2/24/22
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – The Lackawanna College Men's Basketball team, a week after their final regular season game, will look to defend their Region XIX Championship against the team they beat last season to win it. The fourth-seeded Falcons will travel on Thursday, February 24^th, to take on the #1 seed Raritan Valley CC Lions, in a Region XIX DII Men's Basketball Semi-Final match-up. Tip-off is scheduled or 7:00pm ET.
 
This game is one of two Region XIX semi-finals happening, with the other game going on in Newark, DE, where third-seeded County College of Morris taking on the two-seed, Delaware Tech, in a game that starts at 6:00pm ET.
 
Lackawanna College is 3-3 against Raritan Valley in the last two seasons, going 3-1 last year, but the Falcons have dropped both meetings this season. In the first contest between the Falcons and the Lions, Raritan came to Scranton and scored 55 points in the second half en route to a 92-81 victory. The Falcons would get it as close as six with 2:40 to go, but the Lions hit their free throws down the stretch to pull away. Read the recap HERE. The second match-up occurred 23 days ago on February 1^st, when the Falcons almost pulled out a road upset, but ultimately fell short, losing 86-83. Raritan saw a double-digit lead evaporate to a one-point lead in just two minutes in the second half, but Raritan managed to stay in front, and an Ahmir Ellzy three-ball to tie ricocheted off the rim, letting the Lions escape. Read the recap HERE.
 
About The Falcons
The Falcons (8-16) fell in their final game of the regular season, a loss at NJCAA DII #3 SUNY Sullivan, 97-67. Lackawanna College challenged early, but the superior shooting from Sullivan took over, as the Generals scored 48 first half points, racing to a 48-30 lead. The Falcons could never get closer than 14 the rest of the way, as Sullivan kept the pressure on with their offensive display. Nashawn Johnson had a season-high 25 points, and the Falcons only turned the ball over 14 times on the night, but Johnson was the only double-digit scorer, and the Falcons were just 1-for-18 from downtown for the night. Read the recap HERE.
 
Jaylen Davis is the team-leader in scoring, averaging 14.7 points per game so far this year, along with 8.6 rebounds per game, also first on the team. "JD" has scored in double-figures in 15 games this year, going over 20+ points five times, and scoring a season-high 31 points against Monroe College, where he went 13-for-16 from the field and had 14 rebounds. Davis had 16 rebounds against Morris earlier this year, which is his season-high, and he now has seven double-doubles this year. Davis is shooting 53.3% from the field on the year, and averages 2.1 assists per game. Against Delaware Tech, he set his season-high with seven assists. Davis has not hit double-figures in his last three games. He scored just two points against SUNY Sullivan in his last game on 1-for-7 shooting. Against Raritan this year, JD is averaging 15 points per game, along with 11 rebounds per contest. He has a pair of double-doubles, going for 17 points and 12 rebounds in the first match-up, while scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the last match-up, at Raritan.  
 
Will Johnson is the second-leading scorer this year, averaging 11.2 points per game. Johnson has scored in double-figures in 14 of his last 19 games. Earlier this year, Johnson had back-to-back games of 20+ points. He had 21 against Raritan Valley in December, then followed it up with 20 points, on 6-for-11 shooting against Ulster on December 11^th. He hit his season-high with 25 points against Rockland. He set his season-highs of nine shots made, and seven three-pointers made. Johnson leads the Falcons with four assists per game this season, and also leads the Falcons with 24 steals this year. Johnson is second on the Falcons in free throw shooting, hitting 76.8% from the charity stripe this season. Johnson leads the team with 32 made three-pointers, and is averaging 4.2 assists per game in his last six contests. He had seven points, six assists, and three steals in the loss to Monroe, but hit what looked to be a go-ahead three with 10 seconds remaining in the first overtime, before the Mustangs rallied to tie it. Johnson was held scoreless against SUNY Sullivan in his last game, just the third time that's happened this year. Johnson is averaging 19 points per game against Raritan in their two contests, while also averaging 6.5 assists per contest. He had 17 points and eight assists in their last meeting.    
 
Daryl Coleman is the third-leading scorer for the Falcons, averaging 10.5 points per game this season. Coleman is also averaging 4.7 rebounds per game, good enough for third on the team, and is second on the team in three-pointers, hitting 30 threes this year. Coleman has scored in double-figures nine times this season, including a season-high 32 points against Essex County College last week, where he scored 23 points in the second half alone. Coleman has hit double-figures in four of his last seven games. He had eight points, a pair of assists, and a pair of blocks against Monroe, and he hit a big three-point shot late in regulation.  Coleman had seven points and four assists in the loss to SUNY Sullivan, knocking down the only three-pointer for the Falcons. Coleman scored six points in each of his two contests against Raritan Valley this season.
 
David Pope is fourth on the team with 9.5 points per game on the year. Pope is hitting around 41% of his shots this year, and is third on the team with 29 made three-pointers. Pope is the team-leader in free throw shooting, hitting 80% of his attempts, and has scored in double-figures eleven times this year, eight times since January 1^st. Pope has hit his season-high 19 points twice now, against Harcum and SUNY Sullivan. Pope hit a season-high four three-pointers against Cecil, his first start of the season. During a ten game stretch to start the new year, Pope was averaging 13.3 points per game, 3.3 rebounds per game, and shooting 46.1% from the field, while knocking down 18 three-pointers. Pope had six points and four rebounds against SUNY Sullivan in his last game. He's averaging around eight points per game in the two contests against Raritan this year, scoring 12 points in the last meeting at Raritan Valley.  
 
Ahmir Ellzy is fifth on the team, averaging 8.9 points per game this season. Ellzy had a breakout game against Raritan, scoring a season-high 23 points for the Falcons off the bench. Ellzy hit a season-best nine shots, including five three-pointers, and also grabbed six rebounds. Ellzy has hit double-figures eight times this year, including four times in his last nine games. In that span, Ahmir is averaging 11.2 points per game, four rebounds per game, and 2.7 assists per game. Ellzy is second on the team with 2.6 assists per game this season, and set his season-high with five assists against Rockland. Ellzy is fourth on the team at 22 made three-pointers on the year. Ellzy, an All-Region selection last year, has started his last five games, scoring a combined 45 points. Ellzy scored eight points and dished out three assists against Sullivan in his last game. Ellzy is averaging 18.5 points per game in his two contests against Raritan this year, scoring his season-high 23 points in their last meeting, while putting up 14 points in the first meeting back in December.  
 
Nashawn Johnson, who was also an All-Region selection last year, is averaging 6.7 points per game this season. Johnson has seen his role increase with absences from some other players in recent games, and had his best game to date against SUNY Sullivan, where he scored his season-high 25 points by going 10-for-16 from the field. Johnson is shooting 43% on the year, and is averaging just over three rebounds per game. Johnson has scored in double-figures four times this year, but has done it three times in his last five games. He had back-to-back double-digit games against Delaware Tech (17 points and seven rebounds) and Monroe College (18 points and five rebounds). Johnson played in the first game against Raritan back in December, scoring six points in 20 minutes of action. He missed the last meeting between the two.  
 
Magd Abdelwahab is averaging 6.6 points per game this year. Magd has hit double-figures five times this year, including his season-high 23 points against Niagara County CC earlier this season. Magd is hitting 33% of his shots this year, is fifth on the team with 20 made three-pointers, and is also third on the team with 2.5 assists per game. Magd scored 21 points against Catonsville, including 15 in the second half. At one point, Magd scored 10 straight points for the Falcons to get them back into the game. Magd, after missing a pair of games, returned in a big role for the Falcons against CCBC Dundalk, leading the bench mob in the first half with 12 of his team-high 16 points. Magd had 16 points, seven rebounds, and a pair of assists against Dundalk. Magd had four points and five rebounds in 28 minutes of action against SUNY Sullivan in his last game. He also only played the first game against Raritan this season back in December, scoring four points and grabbing three rebounds.  
 
Brandon Scott is averaging 6.3 points per game in his 18 appearances this year. He's an efficient 53% from the field, and is also averaging 3.1 rebounds per game as a guard. Scott has scored in double-figures three times this season. He had a season-high 16 points against Harcum College. Scott had 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting in the win over Delaware Tech. Scott scored eight points and dished out three assists against SUNY Sullivan. He's averaging just shy of eight points in his last six games. Scott saw time in the second game against Raritan this year, scoring two points in 19 minutes of action back on February 1^st. He did not see playing time in the first match-up.  
 
Gabe Springer is second on the Falcons with seven rebounds per game, and is averaging 5.8 points per game, while also leading the team in blocks (25) this season. Before his 16-point performance against Mercer, his career-best was a 14-point, 19-rebound, 4-block performance against Erie earlier this year. Springer rejected six shots, a season-best, against Ulster, while pulling down 12 rebounds against the Senators. The 16 points against Mercer gave Gabe his third game in double-figures this season. Gabe had eight points, six rebounds, and a pair of blocks against Monroe College. He scored six points and had nine rebounds in the win over Essex.  Gabe had four points, five rebounds, and a season-high three assists against SUNY Sullivan. Gabe has scored six points in the two games combined against Raritan this year, but has pulled down 12 total rebounds, including nine in their first meeting this season.
 
Lackawanna College is averaging around 77 points per game as a team, while shooting at 42.6% overall and 26.9% from beyond-the-arc. The Falcons are also hitting around 67% from the free-throw line. Lackawanna College holds a +4 rebounding margin, and has 100 blocks as a team, but the Falcons average around 19 turnovers per game, and are allowing their opponents to shoot 43% from the field so far this year. Teams are hitting 33% from downtown against the Falcons defense, while putting up around 84 points per game.
 
Coach Landon Gabriel is in his second season as the head coach for Lackawanna College. Coach Gabriel was hired in 2020 to lead the Falcons program, and rebuild them into a contender. Gabriel spent the previous eleven years coaching at his alma mater, Carbondale Area, where he helped the Chargers boys basketball team to numerous PIAA District II playoff appearances. Gabriel is a King's College graduate, where he played basketball for the Monarchs.
 
About the Opponents
Raritan Valley (19-7) comes into the contest receiving votes in the latest NJCAA Division II polls, and on a five game winning stream that closed their regular season. The Lions were 8-2 in Region XIX this year, with their only losses coming to Delaware Tech in November in OT, and to Essex County College on February 3^rd. The Lions did hit a bump in February, coincidentally, directly after their scare with Lackawanna College, where they lost three in a row to Essex, Chesapeake, and Harcum. It almost happened for a fourth time in a row, but Raritan pulled out a one-point win on the road at CCBC Dundalk, and that seemed to right the ship. In their last game, Raritan clinched the GSAC title with a 74-69 win over the visiting Mercer County CC Vikings, using six three-point shots from Raheem Carter in the first half to build a 12-point lead, only to see the Vikings mount a comeback and tie things up late in the second half. The Lions hit their free throws down the stretch, going 8-for-11 overall, to come away with the win. Carter led all scorers with 32 points, going 12-for-18 from the floor, and hitting eight three-pointers, while also pulling down eleven rebounds and six assists. Malachi White added 13 points and nine rebounds, while Ahmad Robinson had eight points and nine assists.  
 
Raritan Valley is averaging 84.5 points per game this year, while giving up around 78 points per game to their opponents. The Lions, after scoring 90+ points in eight of their first nine games, have only crossed that barrier once in their last ten games. The Lions still shoot well, hitting 46% of their shots this year, while knocking down close to 33% from downtown, around eight threes per game. Raritan takes care of the ball, turning it over an average of eleven times per game, while forcing nearly 17 turnovers per game, ten coming on steals. Opponents are shooting 44% from the field against the Lions this year. Five of Raritan's losses this season have come to ranked opponents.
 
Raritan Valley has four players averaging double-figures, and the team-leader is Raheem Carter, who is averaging 23.1 points per game on 50% shooting for the year, leading the team in three-point shooting at 38% this year. Carter has hit double-figures in 24 of 25 games for the Lions this year, and has scored over 20 points in 17 of those games. Carter scored a season-high 33 points against Lackawanna College earlier this year, going 13-for-25 from the floor, while pulling down eleven rebounds and swiping four steals. Carter is also the team-leader in rebounds per game at 10.9, and has 17 double-doubles this year, including a season-high 18 rebounds at Chesapeake. Raheem had 19 points and eight rebounds against Lackawanna College in their last game. Carter is averaging 26.3 points per game in his last seven contests, going over 20 points in six of those games, shooting close to his season average of 50%, and making 33 three-point shots.  
 
Ahmad Robinson is second on the team in scoring, averaging 20.1 points per game so far this year. Robinson is hitting on 49% of his shots this year, and is second on the team at 36.5% from downtown. He is also second on the team in free throw shooting, hitting 75% of his attempts. Robinson leads Raritan with 6.7 assists per game on the season, to go with his team-leading 3.3 steals per game. Robinson has also scored in double-figures in 23 of his 24 appearances, going for 20+ points on eleven occasions. His best was a 37-point outburst against Lackawanna College, where he made 12 shots from the field, hitting five three-pointers, and knocking down eight free throws, all while dishing out nine assists and snagging seven steals. Robinson has five double-doubles on the year, grabbing a season-high 12 rebounds against Essex County College, and dishing out his season-high ten assists against SUNY Orange County. Robinson scored just eight points against Mercer, the first time all season he'd scored under ten points, while dishing out nine assists and grabbing five rebounds. In their first meeting this year, Robinson scored 17 points and dished out seven assists against Lackawanna College.
 
Eddie Davis is third on the team at 16 points per game on 46% shooting. Davis is second on the team with 4.7 assists per game, and second to Robinson in steals per game at 2.6. Davis has scored in double-figures in 19 games this year, and has scored over 20 points in six games this season, including a season-high 25 points against Essex County College, where he hit a season-high ten field goals. Davis had a season-high nine assists against ASA Brooklyn earlier this year. He did not see action against Mercer County. He scored 15 points against Delaware Tech in his last appearance for Raritan, pulling down six rebounds and dishing out six assists against the Terry Hawks. He did not appear in the last game against Lackawanna College, but had nine points and four rebounds in the first match-up.
 
Dan Dextraze rounds out the double-digit scorers for Raritan Valley, at 11.6 points per game this year. Dextraze is shooting around 47% on the year, and is third on the team in three-point percentage at 33.3%. Dextraze is third on the team at 7.9 rebounds per game, and is the team-leader in blocks per game at 2.6. Dextraze has scored in double-figures in 15 games this year, including his season-high of 24 points, which came against Mercer County CC. Against the Vikings, he hit eight field goals and knocked down four three-pointers. Dextraze has six double-doubles on the year, and has a season-high 14-rebound performance against Mercer County CC. Dextraze had a season-high six blocks earlier this year against Monroe Community College. Dextraze has missed the last two games for the Lions. In his last appearance, he had eleven points and eleven rebounds in a win against County College of Morris. Dextraze is averaging ten points and ten rebounds per game against Lackawanna this year, going for 12 points and ten rebounds in their last match-up.
 
Malachi Gayton is another player to watch, having started eleven straight games for the Lions since January 20^th. Gayton is averaging just shy of ten points per game, and has pulled down 9.2 rebounds per contest, second on the team. Gayton is shooting around 48% from the field this season for the Lions. He's scored in double-figures in six games this season, with his best coming against Delaware Tech, where he scored 18 points on 8-for-16 shooting, while also coming up with a season-best 19 rebounds. Gayton has three double-doubles on the year. He scored just two points against Mercer in his last game, but he had ten rebounds against the Vikings. Gayton scored eight points and pulled down eight rebounds against the Falcons in their second meeting. He did not play in the first meeting.  
 
The head coach for Raritan Valley is Kevin Ryan, now on his second stint with the Lions. Ryan took over the program in 2012, going 10-14 overall. That would be the last season in which the Lions did not make the Region XIX playoffs under Ryan. The next year, he went 20-7, capturing a GSAC championship, COTY aware, and finishing as runner-up in the Region XIX playoffs. Ryan would step away after the '17-'18 campaign, only to come back a year later, leading the Lions to the Region XIX championship game, where they'd finish as runners-up. He'd do it again a year later in the pandemic-shortened '20-'21 campaign, only to finish as runners-up again, this time against Lackawanna College. Ryan is in his ninth season at Raritan Valley, and is 139-87 in his tenure.    
 
Game Information
The match-up is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off at Raritan Valley CC in Branchburg, NJ on Thursday, February 24^th.
 
For those who cannot attend, there will be a video livestream available via the Raritan Valley Athletics YouTube Channel, which you can access by clicking HERE.
 
The winner of the semi-final match-up will face the winner of the other Region XIX semi-final, taking place at the same time, between Delaware Tech and County College of Morris. The Region XIX Championship game will take place on Saturday, February 26^th, at the highest remaining seed's home floor, at a time to be determined.