12/8/22
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – The Lackawanna College women's basketball team hasn't played a game in the regular season for 16 days, but that will change when the Falcons hit the road on Thursday, December 8^th, for a Region XIX road match-up with Raritan Valley CC in North Branch, NJ.
 
Tip-off is set for 5:00pm ET inside the Raritan Valley CC gymnasium, and will be the first game of a doubleheader, with the men's teams competing at 7:00pm ET. Both games will have video livestreams available via the Raritan Valley CC YouTube Channel, and the women's stream can be accessed HERE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (3-4, 1-1) comes into the contest after over two weeks out of action, due to cancelations and postponements. The Falcons were last in action on November 22^nd, when they played Essex County College and won, 56-51, at home in their first home region contest. The Falcons got 18 points and 13 rebounds from Mahogony Collins to help get them out to the lead, and then turned to Gabrielle Jackson in the latter stages of the game. Jackson scored ten points and had five assists to help put Lackawanna over the finish line and grab the win, avenging last year's pair of losses to the Wolverines.  
 
The Falcons are averaging just over 62 points per game, and are giving up slightly over 67 points per game through their first seven contests. The shooting percentage has steadily improved, as the Falcons are hitting around 34.5% from the field, and are holding opponents to 36% on the year. Lackawanna College has struggled from deep, shooting just 13% from downtown this year. Lackawanna is hitting 66% of its free throws this season, nearly making as many (101) as their opponents have attempted (103). The Falcons are -5.3 in rebounding margin so far this season, but have forced an average of 15 turnovers per game this season, and they average over four blocks per game on the year.
 
The Falcons are balanced, with six players averaging eight points or more per game this season, but nobody is scoring in double-figures at the moment. Cianna Roberts, who played a majority of bench minutes a year ago, is the leading scorer, averaging 9.9 points per game and pulling down 4.3 rebounds per game, fifth on the squad. Roberts is hitting around 38% of her shots this year, and has been the most accurate of the three-point shooters for the Falcons, going 6-for-22 from deep this year. Roberts is second on the team with eight steals so far this season. She has scored in double-figures three this season, including a season-best 16 points in the loss to Montgomery. In that game, Roberts was 7-for-12 from the field, while grabbing three rebounds, posting two assists, and snagging two steals. Against Monroe CC, Roberts had her first double-double as a Falcon, going for 14 points and ten rebounds in the win. Roberts was 5-for-13 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point range. Cianna had nine points and a pair of rebounds and assists in the win over Essex County College two weeks ago. Roberts had 12 points, nine rebounds, and four assists combined in three games against Raritan Valley last season.  
 
Last year's second-leading scorer, and 2^nd Team All-Region selection, Gabrielle Jackson (Darby Twp, PA), is also this year's second-leading scorer, averaging 9.2 points per game this year. Jackson pulling down around three rebounds per contest, and has eleven total assists and six total steals so far this year in five games. Jackson, back for her third year, is second on the team in field goal percentage (44.7%) and has made eleven free throws through her five games. Jackson has scored in double-figures three times this season, going for a season-best 18 points in the loss to Monroe College. In that game, Jackson made seven free throws and pulled down four rebounds, while posting three assists and three steals. Jackson had ten points on 4-for-6 shooting in 23 minutes against Montgomery College. After missing two games, Jackson came back against Harcum, scoring a pair of points and dishing out two assists vs. Harcum. Jackson had ten points, four rebounds, and a season-best five assists in the win over Essex. Jackson had a combined 31 points, 12 steals, eleven rebounds, and six assists in three games against Raritan last year, twice scoring 13 points in the regular season victories, and getting four steals in each game.  
 
Sidney Spence (Bronx, NY) is third on the team in scoring, averaging 9.1 points per game this year. Spence leads the team in shooting, hitting 49% of her shots this year, and is second on the team in free throw percentage, hitting 75% of her shots from the charity stripe this season where she is second on the team in makes (18). She's third on the team in rebounds (5.3 per game) and has five steals this year. Spence had scored in double-figures for four straight games, all in bench minutes for the Falcons, and had a season-best 19 points in 23 minutes in the win over Jamestown. Spence was 7-for-16 form the field, and went 5-for-7 from the free throw line, while tying her season-high with nine rebounds in the win over the Jayhawks. Spence had 12 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench against Harcum, going 6-for-9 from the floor. Spence didn't score in three minutes of action two weeks ago against Essex.
 
Dominique Geiger (Plainfield, NJ) has had a good start to her first season as a Falcon, scoring 8.9 points per game this year. Geiger is hitting 42% of her shots this year, and has hit ten free throws this season. Geiger has five steals on the season and has six assists. She's gone for double-digits in points in two games, including a season-high 15 points in the win over Jamestown. In that game against the Jayhawks, Geiger scored her 15 on 7-for-12 shooting, pulling down three rebounds as well in 29 minutes of work. She had nine points in just 12 minutes of work against Essex two weeks ago, going 4-for-7 from the field.
 
Nya Jackson (Harrisburg, PA), a returner from last year, is averaging 8.7 points per game this season. Jackson averages 4.5 rebounds per game, and leads Lackawanna in assists, putting up 16 in six games of work. Jackson is shooting just 27% from the field, but is 16-for-21 from the free throw line on the season, a team-best 76% average. Jackson has scored in double-figures three times this season, scoring her season-best 16 points in the loss to Harcum. In that game, Nya had six shots from the floor and had five rebounds and three assists. Jackson had just two points and was 0-for-9 from the floor against Essex, but she had season-highs in rebounds (9) and assists (6) to help the Falcons to the win. Nya made one appearance against Raritan last year, scoring seven points in a road win for the Falcons.  
 
Another third-year returner, McKeyah Duley (Massillon, OH), is averaging 8.6 points per game so far this season. Duley is shooting around 38% overall from the field, and has struggled from downtown, normally her specialty, hitting just five three-pointers in the early going this year. Duley averages 6.3 rebounds per game, second on the team, and is 21-for-29 from the free throw line, a 72.4% average. Duley's 11 steals this season are a team best. Duley hit double-figures twice already this season, going for her season-high 15 points against Jamestown. She scored her 15 on 4-for-11 shooting, going 6-for-9 from the free throw line, and coming up with five rebounds and five steals in the win over the Jayhawks. Duley had eight points on 2-for-12 shooting, but set a career-high with 15 rebounds in the win over Essex two weeks ago. In three games against Raritan last year, Duley had a combined 25 points and 16 rebounds, including 14 points and eight rebounds in the Region playoffs at home last February.
 
Mahogony Collins (Harrisburg, PA) is up to 5.6 points per game this year, and is just shy of ten rebounds per game, tops on the team. Collins has also denied a team-best 26 shots in all seven of her games this year, good for just over four blocks per game. Collins is now shooting over 30% from the field this year. She also has the most fouls (19) on the team so far this year. Collins got her season and career-high in points in the last game, where she scored 18 points and had 13 rebounds in the win over Essex County.  She's crossed double-digits in rebounds four times this year, already. She set a season-high with seven blocks in the loss to Harcum earlier this season.
 
The newest face in the women's basketball program is Monica Spence, entering her first year in charge of the program. Spence follows in the footsteps of Joya Whittington, who was third all-time in wins as a coach and led the Falcons to several stops in the national tournament. Spence joined as an assistant last season, and was elevated to head coach with Whittington's departure. Spence has spent time as a coach at the youth level, as well as the semi-professional men's basketball level.
 
About the Opponents
Raritan Valley (5-5, 1-2) comes into the contest as winners of its last two games, hammering Lehigh Carbon with an 81-26 win, and then beating Chesapeake in a 67-57 victory at home last Saturday. Raritan had a strong second-half in the win over the Skipjacks, outscoring Chesapeake 37-23, including a killer 18-8 fourth quarter. The Lions shot 45% from the field, and were 47% from downtown, making ten three-pointers. Two players scored in double-figures, including a game-high 24 points from Kerine Thomas, who also dished out six assists in the win.
 
Raritan Valley is averaging around 67 points per game, and giving up just under 64 points per game so far this season. The Lions are hitting around 32% of their three-point attempts, and 43% overall from the field this year, while their opponents shoot 37% overall, but are hitting closer to 30% from downtown. Raritan holds a 3.4 rebounding margin advantage, and the Lions are averaging around six steals per game. However, Raritan averages close to 17 turnovers per game, while forcing 12 per contest. 
 
The aforementioned Kerine Thomas leads the Lions in scoring, averaging 16.3 points per game this year. She's shooting 41% from the field, and averaging 31% from downtown. Thomas leads the team in assists, dishing out 5.6 per game, and is tied for the team-lead at 1.4 steals per contest. She also averages 4.3 rebounds per game this year. Thomas has scored in double-figures in nine of her ten games this season, scoring over 20 points on three separate occasions. She hit her season-high with her 24 points in the win over Chesapeake last Saturday, making nine shots from the field and hitting four three-pointers in the win. Thomas set her season-high in assists earlier this year, with nine helpers in an 89-72 loss to Monroe. She also hit her season-high twice for rebounds, pulling down seven in games against SUNYs Sullivan and Westchester.
 
Antonia Polvere is tied for second on the team, averaging 12.9 points per game this year. Polvere is hitting 36% from three-point range, the team-leader, and is hitting on 38% of her shots from the floor. Polvere averages 4.1 rebounds per game, and just under two assists per contest this season. She's scored in double-figures eight times in ten games, going for her season-high 20 points in the opener, an 80-51 win over Monroe Community College. In that game, she hit a season-best eight shots from the field, and shot 57%. Polvere had a 14 points and a season-high seven rebounds in the 81-26 win over Lehigh Carbon. In her last game against Chesapeake, Polvere had nine points on three makes, all from downtown, and put up three rebounds in the win.    
 
Tiana Presley is the other player averaging 12.9 points per game this year. Presley is shooting around 52% from the field, and she's averaging a team-high 9.1 rebounds per contest, including nearly three offensive rebounds per game. Presley is also averaging just over an assist per game. Presley has scored in double-figures in four games this season, including two of her last three. She set her season and career-high with 29 points in the win over Lehigh Carbon, going 14-for-19 from the field and pulling down 12 rebounds. Her best game might have been the one before, in a loss to Union, where she scored 23 points and put up a season-best 20 rebounds against the Owls. Presley has twice gone for double-doubles, also in two of her last three games. Against Chesapeake, she had seven points and seven boards in the win. In two games against Lackawanna last year, she had nine points and 20 rebounds combined, including five points and eleven rebounds in the Region playoffs.
 
Le'Ana Brown is fourth on the team at 8.2 points per game. Brown is shooting around 26% this year, and is also shooting around 27% from deep, which is normally where she does the most damage. Brown is averaging 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game game this year, and has hit double-figures four times in nine games on the year. She posted her season-high in the opener, with 17 points on 7-for-19 shooting in the win over Monroe CC. Brown, after missing the game against Lehigh Carbon, had five points, two rebounds, and an assist in the win over Chesapeake. In three games against Lackawanna College last year, Brown had a combined 13 points and six rebounds.
 
Alexia Mia Marti is averaging 8.1 points per game this season. She's shooting around 49% from the field, and also averages 4.6 rebounds per contest. Marti is tied with Thomas for the team lead in steals (1.4) per contest this year. Marti has scored in double-figures three times so far this season, going for her season-high of 14 points in an 87-65 win over Bergen earlier this year, where she hit a season-best six shots from the floor. Marti went for her season-high of nine rebounds in the win over Monroe CC. Against Chesapeake, Marti scored seven points and had four rebounds in the win.
 
Makhia Robinson is averaging 7.3 points per game so far this season. She's shooting 58% from the field, and is second on the team with 6.8 rebounds per game this year. Robinson has twice scored in double-figures this year, scoring her season-high of 14 points in the win over Bergen, making a season-best seven shots. Robinson also had a double-double that game, going for her season-high of 14 rebounds in the victory. Against Chesapeake, she scored 12 points and had six rebounds to help the Lions to the win.
 
The head coach for Raritan Valley is Philip Herro, in his eighth season at the helm for the Lions. Herro was hired to help transition the program from club to varsity status, and oversaw that transition in the 2015-2016 season. He quickly developed Raritan into a team to be reckoned with in Region XIX, going 22-9 in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019. Herro's teams have made three Region XIX semi-finals, and four Region XIX playoffs overall. Herro is 95-75 in his time at Raritan Valley. 
  
The Match-Up
Tip-off is set for 5:00pm ET inside the Raritan Valley CC gymnasium, and will be the first game of a doubleheader, with the men's teams competing at 7:00pm ET. Both games will have video livestreams available via the Raritan Valley CC YouTube Channel, and the women's stream can be accessed HERE.
 
The next game for the Falcons is a crucial Region XIX match-up with nationally ranked Union County College on Saturday, December 10^th, inside the Lackawanna College Student Union. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00pm ET.