Box Score Branchburg, NJ – After going 24-4 overall and 13-1 in Region XIX, the Lackawanna Women's Basketball Team began their quest for their first Region XIX Title since 1995.  As the #1 seed, the Lady Falcons faced #4 seed, Raritan Valley Community College, for the right to advance to Sunday's Championship Game.  As Coach Whittington said last week, the regular season is over and those 24 wins are in the past.  It was time to focus on the team's goal of making it back to the NJCAA Final Four, but first they had to turn their attention to today's Region XIX semifinal.

The first quarter saw Lackawanna start in a full court press and as Raritan brought the ball down, the Lady Falcons forced a quick turnover.  On the next possession, Kiana Williams converted a 3-point play, to give Lackawanna the early 3-0 lead.  Kyla Smith would then drain an open 3-pointer, to increase the lead to 6-2.  Raritan Valley answered with a 3-pointer of their own, to trim the score to 6-5.  Both teams traded baskets and Raritan took a 1-point lead, until Kiana Williams put the Lady Falcons back up 10-9.  On the next series, Ciaira Loyd found Briaunna McCullough for a 3, followed by one by Kyla Smith and then another by McCullough, to give them their largest lead of the game 19-11.  On the defensive side, Lackawanna stepped up the pressure and began to force Raritan into committing turnovers.  The lead would increase to 26-13, when Miliesha Troche came off the bench and immediately hit a 3-point basket.  Ciaira Loyd answered with one of her own, followed by a lay-up by Price, and the quarter would end with the Lady Falcons leading, 31-13.

Ciaira Loyd continued the scoring, as she hit two free throws to start the second quarter.  On the next play, Briaunna McCullough stole a pass and went coast to coast for an easy layup.  After Keyanah Price converted a 3-point play, Lackawanna enjoyed a 25-point lead, 38-13.  The defensive pressure was preventing Raritan from getting off the shots they wanted and the Lady Falcons were able to push the ball down the court for quick points.  With 3:49 left in the half, the Lackawanna defense had held Raritan to only 4 points in the quarter, with the score, 44-17.  Ciaira Loyd would find Kiana Williams down low for a 2-point basket, followed by a Williams post-up 2-pointer, to take a 48-19 lead.  Kyla Smith hit a 3-pointer with a few seconds left in the quarter, and as the half ended, the Lady Falcons took a 51-20 lead into the locker room.

As the third quarter began, Raritan scored first on a fast break layup but Lackawanna answered with two Briaunna McCullough free throws, and a Keyanah Price put-back, to make the score 55-22.  On the next possession, Loyd threw a between the legs pass to McCullough and she was fouled on a 3-point shot.  She connected on 2 of 3, to push the lead to 35 points.  McCullough followed that with a 3-pointer and then Loyd found Kyla Smith for a 3, and all of the sudden they had a 38 point lead.  Raritan answered with a 3-pointer of their own, to trim the lead to 65-30, but Jamie Brann hit a basket down low to go back up by 37 points.  Raritan would then score the next 7 points, which forced Coach Whittington to call a time-out.  Out of the time-out, Alayah Cowan came in and hit a 3, followed by an offensive put back from Kianna Williams.  As the quarter was ending, Kyla Smith drained a 3-pointer and the Lady Falcons had a 75-37 lead.

A 3 by Ciaira Loyd started things off in the fourth quarter.  Keyanah Price then converted a short jumper and Briaunna McCullough drained a 3, to give Lackawanna their largest lead of the game at 43 points.  Raritan continued to come down the court and work the ball around to find baskets.  However, Miliesha Troche, did what she has done all year, and hit a 3-pointer from the baseline.  After two free throws from Jamie Brann, Lackawanna led 91-49.  Brann would add a basket, down low, however, Raritan answered with short jumper.  Raritan continued to play hard, but the Lady Falcons' lead was too big for them to mount any type of comeback.  As the horn sounded, Lackawanna would come away with a 93-57 win.

The Lady Falcons were led by Briaunna McCullough with 28 points, followed by Kyla Smith with 19.  Kiana Williams finished with 12 points and 3 blocked shots, while Ciaira Loyd had 8 points and dished out 12 assists.   With the win, Lackawanna advances to the Region XIX Championship game on Sunday at 1:00pm.  They will be looking to win their first Region XIX title since 1995.