1/11/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – In a game that is a month in the making, the Lackawanna College Falcons re-enter Region 19 play this Wednesday evening with a crucial meeting against County College of Morris.
 
The game is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium, and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams set to play first at 5:00pm ET. Both games are billed as Gun Violence Awareness Night, with specific statistics on gun violence, information, and donations set up throughout the gym. The games are open to the public, with tickets sold at the door for students ($3) and adults ($5). There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available for those who cannot attend via the Lackawanna College Falcons Athletic Network and the Region XIX Sports Network. You can access that at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE, or via the Region 19 Sports Network mobile app. Steve Young will handle the play-by-play, and Sports Information Director Tom Ferguson will have the color commentary.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (9-3, 2-2) is off to one of its best starts since going 11-2 to open the first half of the 2017-2018 season. That year, the Falcons won their first six games, and were 8-1 before their second loss. This year's squad has won five of its last six games, including its most recent, an impressive 85-78 victory at home against Cecil College this past Saturday. In that win, the Falcons put four players in double-figures, with a team-high 22 points coming from Aamir Mack. Malek Mims added 17 points, while Nasir Brown had 15 and Caleb Mims put up 13 for the Falcons. Lackawanna shot 46% for the game and never trailed after the opening four minutes. Read the recap from the game HERE.   
 
The Falcons are averaging 82 points per game this season, and allowing 74 points per game on the year. The Falcons are shooting 45.9% from the field, and have struggled from deep, hitting just 30% on the year, but that percentage has increased over the course of the season. Lackawanna gets to the free throw line a lot, going 180-for-292 so far this season, a 61.6% clip. The Falcons average 42.2 rebounds per game, with a +6 margin, and they have forced an average of 19 turnovers per game, with just over nine steals per contest for the Falcon defense. Opponents are shooting 41% from the field this season, and have hit 28% of their three-point attempts this year. Falcon opponents have forced an average of 17.5 Lackawanna turnovers per game.   
 
Nasir Brown (Wilmington, DE) leads the Falcons in scoring at 17.6 points per game on the season. He's second on the team in rebounding (4.9) and leads the team in 3PT FGs made (24). Brown is tops on the team in FT% (72.5%), and is fourth on the team with 16 steals this season. He's hit double-figures in ten of the first 12 games, and had gone for 20 or more points in four straight games already this season. His season-high of 25 points came against Essex back in November. Brown hit a season-high ten shots from the field, and had four steals, tying a season-high. Brown had 15 points and four rebounds in the win over Cecil. He was 6-for-12 from the floor, and hit a pair of three-pointers, his fourth straight game with multiple makes from downtown.   
 
Malek Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is second on the team with 12.8 points per game this season. Mims leads the Falcons in steals (22), and averages 3.7 rebounds per game from his point guard spot. Mims has hit on 45% of his shots this season, and is tied for second on the team in assists (29) this year. He's second on the team in made three-point shots (15) this season. Mims has scored in double-figures ten times this season, going for his season-best 20 points against Dundalk. In that game, he went 7-for-10 from the field, while pulling down six boards and compiling six steals. Against Cecil on Saturday, Mims had 17 points and six rebounds in the win. He was 6-for-15 from the floor, and hit a season-high three three-point shots in the win. Mims has scored in double-figures in eight straight games.     
 
Aamir Mack (Atlantic City, NJ) is third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.4 points per game. Mack averages 4.8 rebounds per game, third on the team, and hits around 51% of his shots from the field. Mack also has made 63% of his shots from the free throw line this year, and is a 47% 3PT shooter (7-for-15). He leads the Falcons with five blocks this season. Mack has hit for double-figures in points seven times this season, going for his season-high 22 points in his last game against Cecil College. Mack also set his season-high in rebounds with ten, notching his first double-double of the year. Mack made a season-high nine shots from the field, and was 3-for-3 from the charity stripe. In his last two games, Mack has scored a combined 37 points and pulled down 15 rebounds.   
 
Caleb Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is fourth on the team at 10.1 points per game this year. Mims leads the Falcons in assists (36), and averages four rebounds per game from his guard position. He's also tied for second on the team in steals (18). Mims shoots 42.6% from the field, and leads the Falcons in free throw attempts (57), shooting 65% overall from the line. Mims has scored in double-figures seven times this year including four games in a row at one point. He went for his season-high 16 points against SUNY Rockland. Mims had five assists in the win, and hit four shots from the field, while going 7-for-12 from the free throw line. Mims had 13 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block in the win over Cecil, going 5-for-11 from the floor and 3-for-4 from the free throw line.   
 
