1/20/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College men's basketball will follow up its first loss in a month with a massive road test on Saturday, January 21^st, when they travel to New Rochelle, NY to take on the #12 team in the NJCAA Division I rankings, the Monroe College Mustangs.
 
The game is set for a 3:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium, and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams playing first at 1:00pm ET. There will be a video livestream available via the Monroe College Athletics YouTube Channel, HERE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (11-4) 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 13 games before their third loss, and finished 24-5, falling in the District semi-finals. This year's squad has won seven of its last nine games, but comes into this match-up after suffering an 82-63 setback at home against a hot-shooting Chesapeake College. The Skipjacks and Falcons traded blows through an entertaining first half, with each team hitting over 50% from the field, but it was Lackawanna that blinked first, as the Falcons cooled off and Chesapeake kept banging home three-point shots. The Skipjacks shot 48.5% from the field for the game, and hit 14 three-pointers, while outrebounding Lackawanna College 41-21 and using a 21-6 run to open the second half to put Lackawanna away. Read the recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are averaging 80 points per game this season, and allowing 73 points per game on the year. The Falcons are shooting 45% from the field, and are hitting just under 30% on the year from downtown. Lackawanna gets to the free throw line a lot, going 211-for-338 so far this season, a 62% clip. The Falcons average 40 rebounds per game, with a +3.5 margin, and they have forced an average of 19.3 turnovers per game, with just under nine steals per contest for the Falcon defense. Opponents are shooting 41.8% from the field this season, and have hit 31% of their three-point attempts this year. Falcon opponents have forced an average of 17 Lackawanna turnovers per game.   
 
Nasir Brown (Wilmington, DE) leads the Falcons in scoring at 16.4 points per game on the season. He's tied for third on the team in rebounding (4.4), and leads the team in 3PT FGs made (28). Brown is tops on the team in FT% (74.1%), and is fourth on the team with 20 steals this season. He's hit double-figures in 12 games this year, 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 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting in the loss to Chesapeake.
 
Malek Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is second on the team with 12.1 points per game this season. Mims leads the Falcons in steals (26), and averages four rebounds per game from his point guard spot. Mims has hit on 45% of his shots this season, and is third on the team in assists (37) this year. He's second on the team in made three-point shots (17) this season. Mims has scored in double-figures eleven 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 Chesapeake, Mims was held to six points on 3-for-8 shooting.
 
Aamir Mack (Atlantic City, NJ) is third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.5 points per game. Mack averages 4.3 rebounds per game, fourth on the team, and hits around 53% of his shots from the field. Mack also has made 58% of his shots from the free throw line this year, and is a 39% 3PT shooter (9-for-23). He leads the Falcons with seven blocks this season. Mack has hit for double-figures in points nine 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. Against Chesapeake, Mack had 19 points on 9-for-11 shooting. He's scored in double-figures in three of four games in the spring semester, averaging 14.5 points per game so far in the spring.      
 
Caleb Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is fourth on the team at 9.7 points per game this year. Mims leads the Falcons in assists (42), and averages four rebounds per game from his guard position. He's also tied for second on the team in steals (23). Mims shoots 41% from the field, and leads the Falcons in free throw attempts (63), 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. Caleb had eight points on 3-for-10 shooting against Chesapeake, grabbing three boards and dishing out a pair of assists.     
 
Nashawn Johnson (Bronx, NY) is averaging 8.1 points per game this year. He's first on the team with 6.5 rebounds per game, and is shooting around 46% from the field so far this season. An All-Region selection in 2021, Nashawn has scored in double-figures four times this year, and scored his season-high 15 points just this past weekend against SUNY Westchester. At one point, Nashawn had nine straight points as part of an 11-2 run in the second half that staked the Falcons to a lead they'd never surrender. He scored 15 on 6-for-9 shooting, adding three rebounds. Nashawn had 14 points in the win over Rockland, where he pulled down ten rebounds for his first double-double of the year. Johnson was an efficient 5-for-7 from the field. The second time he hit for 14 was against Morris, where Johnson had 14 on 6-for-8 shooting, as well as seven rebounds and a pair of assists against the Titans. Johnson set a season-high with 16 rebounds in the win over Delaware Tech, also scoring seven points for the Falcons in the win. Against Chesapeake, Johnson had just three points and two rebounds in 22 minutes of action. In two games against Monroe last year, Johnson had a combined 21 points and six rebounds, going for 18 and five in a double overtime loss to the Mustangs at home.

