1/26/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Facing down their season's longest winless streak at three games, the Lackawanna College men's basketball team has maybe its toughest challenge before it tonight, when the Falcons travel to Middletown, NY to take on the #5 team in the nation, the SUNY Orange CC Colts.
 
The game is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Diana Physical Education Building on the campus of SUNY Orange in Middletown, NY. There will be a video livestream available, via the SUNY Orange CC Athletics Facebook page, which you can access HERE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (11-6) has already eclipsed last year's win total, but is on the wrong end of a three-game skid coming into the contest. The Falcons were last in action on Tuesday, where they dropped an 89-84 road game against Essex County College. It was a tight affair, with Essex's largest lead (8 points) coming in the first half, and both teams trading small leads late. Both teams shot well (50% for LC, 54% for Essex) and both made the same amount of three-pointers, but Essex made five more free throws than Lackawanna did, which was also the margin of victory, coincidentally. Lackawanna did have 21 turnovers, but outrebounded Essex 34-29. Nasir Brown and Caleb Mims each had 21 points to lead the Falcons, with Mims setting his season-high. Malek Mims added 13 points, and Aamir Mack had ten points coming off the bench.
 
The Falcons are averaging 79.5 points per game this season, and are allowing 74 points per game on the year. The Falcons are shooting 45% from the field, and are hitting around 31% on the year from downtown. Lackawanna gets to the free throw line a lot, going 237-for-381 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 18.6 turnovers per game, with just under nine steals per contest for the Falcon defense. Opponents are shooting 43% from the field this season, and have hit 31% 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 16.7 points per game on the season. He's tied for third on the team in rebounding (4.7), and leads the team in 3PT FGs made (33). Brown is tops on the team in FT% (73.9%), and is fourth on the team with 21 steals this season. He's hit double-figures in 14 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 five of six games in the spring semester for the Falcons. He had 21 points on 7-for-14 shooting, and made five free throws, while pulling down six rebounds, in the loss to Essex. In his last three games, Brown is averaging 16.7 points per game, shooting 47%, and averaging 5.3 rebounds per game.
 
Malek Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is second on the team with 12 points per game this season. Mims leads the Falcons in steals (29), 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 (45) this year. He's also second on the team in made three-point shots (21) this season. Mims has scored in double-figures 12 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 Essex on Tuesday, he had 13 points on 5-for-12 shooting, with five rebounds and three assists.   
 
Aamir Mack (Atlantic City, NJ) is third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.3 points per game. Mack averages 4.2 rebounds per game, fourth on the team, and hits around 52% of his shots from the field. Mack also has made 56% of his shots from the free throw line this year, and is a 37% 3PT shooter (10-for-27). He leads the Falcons with seven blocks this season. Mack has hit for double-figures in points ten 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 Essex on Tuesday, Mack had ten points and three rebounds in the loss.
 
Caleb Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is fourth on the team at 10.1 points per game this year. Mims leads the Falcons in assists (49), and averages 3.6 rebounds per game from his guard position. He's also second on the team in steals (27). Mims shoots 44% from the field, and leads the Falcons in free throw attempts (70), shooting 66% overall from the line. Mims has scored in double-figures eight times this year including four games in a row at one point. He went for his season-high against Essex on Tuesday, scoring 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting, while doling out six assists and picking up three steals on the evening. Mims was also 4-for-6 from the free throw line.  
 
Nashawn Johnson (Bronx, NY) is averaging 7.8 points per game this year. He's first on the team with 6.3 rebounds per game, and is shooting around 44% from the field so far this season. An All-Region selection in 2021, Nashawn is a 56% free throw shooter this year, and is third 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. Nashawn had nine points and five boards in the loss to Essex earlier this week. Against SUNY Orange last year, in a game the Falcons almost pulled off the upset in, Johnson was scoreless in four minutes of action.  

