Basketball Recap: Dynamic Duo of Matthew Zielinski and Henry Bickerstaff Lead St. Francis to Victory

St. Francis posted their closest win since December 22, 2023 on Friday. They had just enough and edged The Park School of Buffalo Pioneers out 58-56. The victory almost wasn't to be: the Red Raiders were down 34-20 in the second quarter.

St. Francis was led to victory by Henry Bickerstaff and Matthew Zielinski. Bickerstaff went 8 of 13 en route to 17 points and five rebounds, while Zielinski went 5 of 12 on his way to 17 points and seven rebounds. Those 17 points gave Bickerstaff a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Andrew Lindstrom, who posted ten points and five boards.

St. Francis was working as a unit and finished the game with 22 assists. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their assist total in three consecutive matches.

Several Pioneers players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Jake Stuckey, who dropped a double-double on 14 points and 13 boards. Stuckey is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Elijah Greene, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten boards.

St. Francis' win ended a four-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-1. As for The Park School of Buffalo, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-2.

St. Francis didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next game, a 52-27 victory against Frontier on the 27th. As for The Park School of Buffalo, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next contest, a 61-55 loss against Fredonia on the 27th.