2/13/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Three games into a seven-games-in-13-days run, the Lackawanna College men's basketball squad now turns its attention to a rival from the Division I ranks, when the #17 Monroe College Mustangs come to town on Monday, February 13^th.
 
The game is set for a 6:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium. The game is open to the public, with admission sold at the door for students ($3) and adults ($5). Lackawanna College students can gain free entry with a valid student ID. There will be a video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Falcons and Region 19 Sports Networks. You can access the pay-per-view stream via lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE. Steve Young will handle the play-by-play, while Sports Information Director Tom Ferguson will provide color commentary.
 
Lackawanna College already played the Mustangs earlier this season, dropping an 86-68 contest on the road in New Rochelle, NY back in January. The Falcons held the Mustangs to just 2-for-15 from downtown, and held a seven-point advantage about five minutes in, but Monroe used its size and depth to bull past the Falcons in the second half on their way to the win. Read the recap HERE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (15-8) enters Monday's game on a three-game winning streak, after going 3-0 last week in Region XIX play. The Falcons most recently overcame an, at times, uneven performance to knock off the Mercer County CC Vikings, 73-58, on Saturday afternoon at home. Lackawanna shot 40% from the field for the game, and used a killer 23-2 run in the first half to build a 21-point cushion that the Falcons relied on through the rest of the game. Mercer cut it as close as 13 in the second half, but it never got any closer. Rahmad Ali scored his season-high 20 points and grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds, while Malek Mims added ten points. Read the recap HERE.
 
As things stand right now, the Falcons are 6-3 and the second seed in the Region XIX DII standings, one game behind Raritan Valley, who is 7-2. The Lackawanna hold on second place is tenuous, however, with Essex County College (5-4) just a game behind, and Morris (4-4) a game-and-a-half back. The Falcons have one more Region XIX DII game, a road trip to Morris on Saturday, February 18^th. A win, and the Falcons can secure a top-two seed and a home game in the Region XIX playoffs. Raritan Valley has one more game remaining in Region XIX play, a road game at Mercer on Tuesday, and a win would secure them the top-seed and home court advantage. Essex has one more game remaining, a road game at Delaware Tech CC on Saturday, February 18^th. A win for the Wolverines, coupled with a Falcon loss to Morris, could put Essex into the two-spot, thanks to winning both games against the Falcons this season in the regular season. Things can change after Tuesday's games, where Raritan plays at Mercer and Morris hosts Delaware Tech.  
 
The Falcons are averaging 80.6 points per game this season, and are allowing 73.8 points per game on the year. The Falcons are shooting 44.5% from the field, and are hitting around 30% on the year from downtown. Lackawanna gets to the free throw line a lot, going 319-for-500 so far this season, a 63.8% clip. The Falcons average 41.5 rebounds per game, with a +5 margin, and they have forced an average of 18.7 turnovers per game, with nine steals per contest for the Falcon defense. Opponents are shooting 42% from the field this season, and have hit 29.7% of their three-point attempts this year. Falcon opponents have forced an average of 17.1 Lackawanna turnovers per game.   
 
Nasir Brown (Wilmington, DE) is one of four Lackawanna players in double-figures and leads the Falcons in scoring at 15.2 points per game. He is fifth on the team in rebounding (4.5), and leads the team in 3PT FGs made (37). Brown is tops on the team in FT% (75.3%), and is fourth on the team with 24 steals this season. He's hit double-figures in 16 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 seven of ten games in the spring semester for the Falcons. Brown had two points in seven minutes of work against Mercer on Saturday afternoon. He had a team-high 17 points with eight rebounds in the loss to Monroe back in January.     
 
Aamir Mack (Atlantic City, NJ) is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game. Mack averages 4.8 rebounds per game, third on the team, and hits around 52% of his shots from the field. Mack also has made 57% of his shots from the free throw line this year, and is a 37% 3PT shooter. Mack has hit for double-figures in points 15 times this season, going for his season-high 26 points last week in the win over Raritan. Mack was 12-for-20 from the floor, and also set his season-high with 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the year. Mack has scored in double-figures in five straight games, averaging 17.8 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game in that span. Mack is shooting 59.7% in that stretch, and has recorded two double-doubles. Against Mercer, Mack had ten points in 21 minutes on Saturday. He had nine points and four rebounds in 23 minutes of work against Monroe in January.     
 