Rahmad Ali (Newark, NJ) is averaging 7.4 points per game this season, while also pulling down five rebounds per game, second on the team. Ali is third on the squad with 44 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-46) 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 was held to four points against Essex on Tuesday, but set his season-high with eleven rebounds, and also put up four assists.
 
Julian Wilson (Williamsport, PA) missed the first few games with injury, but has become a bench role player for the Falcons. Wilson is averaging 4.4 points per game in his 13 appearances, and has pulled down around 3.8 rebounds per game so far this campaign. Wilson is shooting around 55% 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 was scoreless in ten minutes of action against Essex on Tuesday.
 
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 Colts (17-0) are perfect and currently the #5 team in the land, getting as high as #2 so far this season in the NJCAA Division II rankings. They own victories over Region XIX foes Raritan Valley CC, Sussex County CC, Morris, and Mercer County CC. Their latest game was this past weekend against Mercer, where the Colts overwhelmed the Vikings on the road en route to a 99-54 win. Orange scored 52 points in the first half, building a 31-point advantage at the break. They shot 55% from the floor, and forced 20 turnovers on 15 steals, while putting three players in double-figures. Romeo Aquino led the way with a triple-double, putting up 27 points, 12 rebounds, and eleven assists on 9-for-14 shooting. Kevin Stein added 16 points and seven assists, while George Patsalos added 16 points and 13 rebounds.
 
SUNY Orange is averaging around 99 points per game this season, and has crossed the 100-point barrier seven times this year. They had a season-high 123 points in a home win vs SUNY Ulster back in November. The Colts are one of the most efficient teams in the country, shooting 53.7% from the floor, second in all of NJCAA Division II. They hit around 31% of their three-point attempts, and shoot 67% from the charity stripe. Orange has a +18 rebounding margin on the year, and averages nearly 21 assists per game. Their opponents are scoring around 66 points per game, and are shooting 35% from the field on the year. The Colts average 13 steals per game, and just under seven blocks per game, while forcing 18 turnovers per contest.
 
SUNY Orange has almost six players averaging double-figures for the season. Romeo Aquino is the high-scorer, averaging 24.8 points per game this year, tied for second in the country. Aquino is shooting 63% from the field, and leads the Colts with 10.4 rebounds per game. He's also third on the team in assists per game (3.8) and is second on the team in free throw shooting (74.6%). Aquino has scored in double-figures in all 17 games this year, and has topped 20+ points 14 times, including hitting over 30 points four times. His season-high is 35 points on the road at Raritan Valley back in December, where he hit 12-for-19 from the floor, and was 11-for-13 from the free throw line. Aquino has 12 double-doubles on the year, and set his season-high with 13 rebounds on three separate occasions this year. His triple-double against Mercer was his first of the year. Aquino was 9-for-14 from the floor, and 9-for-12 from the free throw line. In the win against Lackawanna last year, Aquino had a game-high 28 points and 12 rebounds to help the Colts stave off the Falcons' upset attempt.
 
Darius Boben is second on the team, averaging 15.6 points per game so far this season. Boben is shooting 59% from the field, and is a 28% shooter from deep this season. Boben is averaging 4.3 rebounds per game, and 2.4 assists per contest. He is second on the Colts in steals, averaging 2.6 swipes per appearance. Boben has scored in double-figures ten times this season, going over 20 points on four separate occasions. His season-high came in the first game of the year, going for 25 points on 10-for-16 shooting in a win over Hudson Valley CC back in November. Against Morris, on top of his 20 points, Boben also set season-highs with eight rebounds and five assists. Against Mercer last weekend, Boben had nine points, and a season-best six steals. He had 17 points and three steals last season off the bench against Lackawanna.
 
