead changes and four ties occupying the game until a layup from Cody Samples put the hosts in front 23-22 and a lead the home side would hold for good. Franklin bumped their lead up 35-30 by halftime, getting it done on the defensive end to offset 14 offensive rebounds from the Pioneers.
 
Franklin's lead hit double figures for the first time with 16:03 to go in the ball game when Trey Flatt's free throw made it 47-37. An 8-2 Transy run cut the lead down to four but the Griz restored a double digit lead with five minutes to go when a Carter Crowe three made it 67-56, Franklin's largest lead of the game.
 
A full court press and smothering defense all over the floor helped the Pioneers get back within three in the final minute, but a game-tying long ball missed and Flatt sealed the win with a free throw at the other end.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Franklin shot 44.4% (24-for-54) from the floor, led by 18 points from Crowe. Flatt and Ryan Bostic had 17 points each while Samples added 10.
-Defensively, Franklin held the Pioneers to 38.7% (29-for-75) on the day and just 4-for-26 from three point range.
-The Pioneers held a 43-47 edge on the glass and grabbed 24 offensive boards. Lynn King topped all players with 13 rebounds on the night.
-Jacob Deere set a career-high with eight points in a season-high 14:33 coming off the bench.
 
Up Next
Franklin hits the road for the next two contests, the first coming on Saturday (Dec. 31) afternoon in a conference matchup with the Earlham Quakers. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m.