Rahmad Ali (Newark, NJ) is averaging 7.8 points per game this season, while also pulling down 4.7 rebounds per game, second on the team. Ali is second on the squad with 40 total assists, and is tied with Caleb Mims for second on the team in steals (23) this season. Ali is shooting 45% from the field this year, and is shooting 37% (16-for-43) from downtown this season. Rahmad has gone for double-figures five 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. Ali scored 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting, with three rebounds, in the loss to Chesapeake earlier this week.  
 
Brandon Scott (Cheltenham, PA) is up to 5.5 points per game on the year for the Falcons. Scott, the defensive specialist off the bench, is shooting at 51% this season, and is a 73% shooter from the free throw line. He averages 3.2 rebounds per game this year. Brandon had his first double-digit output on offense this year in his last game, scoring 13 points on 4-for-5 shooting, including a 4-for-4 showing from the line, in the win over Westchester. Scott also had eight rebounds, a season-high, against the Vikings. Scott was injured late in the Westchester game, and is questionable to return for the rest of the year.
 
Julian Wilson (Williamsport, PA) missed the first few games with injury, but has become a bench role player for the Falcons. Wilson is averaging 4.9 points per game in his eleven appearances, and has pulled down four rebounds per game so far this campaign. Wilson is shooting around 62% from in close at the basket, and has scored in double-figures three times this season. Against Mercer, Wilson had 20 points and 12 rebounds, scoring 18 points in the last ten minutes of the second half. Against PSU 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. Wilson had five rebounds and a point scored in the loss to Chesapeake. 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 Monroe College Mustangs (20-2) have won ten straight and are currently ranked as the #12 team in the NJCAA Division I polls. In their last game, Monroe beat Baltimore City CC 100-72 on Thursday, January 19^th. Before that, they knocked off top-ten D2 team SUNY Sullivan, 94-72, on Sunday. The Mustangs' only two losses came in early December, when the Mustangs made a trip to Florida. They lost to Northwest Florida State in a 73-59 game, then lost at #4 Chipola College 72-62 the next day. Since then, the Mustangs have been racking up impressive win after impressive win.   
 
The Mustangs are scoring around 84 points per game this year, while giving up 58.6 per contest. Monroe is shooting around 49% this season, and their opponents are hitting around 37%. The Mustangs shoot around 34% from downtown as a team, while holding their opponents to just 29% from deep. The Mustangs also get to the line fairly often, having made over 400 trips to the charity stripe, shooting 66% for the year. Monroe holds a +8 rebounding margin, and averages over 19 assists per game, while only turning things over just over 15 times per game. The Mustangs force an average of 18 turnovers per contest, averaging over nine steals per ball game this season.  
 
Monroe is extremely balanced in scoring once again this year, with six players averaging eight or more points per game. The leader for the Mustangs this season is Melvin Council, Jr., averaging 17.6 points per game on the year. Council Jr. is shooting 46% from the field, and is second on the team with 22 made three-pointers on the year. He's second on the team with 5.5 rebounds per game, but leads the squad in assists (78) and steals (49). Council Jr. has hit double-figures 19 times this season heading into the BCCC game, and eclipsed 20+ points on seven different occasions. His season-high was a 31-point performance against Allegany College back on November 27^th, when he was 14-for-21 from the field, with five rebounds and five assists. Council Jr. has three double-doubles on the year, putting up a season-high 14 rebounds against Cape Fear early in November, to go with 12 points. He came close to a triple-double the game before, against Richard Bland College, where he had 18 points, 12 rebounds, and a season-best eight assists. Last year against the Falcons, Council Jr. scored a combined 47 points, while putting up 17 rebounds and eleven assists. His best game was the double overtime thriller in Scranton, where he scored a game-high 35 points on 12-for-24 shooting, putting up eleven rebounds and seven assists.  
 
Emmanuel Ogbole is second on the team this year, averaging 13 points per game. Ogbole is shooting 71% from the field this year, and leads the Mustangs at 8.9 rebounds per game. His 27 blocks are also tops on the squad. Ogbole has put up double-figures in points 13 times this year, going for his season-best 25 points against Hagerstown CC, going 10-for-11 from the field, and pulling down 13 rebounds. Ogbole has five double-doubles on the year, with the 13 rebounds being his season-high. He had a season-best five blocks in the win over Dutchess CC to start the year. Ogbole has not played for the Mustangs since December 18^th.
 