Kevin Stein is third on the team, averaging 14.9 points per game this year. Stein shoots nearly 41% from the field, and hits around 38% from downtown, averaging a team-high 3.2 three-pointers per game. Stein leads the team in free throw shooting at 83.3%. Stein also controls the offense, leading the Colts with 5.6 assists per contest this year. He averages 5.2 rebounds per game, good for fourth on the team, and his 1.9 steals per game are third on the squad. Stein has hit double-figures 13 different times this season, including his last five contests. Stein has gone for 20 or more points on five different occasions. His season-high of 31 points came in a 114-81 win over Queensborough earlier this month, where he was 10-for-16 from the floor and hit a season-high seven three-point shots. Stein has one triple-double this year, putting up 17 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists against SUNY Ulster back in November. He set his season-high for assists with 12 helpers in a win over Monroe CC earlier this month. Against Mercer, Stein had 16 points, seven assists, and four rebounds, as well as three steals, in the win. Last year, against Lackawanna, Stein had 16 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in the win.  
 
Keon Gill is averaging 12.4 points per game so far this season for SUNY Orange. He's a 51.6% shooter, and a 25% shooter from downtown. Gill averages 2.4 rebounds per game, but leads the Colts in steals, averaging 3.1 swipes per contest. Gill also averages two assists per game this year. Gill has scored in double-figures 12 times this season, which includes his season-best 21 points in a 121-54 win over Bronx CC back on January 12^th. In that game, he was 9-for-14 from the floor, and hit three three-point shots. Gill had a season-best five assists in the win over Hudson Valley back in November, and set his season-high in rebounds with seven against Howard CC earlier this month, scoring 14 points in the ten-point win. Against Mercer, he had eight points on 4-for-7 shooting.
 
Tim Linton is averaging 10.3 points per game this season, and is a 54% shooter from the floor, while hitting 64.5% of his free throws this season. Linton's 6.6 rebounds per game is third on the Colts this year, and he averages just over one block per game. Linton has scored in double-figures seven times this season. He had his season-high 20 points on 8-for-11 shooting in a win over Kingsborough back in November, where he also had ten rebounds, a season-best that he's achieved twice this year. Linton had six points and four rebounds in the win over Mercer. Against Lackawanna last year, Linton had 13 points and nine rebounds.
 
George Patsalos is averaging 9.8 points per game this season, shooting 62.4% from the floor this season. Patsalos, second on the team in rebounding at eight boards a game, is a 73% free throw shooter, third on the team, and also averages 1.4 steals, assists, and blocks per game this season. Patsalos has scored in double-figures nine times this year, saving his best for his latest game, going for a season-high 16 in the win over Mercer, where he was 8-for-11 from the field. Patsalos has two double-doubles this year, and set his season-high for rebounds with 14 boards in the win over Morris. In addition to his 16 points against Mercer, Patsalos had 13 rebounds, including five offensive rebounds. He set a season-high with six blocks against Morris, and had a season-high six assists in the win over Bronx back on January 12^th.
 
The head coach for the Colts is Tom Rickard, now in his 12^th year at SUNY Orange, and 11^th full season overall, since the Colts did not compete in the 2020-2021 season due to COVID. Rickard was originally hired as the head coach of the program back in 2006, succeeding his father Paul, who had been the coach for 25 years. Rickard, a SUNY Orange alum who scored over 1,000 points as a Colt, spent eight seasons as an assistant before taking over. He was head coach for seven years, and guided the program to four 20+ win seasons. After six years away, Rickard came back to the program for the 2018-2019 campaign, and helped the Colts to another 20-win season in 2019-2020. Last year, he led Orange to a 19-2 record, with their only losses coming to eventual Region XV champion and national tournament participant, SUNY Sullivan. Rickard is 204-101 in his 11 seasons at SUNY Orange.    

 
Game Information
The game is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Diana Physical Education Building on the campus of SUNY Orange in Middletown, NY. There will be a video livestream available, via the SUNY Orange CC Athletics Facebook page, which you can access HERE.
 
The Falcons get back home for a quick two-game stand, which starts on Tuesday, January 31^st at 6:00pm ET, when they host Central Penn College inside the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium.