1/24/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College men's basketball has lost two games in a row for the first time this year, but the Falcons have a chance to reverse that trend with a big Region XIX road contest on Tuesday, January 24^th, when they travel to Newark to take on Essex County College.
 
The game is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Physical Education Building on the campus of Essex County College, and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams playing first at 5:00pm ET. There will be no video livestream available for the game.
 
Essex won the first meeting between the two, beating Lackawanna in Scranton with an impressive 98-80 victory. The Wolverines trailed by as many as eleven in the first half, but closed within six before the break, then shot 55% from the field in the second half, scoring 57 points en route to the win. The Wolverines were 19-for-23 for the game from the free throw line, 12-of-13 in the second half. Nasir Brown led the Falcons with his season-high 25 points and four steals, while Rahmad Ali had 14 points and four rebounds, and Caleb Mims had 12 points and five assists. Read the recap HERE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (11-5, 3-2) has already eclipsed last year's win total, and the Falcons are currently the third-place team in the Region XIX Division II standings. In its last game, Lackawanna lost on the road at the #12 team in the NJCAA Division I rankings, Monroe College, by an 86-68 score. The Falcons held their opponent to just a 3-for-15 showing from beyond the arc, and they outrebounded the bigger Mustangs, but shooting let the Falcons down, as they shot just 31% for the game. Lackawanna also committed 23 turnovers. Read the recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are averaging 79 points per game this season, and are allowing 73 points per game on the year. The Falcons are shooting 44% from the field, and are hitting around 29% on the year from downtown. Lackawanna gets to the free throw line a lot, going 227-for-364 so far this season, a 62% clip. The Falcons average 40 rebounds per game, with a +4 margin, and they have forced an average of 19 turnovers per game, with just under nine steals per contest for the Falcon defense. Opponents are shooting 42.3% from the field this season, and have hit 30% 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 second on the team in rebounding (4.6), and leads the team in 3PT FGs made (31). Brown is tops on the team in FT% (74.2%), and is fourth on the team with 20 steals this season. He's hit double-figures in 13 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 has scored in double-figures in four of five games in the spring semester for the Falcons. He had 17 points, eight rebounds, and was 6-for-8 from the free throw line in the loss to Monroe.  
 
Malek Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is second on the team with 11.9 points per game this season. Mims leads the Falcons in steals (27), and averages four rebounds per game from his point guard spot. Mims has hit on 44% of his shots this season, and is second on the team in assists (42) this year. He's also second on the team in made three-point shots (19) 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 Monroe, Mims had nine points on 3-for-9 shooting, grabbing four rebounds and dishing out five assists in 31 minutes. Against Essex earlier this year, Mims had eleven points, four assists, and two boards in the loss at home.  
 
Aamir Mack (Atlantic City, NJ) is third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.4 points per game. Mack averages 4.3 rebounds per game, fourth on the team, and hits around 52% of his shots from the field. Mack also has made 58% of his shots from the free throw line this year, and is a 40% 3PT shooter (10-for-25). 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 Monroe, Mack had nine points on 4-for-8 shooting, pulling down four rebounds, assisting on two Falcons buckets, and putting up two steals. He had eight points, four rebounds, three blocks, and two assists in the loss to Essex earlier this year. Mack has scored in double-figures in three of five games this spring semester.      
 
Caleb Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is fourth on the team at 9.4 points per game this year. Mims leads the Falcons in assists (43), and averages 3.8 rebounds per game from his guard position. He's also second on the team in steals (24). Mims shoots 41% from the field, and leads the Falcons in free throw attempts (64), 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 six points, an assist, and a steal in the loss to Monroe this past weekend. Against Essex, he put up 12 points, five assists, three rebounds, and a pair of steals in the loss at home.
 
Nashawn Johnson (Bronx, NY) is averaging 7.8 points per game this year. He's first on the team with 6.4 rebounds per game, and is shooting around 45% from the field so far this season. An All-Region selection in 2021, Nashawn is a 56% free throw shooter this year, and is second on the team with five blocks on the year. He has scored in double-figures four times this year, and scored his season-high 15 points 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. Johnson set a season-high with 16 rebounds in the win over Delaware Tech, also scoring seven points for the Falcons in the win. Johnson was held to just two points and five rebounds in the loss to Monroe this past weekend. Against Essex, he had four points and six rebounds, suffering through a tough shooting night, as he went 2-for-11 from the floor in the loss.

Rahmad Ali (Newark, NJ) is averaging 7.6 points per game this season, while also pulling down 4.6 rebounds per game, tied with Brown for second on the team. Ali is third on the squad with 40 total assists, and is third on the team in steals (23) this season. Ali is shooting 44% from the field this year, and is shooting 35% (16-for-45) 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 had four points and four rebounds in the loss to Monroe this past weekend. Against Essex earlier this year, he had 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting, hitting a pair of three-point shots, and grabbing four boards in the loss.   
 
Julian Wilson (Williamsport, PA) missed the first few games with injury, but has become a bench role player for the Falcons. Wilson is averaging 4.8 points per game in his 12 appearances, and has pulled down four rebounds per game so far this campaign. Wilson is shooting around 56% 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 three points and three rebounds in the loss to Monroe this past weekend. He did not appear in the first game against Essex. 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 Wolverines (8-10, 4-1) are currently the second-place team in Region XIX, and just snapped a four-game skid with a 78-66 home win over Delaware Tech this past weekend. Four players were in double-figures for Essex in the win, led by Koi Kirk, Jr.'s 19 points. Pascal Dodard added 12, and Jaheim Lewis had eleven points and ten rebounds, as the Wolverines shot 48% from the field and overcame 17 turnovers to get the win against the defending champions.  
 
On the year, Essex is averaging just shy of 77 points per game, while giving up slightly above 80 per contest. The Wolverines are shooting around 40.5% on the year, but their opponents are averaging 44% on the season. Essex shoots around 30% from downtown, while holding their opponents to the same, and the Wolverines are 67% from the free throw line this year. Essex has a -11.5 rebounding margin, and their opposition is averaging nearly 14 offensive rebounds per game. The Wolverines force just over 18 turnovers per contest, while committing around 15.6 per game of their own. They average 6.6 steals per game, while their opponents average 8.4 swipes per contest.
 
The Wolverines have three players in double-figures this season, with Jaheim Lewis, a returner from last year, leading the way at 18.8 points per game this year. Lewis leads the team in shooting (48%) and is hitting 36% from downtown this year. He's also a 69% free throw shooter on the season. Lewis averages 6.3 rebounds per game for the Wolverines, second on the team. He averages around 1.5 assists per contest. Lewis has hit double-figures 15 times this season, including his last nine games, with a season-high 37 points coming against SUNY Rockland in a 96-93 loss to SUNY Rockland back in December. In that game, Lewis was 14-for-18 from the floor, and made five three-point shots. Lewis has gone over 20 points six times this season, five of those times coming in his last nine games. Lewis hit a season-best six three-point shots in a 94-77 win over Bronx back on December 17^th. Lewis has three double-doubles on the year, putting up his season-best eleven rebounds against Lackawanna back in November. He had 19 points and eleven boards against the Falcons. Against Delaware Tech, Lewis had eleven points and ten rebounds in the victory.   
 
Pascal Dodard, another returner, is second on the team at 16.6 points per game this year. Dodard is shooting 42.7% from the field, and is a 71% shooter from the free throw line. Dodard is also a 34% shooter from downtown. He averages team-highs in assists per game (2.5) and steals per game (1.6). Dodard has scored in double-figures in 16 of 17 games this season, going over 20 points on six different occasions. His best game came against Harcum back in November, when he put up 26 points on 9-for-12 shooting, sinking six free throws in an 89-79 loss. His season-high in rebounds (7) and assists (7) came against Erie CC, where he also put up 22 points in a 95-84 loss nine days ago. Against Delaware Tech, he had 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting, while posting seven boards and two assists. In the win against Lackawanna earlier this season, Dodard had 25 points on 8-for-12 shooting, going 7-for-8 from the free throw line, while posting six assists and four rebounds.  
 
Koi Kirk, Jr. is third on the team in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game this year. Kirk averages 44.5% from the field, and is a 67% free throw shooter on the year. Kirk Jr. is averaging a double-double, pulling down a team-high 10.4 rebounds per contest. Kirk is second on the Wolverines in steals per game (1.5) and also averages 1.5 assists per contest this year. Kirk has scored in double-figures 13 times this year, and has a double-double in eight games. Kirk's season-high came against Lackawanna College back in November, when he went for 30 points on 10-for-20 shooting, and sank nine free throws. His best rebounding performance came against Morris on December 10^th, where he had 17 points and 21 rebounds, which includes an astounding ten offensive rebounds in the win. Against Delaware Tech, Kirk had 19 points and seven boards in the win.  
 
Andrew Sylvestre is fourth on the team, averaging 7.7 points per game this year. Sylvestre is a 36% shooter from the field, but leads the Wolverines with an 87.5% clip from the free throw line. Sylvestre averages 2.5 rebounds per game, and just under an assist per contest. He's scored in double-figures four times this year, going for his season-high back in November against Mercer, when he put up 25 points on 10-for-18 shooting in a ten-point win. Sylvestre has gone for his season-high of five rebounds twice this season, and had a season-best four assists in a 12-point loss to Raritan back on December 13^th. Sylvestre had nine points, five rebounds, and three assists in the win over Delaware Tech this past weekend. Against Lackawanna in November, he had four points and three rebounds in 15 minutes.
 
Michael Isaac, another returner from last season, is averaging five points per game in eleven appearances this year. Isaac is shooting around 38% from the floor, and is a 65% shooter from the free throw line. He averages just a shade under two assists per game, second on the team, and pulls down around two rebounds per contest. Isaac has one double-digit scoring output this year, putting up eleven points in the loss to Erie CC, where he was 5-for-7 from the floor. He had a season-best six assists against SUNY Rockland back in December, and set his season-high for rebounds in his last game, putting up seven rebounds and five points in the win over Delaware Tech. Isaac did not appear against Lackawanna earlier this season.  
 
Kevin Butler Jr. averages 4.1 points per game this year, and is shooting around 50% from the field. Butler averages around 2.8 rebounds per game in his 14 appearances. Butler has scored in double-figures twice this season, including his season-high of 13 points in a loss to SUNY Sullivan back in November, where he was 5-for-11 from the field. Butler had four points and three rebounds in the win over Delaware Tech on the weekend. Against Lackawanna, Butler had six points, four rebounds, and a pair of assists in the victory.   
 
The head coach for Essex County College is Bobbie Morgan, currently in his fifth full-season and sixth year overall at Essex. Morgan took over in November 2017, just before the start of the season, helping to try to rebuild a team that, just the season prior, finished 7^th in the national tournament with a 32-2 record. After a rough first year, the Wolverines improved by 11 wins in Morgan's second season, and then made another jump in the 2019-2020 season, going 20-7 and capturing the Region XIX title, while qualifying for the NJCAA DII National tournament, before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the season prematurely. Morgan is 49-57 in his career at Essex County College.
 
Game Information
The game between Lackawanna and Essex County College is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Physical Education Building on the campus of Essex County College, and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams playing first at 5:00pm ET. There will be no video livestream available for the game.
 
Things won't get easier for the Falcons from here, as they travel to the #5 team in the NJCAA Division II polls on Thursday, January 26^th, the undefeated SUNY Orange CC Colts, for a 7:00pm ET tip-off in Middletown, NY. Last year, the Falcons took an undefeated and nationally ranked Orange squad to the wire in Scranton, almost pulling off an upset but ultimately falling 84-77.