Tyje Kelton is third on the team with 10.2 points per game so far this year. Kelton is tied for second on the team in shooting, hitting 53.5% overall, and is fourth on the team in rebounding with 4.9 rebounds per game. Kelton has 37 total assists, fourth on the squad, and is a 69% free throw shooter. Kelton has hit double-figures in nine times this year, going for his season-best 25 points against Monroe CC earlier this month, where he was 11-for-16 in the win. Kelton has two double-doubles on the season, with a season-high 12 rebounds and 13 points coming in the win over Howard CC on January. Kelton set a season-high with seven assists in the win over Allegany back in November. He's scored in double-figures in five of six games this month. In two games against Lackawanna last year, Kelton had 28 combined points, including 15 points and seven rebounds in the double overtime game in Scranton.   
 
Hamdel Mohammed is fourth on the team, averaging 8.6 points per game, and is third on the team in rebounds at 5.1 per contest.  Mohammed is tied with Kelton for second on the team, shooting 53.5% from the field this year, and is a 69% free throw shooter on the year. Mohammed is second on the team with 14 total blocks this year. Mohammed has scored in double-figures nine times this year, including his last four games heading into the match-up with BCCC. His season-high was 17 points in a win over Cape Fear on December 18^th, where he scored 17 on 8-for-10 shooting, while pulling down six rebounds. Mohammed has twice achieved a season-best nine rebounds this year. Mohammed had a combined 26 points and 18 rebounds against Lackawanna in two games last year, going for 16 points and eleven rebounds in the dominant home win for the Mustangs last year.
 
Keith Warren Jr. is averaging 8.4 points per game for the Mustangs this year. Warren is a 43% shooter this season, and is the team-leader in three-pointers, hitting a team-best 33 shots from deep. Warren Jr. is a 73% free throw shooter on the year. Warren Jr. has scored in double-figures seven times this season, including a stretch where he had six straight games in double-figures. His season-high came against Cape Fear, where he put up 20 points on 7-for-14 shooting, making four three-point shots. Warren Jr. has twice hit his season-best five assists this year. Against Lackawanna last season, Warren Jr. played only in the game in Scranton, where he came off the bench to score 16 points and dish out four assists in the double overtime win.
 
Ziare Wells is averaging 8.4 points per game this season, and is a 52% shooter on the year. Wells averages around 35% from downtown, and is a 74% shooter from the free throw line for the Mustangs. Wells averages around 3.5 rebounds per game, and is ties for fourth on the team with 16 total steals this year. Wells has scored in double-figures eight times this season, including his last three games heading into the BCCC game. Wells scored his season-best against SUNY Sullivan, going for 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting, and 5-for-6 free throws, in the win.
 
Jawarir Hamelin is another starter for the Mustangs, averaging 3.8 points per game this year, but second on the team in assists (72) and steals (31) so far this year. Hamelin averages just over two rebounds pergame, and is a 38% shooter from the field, as well as a 72% shooter from the free throw line. Hamelin has scored in double-figures just once this year, a 17-point performance against Eastern Florida State College, where he was 7-for-9 from the floor, including three made three-pointers. Hamelin set his season-high for assists with eight in the win over Richard Bland College in December, and has achieved his season-best with four steals on three separate occasions this year.
 
The head coach for Monroe is longtime leader Jeff Brustad, now in his 20^th season and 21^st overall year at Monroe College. Brustad is a 12-time Region XV Coach of the Year at Monroe, helping the Mustangs to 13 Region XV championships in his tenure, and eight District Championships, leading to eight appearances in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. Monroe's best finish was third place in the NJCAA tournament in 2010-2011, and they followed that up with a fifth place finish, while tying the school-record for wins in a year (33). Brustad is a SUNY Oneonta graduate, and earned his masters from Lehman College before joining the coaching ranks at Monroe. He's also a member of the faculty at Monroe College. Brustad is 519-139 in his 20 seasons at the helm of the Mustangs.
 
Game Information
The game is set for a 3:00pm ET tip-off inside the Monroe Athletic Complex in New Rochelle, NY, and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams playing first at 1:00pm ET. There will be a video livestream available via the Monroe College Athletics YouTube Channel, HERE.
 
Lackawanna College will next get back to Region 19 play with a crucial match-up on Tuesday, January 24^th against Essex County College in Newark, NJ. That game is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off, and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams playing first at 5:00pm ET. Essex defeated Lackawanna College earlier this season in Scranton, 98-80.