11/9/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – It wasn't a championship game to open the 2023-2024 campaign for Lackawanna College, but one would be forgiven for thinking that's what was happening on Thursday evening, as Penn State Wilkes-Barre spoiled the Falcons' season debut, 78-71, in highly competitive contest at the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium.
 
The Falcons (0-1) got a three-point shot from Pablo Avalos Ortiz (Sophomore; Málaga, Spain) that gave them a 70-66 advantage with 3:09 to play, but scored just one point the rest of the way, as the Mountain Lions (2-0) went on a 12-1 run to close out the game, as the Falcons could only muster just one point on their final eight possessions.
 
After Avalos's three-pointer, Wilkes-Barre got a running lay-up from Anton Berga to cut the deficit to two. After the Falcons missed a three-pointer on the other end, the Mountain Lions went 1-for-2 from the line to cut the deficit to one at the 2:21 mark. Two straight empty possessions eventually led to a Teequan Holley three-point play for Wilkes-Barre, giving the Mountain Lions a 72-70 lead with 1:11 to go.
 
Avalos hit the first of two free throws with a minute to go to bring the deficit to one, but he missed the second, and the Falcons couldn't grab the board. An offensive foul gave Lackawanna possession back, but the Falcons turned the ball over on the inbounds pass, only for PSU Wilkes-Barre to give it right back. A technical foul put the Lions at the lion, where they hit both free throws, and the Falcons came up empty at the line on the other end with 17 seconds to go, setting up PSU Wilkes-Barre to hit four more free throws to ice the game.
 
Lackawanna College struggled from the field for the day, shooting 35% from the field, including an abysmal 3-for-21 from the three-point line. The Falcons also had a tough time in the second half from the free throw line, going just 8-for-15 from the line, after originally going 10-for-11 in the first half. The Falcons forced 17 turnovers, eleven on steals, and outscored PSU 21-7 in points off turnovers, but the Mountain Lions shot nearly 58% in the second half, and 52% for the game, while making their final eight free throws to put the game away.
 
Teequan Holley led all scorers with 19 points and nine rebounds, one of five different players in double-figures for the balance Mountain Lions. Joey Chapman (Sophomore; Reading, PA) led the Falcons with 17 points, five steals, and four rebounds, while Aamir Mack (Sophomore; Atlantic City, NJ) had 16 points and seven boards. Avalos finished with 12 points, going 7-for-10 from the free throw line.
 
Lackawanna College is next in action on Saturday, November 11^th, when the Falcons are set to travel to Chesapeake College for the second game of a doubleheader. The game is set for a 3:00pm ET start, with the women's teams playing first at 1:00pm ET.