Nashawn Johnson is averaging 7.5 points per game this year. He's first on the team with 7.1 rebounds per game, and is shooting around 41% from the field so far this season. He has scored in double-figures twice this year, and scored his season-high with 14 points in the win over Rockland, pulling down ten rebounds for his first double-double of the year. Johnson was an efficient 5-for-7 from the field. Johnson set a season-high with 16 rebounds in the win over Delaware Tech, also scoring seven points for the Falcons in the win. Nashawn had a productive afternoon in the win against Cecil, scoring nine points and pulling down seven rebounds, while dishing out three assists. In two games against Morris last year, Nashawn had eleven combined points.   

Rahmad Ali (Newark, NJ) is averaging 7.4 points per game this season, while also pulling down 4.7 rebounds per game, fourth on the team. Ali is tied for second on the squad, alongside Malek Mims, with 29 assists, and is tied with Caleb Mims for second on the team in steals (18). Ali is shooting 48% from the field this year, and is shooting 39% (12-for-31) from downtown this season. Rahmad has gone for double-figures four times this season, and had his best game against Raritan Valley, where he put up a season-high 15 points in the loss to the Lions. Ali made a season-best six shots from the field, including a season-high three three-pointers, and pulled down six rebounds, while posting two steals for the Falcons. Rahmad had just two points on 1-for-4 shooting, but secured five rebounds and dished out three assists in the victory over Cecil. He did not play last season in the two games against Morris.   
 
Julian Wilson (Williamsport, PA) missed the first few games with injury, but has seen his minutes increase as of late. Wilson is averaging 6.4 points per game in his eight appearances, and has pulled down 4.6 rebounds per game so far this campaign. Wilson is shooting around 65% from in close at the basket, and has really come on as of late. He has scored in double-figures in three of his last five games. Against Mercer, Wilson had 20 points and 12 rebounds, scoring 18 points in the last ten minutes of the second half. Against Hazleton, the big guy had 13 points in 18 minutes of work, pulling down four rebounds and going a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor. Julian had four rebounds and an assist in just eleven minutes of action against Cecil College on Saturday. Wilson is a former Lackawanna football player, who joined the basketball team this season.
 
In his third season in charge, Landon Gabriel returns to the sidelines to lead the Falcons. Gabriel, who spent ten seasons coaching at Carbondale Area HS in the rough and tumble Lackawanna League, feels like this can be a season of positive momentum for the Falcons, where, now with his first true recruiting class, he can really implement the high-tempo defense and energy he wants to see from his squad. Gabriel is a King's College graduate, where he played for the Monarchs, after graduating from Carbondale Area HS before that.
 
About the Opponents
The County College of Morris Titans (5-4, 2-1) haven't been in action since December 17^th, when they lost to the #1 D3 NJCAA team in the nation, Brookdale CC, 75-65. In that game, the top-ranked Jersey Blues put five players in double-figures, shooting 45% from the field and scooping up 16 steals on their way to the win. Morris shot 36% from the field as a team, but was just 6-for-23 from the three-point line in the loss. Jael Maldonado and Kyle Philistin each had 14 points for the Titans, while Christian Waters added eleven points. In Region play, Morris has wins over Raritan Valley and Delaware Tech, but dropped a game to Essex.
 
As a team, Morris is scoring just shy of 79 points per game, while giving up 72 on the year. Morris is shooting around 42% this season, and their opponents are hitting around 37%. Opponents have hit just 29% from three-point range, and the Titans have hit a little better, going 33% from downtown on the season. Morris has an impressive +12 rebounding margin this year, and is averaging just over 14 offensive boards per game. The Titans force around 18 turnovers per game, and average just over eleven steals per contest.   
 
Morris has a balanced attack with five players averaging double-figures on the season. Christian Waters is averaging a team-best 14.3 points per game this year, shooting 51% from the field, and 37% from downtown this year. Waters is a 65% free throw shooter, and leads the Titans with an average of four made free throws per game. Waters averages 7.9 rebounds per game this year, good for third on the team. He's scored in double-figures seven times so far this season, going for a season-high 27 points in an 82-76 loss to Harcum College back on November 15^th. In that game, Waters was 9-for-18 from the field, and made a season-high eight free throws. He also had ten rebounds, the first of three times he's gotten ten rebounds this season, and the first of three times he's had a double-double. Waters had eleven points and five rebounds in the loss to Brookdale back in December. In two games against Lackawanna College last year, Waters had a combined ten points, all coming in the second game at Lackawanna College.
 
Jael Maldonado is second on the team, averaging 14.1 points per game this year. Maldonado is shooting 41% from the field this season, and is a 67% free throw shooter. He's second on the team with ten rebounds per contest, and is second on the team with 2.4 assists per contest. He's fourth on the team with 1.7 steals per contest this season. Maldonado has hit double-figures in scoring seven times this season, with his season-high of 23 points coming against Essex County back in December. In that game, Maldonado was 8-for-20 from the floor and was 6-for-7 from the free throw line, and he pulled down a season-high 18 rebounds for a double-double, one of three he has so far this season. Maldonado has hit his season-high of five assists in a game three times this year, including in his last appearance against Brookdale. In that game, Maldonado also had 14 points and ten rebounds for another double-double, going 5-for-12 from the field and 4-for-6 from the free throw line. Maldonado did not play for the Titans against Lackawanna last year.
 
Kyle Philistin is third on the team, averaging 12.2 points per game this season. Philistin is shooting 36% from the field, and at 28% from downtown. He's also a 78% shooter from the free throw line. Philistin leads the team in steals per game, averaging just over two swipes per contest, and is just shy of two assists per game this year. Philistin has hit double-figures in six games this season, twice going for his season-high of 23 points in back-to-back games against Clarks Summit JV and Delaware Tech CC. Against Del Tech, Philistin hit a season-best ten shots from the floor, while he set a season-high with four three-point makes against Clarks Summit, while also setting his season-high with six assists. Against Brookdale, Philistin had 14 points, three rebounds, and three assists in the loss to the Jersey Blues. He was 5-for-13 from the floor, and just 1-for-8 from the three-point line. Philistin did not play for the Titans against Lackawanna College last season.
 
Daniel Oravbiere is fourth on the team, averaging 11.1 points per game, while shooting a team-high 53% from the field this season. Oravbiere is the team-leader in rebounds, averaging just shy of eleven rebounds per contest, and is the team-leader in blocks at 5.3 blocks per contest. Ovrabiere is averaging just over one steal per game, and around 1.5 assists per game. He's hit double-figures five times this season, going for his season-high 30 points in a 111-63 win over Clarks Summit JV, where he was 12-for-16 from the floor and 6-for-10 from the free throw line, while pulling down eleven rebounds and blocking six shots. In all, Oravbiere has gone for double-digits in rebounds in seven games this year, hitting his season-high twice with 13 rebounds. He has five double-doubles on the year. His season-high of eight blocks came against Sussex County CC in a 67-51 win. He had just three points in the loss to Brookdale, but tied his season-best with 13 rebounds. Ovrabiere did not play against Lackawanna last season.    
 
James Taylor is the fifth and final Titan averaging double-figures, scoring 10.2 points per game this season. Taylor is a 43% shooter from the field this season, and leads the team with a 43% average from downtown, making about two three-pointers per game. He's a 94.4% shooter from the free throw line this year. Taylor averages two rebounds per game this year. Taylor has three games in double-figures this season, going for his season-best 25 points in an 82-76 loss to Harcum College earlier this year, making a season-best six three-point shots. Taylor missed three games in a row before returning against Essex back in December, but has struggled to get back into his early season form, scoring just three points against the Wolverines, and then four points on 2-for-7 shooting in the loss to Brookdale. He did not play for Morris last season against Lackawanna College.
 
Ibn Grimsley is just shy of double-digits, averaging 9.9 points per game so far this season. He's shooting 36% from the field this season, and hitting just shy of 31% from downtown. Grimsley averages a team-best 6.5 assists per game this season, and is second on the team at 1.9 steals per contest this year. Grimsley has hit double-figures in scoring in five games this season, going for his season-best 14 points twice in back-to-back games against Clarks Summit JV and Delaware Tech. Against CSU, he was 6-for-13 from the floor, and had ten assists, one of three double-doubles with points and assists this year. Against Del Tech, he was 8-for-10 from the free throw line and ten assists. Grimsley did not play in the game against Brookdale back on December 17^th.
 
The head coach for County College of Morris is Anthony Obrey, who has been in charge of the Titans since January 2016, when he took over on an interim basis midway through the year. At the time, the Titans were 1-11, with their one win coming from a forfeit. Obrey would guide Morris to a 4-7 record the rest of the way, and, after a four-win first full season, he'd have the Titans at 21-9 in the '17-'18 season, followed by a 23-5 season the next year. The Titans were 6-0 last year in the pandemic-shortened, truncated '20-'21 season. Obrey has gone 83-66 as the head coach at Morris.
 
Game Information
The game between Lackawanna and Morris is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium, and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams set to play first at 5:00pm ET. Both games are billed as Gun Violence Awareness Night, with specific statistics on gun violence, information, and donations set up throughout the gym. The games are open to the public, with tickets sold at the door for students ($3) and adults ($5). There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available for those who cannot attend via the Lackawanna College Falcons Athletic Network and the Region XIX Sports Network. You can access that at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE, or via the Region 19 Sports Network mobile app. Steve Young will handle the play-by-play, and Sports Information Director Tom Ferguson will have the color commentary.
 
Lackawanna College remains at home for its next game, scheduled for 1:00pm ET on Saturday, January 14^th against SUNY Westchester. It's the first game of a doubleheader, with Lackawanna women's basketball taking on Monroe College Bronx afterwards at 3:00pm ET.