Malek Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is third on the team with 11.8 points per game this season. Mims leads the Falcons in steals (41), and averages four rebounds per game from his point guard spot. Mims has hit on 44.4% of his shots this season, and is second on the team in assists (62) this year. He's also second on the team in made three-point shots (28) this season. Mims has scored in double-figures 17 times this season, going for his season-best 20 points against Dundalk in November. In that game, he went 7-for-10 from the field, while pulling down six boards and compiling six steals. Against Mercer on Saturday, Mims had ten points and two assists, as well as a pair of steals, in the win over the Vikings. He had nine points, four rebounds, and five assists in the loss to Monroe last month.  
 
Caleb Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is fourth on the team at 10.9 points per game this year. Mims is first on the team in assists (67), and averages just short of four rebounds per game from his guard position. He's also second on the team in steals (38). Mims shoots 43.4% from the field, and leads the Falcons in free throw attempts (98) and makes (67), shooting 68.4% overall from the line. Mims has scored in double-figures 12 times this year including five of his last seven games. He went for his season-high against SUNY Orange last month, scoring 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting, grabbing five rebounds and making four three-point shots. Mims is shooting 46.5% and has hit seven three-pointers in his last seven games, where he has scored 100 combined points, averaging 14.3 per game in that span. Mims had 16 points, 12 in the second half, and ten rebounds, his first double-double of the year, in the win against Raritan Valley last week. He had nine points and five assists in the win over Mercer on Saturday, going 7-for-9 from the free throw line. He's gone 13-for-17 from the line in his last two games. Against Monroe, he had just six points and 1 assist in the loss in January.   
 
Nashawn Johnson (Bronx, NY) is averaging 8.2 points per game this year. He's first on the team with 6.1 rebounds per game, and is shooting 43.5% from the field on the year. An All-Region selection in 2021, Nashawn is a 55% free throw shooter this year, and is third on the team with six blocks on the year. Nashawn scored his season-high 15 points against SUNY Westchester last month. 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 had a season-best 16 rebounds in the home win vs. Delaware Tech back in November. Johnson had nine points, seven boards, and two assists in the win over Mercer on Saturday afternoon. Against Monroe in January, he was held to two points and five rebounds in 17 minutes of work.  

Rahmad Ali (Newark, NJ) is averaging eight points per game this season, while also pulling down 5.6 rebounds per game, second on the team. Ali is third on the squad with 56 total assists, and is third on the team in steals (33) this season. Ali is shooting 45.1% from the field this year, and is shooting 35.7% from downtown this season, making 25 three-point shots, third on the team. Rahmad has gone for double-figures eight times this season, and set his season-high with 20 points in the win over Mercer this past weekend. Ali was 7-for-10 from the floor, and hit three three-pointers, while also setting his season-best with 15 rebounds in the win. He also had six assists and matched his season-best with four steals in the victory. Ali had his season-high seven assists in the win over Morris at home last month. He had four points and four rebounds in the loss to Monroe last month.  
 
Julian Wilson (Williamsport, PA) missed the first few games with injury, but has become a bench role player for the Falcons. Wilson is averaging 5.3 points per game in his 19 appearances, and has pulled down around 4.6 rebounds per game on the campaign. Wilson is shooting around 58% from in close at the basket, and has scored in double-figures five times this season. Against Mercer in December, 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 battled foul trouble against the Vikings on Saturday, scoring just two points and pulling down six rebounds in eleven minutes of work.  
 
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 #17 DI Monroe College Mustangs (22-3) have only played twice since their win over Lackawanna College back on January 21^st. The had a 30-point win over Harcum back on January 29^th, and then were upset at Cecil College back on February 5^th, when the Seahawks stunned the Mustangs 78-76. Monroe fell behind early by as many as 13 to the home Seahawks, but managed to claw back to within three at halftime, and eventually turned it into a see-saw game in the second half, with each team trading the lead a total of nine times in the second half. Monroe held a four-point lead with 2:41 to go, and was up by one with under a minute to go, but an offensive rebound for the Seahawks led to a three-point shot that put them up 78-76 with 40 seconds to go. Monroe's ensuing possession came up empty, but Cecil missed subsequent free throws to give the Mustangs one last chance with five seconds remaining. A shot to win at the buzzer clanged off the rim, securing the upset for Cecil. Monroe had four players in double-figures, with Melvin Council, Jr.'s 21 points leading the way. Emmanuel Ogbole added 16 points off the bench.
 
The Mustangs are scoring around 84 points per game this year, while giving up 59.8 per contest. Monroe is shooting around 49% this season, and their opponents are hitting around 37.3%. The Mustangs shoot around 32% from downtown as a team, while holding their opponents to just 28% from deep. The Mustangs also get to the line fairly often, having made over 500 trips to the charity stripe, shooting 66.3% for the year. Monroe holds a +7.7 rebounding margin, and averages over 19 assists per game, while only turning things over just over 15.6 times per game. The Mustangs force an average of 18.4 turnovers per contest, averaging close to ten 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 18.2 points per game on the year. Council Jr. is shooting 47.9% from the field, and is third on the team with 22 made three-pointers on the year. He's second on the team with 5.9 rebounds per game, but leads the squad in assists (95) and steals (60). Council Jr. has hit double-figures 23 times this season, and eclipsed 20+ points on ten 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 five double-doubles on the year, putting up a season-high 14 rebounds twice this year, against Cape Fear early in November, and against Harcum College on January 29^th. He came close to a triple-double against Richard Bland College in November, where he had 18 points, 12 rebounds, and a season-best eight assists. Council had 21 points and four rebounds, with three assists, in the loss to Cecil College last week. Against Lackawanna in January, he had 18 points and four rebounds.   
 
Emmanuel Ogbole is second on the team this year, averaging 113.1 points per game. Ogbole is shooting 71% from the field this year, and leads the Mustangs at 8.6 rebounds per game. His 27 blocks are also tops on the squad. Ogbole has put up double-figures in points 15 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 came back to action in the spring semester, after not playing since December 18^th, against Harcum College. He scored 16 points and had six boards in the loss to Cecil College last week. He did not play against Lackawanna College the first time around.  
 
Tyje Kelton is third on the team with 10.2 points per game so far this year. Kelton is third on the team in shooting, hitting 52.8% overall, and is third on the team in rebounding with 5.3 rebounds per game. Kelton has 41 total assists, fourth on the squad, and is a 66.7% free throw shooter. Kelton is the team-leader in three-point percentage, hitting 45.7% of his shots from deep. Kelton has hit double-figures in eleven times this year, going for his season-best 25 points against Monroe CC in January, where he was 11-for-16 in the win. Kelton has three 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. Kelton had eleven points and seven rebounds in the loss to Cecil College last week. In the win over Lackawanna, he had nine points, six boards, and four steals.    
 
Hamdel Mohammed is tied for fourth on the team, averaging 8.7 points per game, and is fourth on the team in rebounds at 5.2 per contest.  Mohammed is second on the team in shooting at 54% from the field this year, and is a 70.5% free throw shooter on the year. Mohammed is second on the team with 21 total blocks this year. Mohammed has scored in double-figures ten times this year. His season-high was 22 points in the win over Baltimore City CC last month, going 7-for-11 from the floor and pulling down nine rebounds, while blocking three shots. Mohammed has achieved a season-best nine rebounds four times this year. He had just two points and four rebounds in 19 minutes against Cecil College last week. Against Lackawanna, he had eight points and four rebounds in 16 minutes of action last month.  
 
Ziare Wells is tied with Mohammed for fourth, averaging 8.7 points per game this season, and shooting 52.1% on the year. Wells averages around 35% from downtown, and is a 70.7% shooter from the free throw line for the Mustangs. Wells averages around 3.2 rebounds per game, and is tied for third on the team with 20 total steals this year. Wells has scored in double-figures ten times this season. Wells had his season-best 18 points in the win over Harcum on January 29^th, where he was 7-for-12 form the floor and had three steals in the win. Wells was held to just two points in 14 minutes of action against Cecil. Against Lackawanna, he had 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting, with a pair of rebounds in the victory last month.  
 
Keith Warren Jr. is averaging 8.1 points per game for the Mustangs this year. Warren is a 39.4% shooter this season, and is the team-leader in three-pointers, hitting a team-best 38 shots from deep. Warren Jr. is a 72.7% free throw shooter on the year. Warren Jr. has scored in double-figures eight 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 Cecil College, he had four points and two rebounds, as well as two assists. In the win over Lackawanna, he had five points, four assists, and three rebounds.  
 
Jawarir Hamelin is another starter for the Mustangs, averaging 3.6 points per game this year, but second on the team in assists (85) and steals (38) so far this year. Hamelin averages 2.5 rebounds per game, and is a 35.9% shooter from the field, as well as a 65% 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. Against Cecil, he had just one point and five rebounds, with one assist, in the loss last week. Hamelin had seven points, four boards, and four assists in the win over Lackawanna last month.  
 
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 521-140 in his 20 seasons at the helm of the Mustangs.
 
Game Information
The game between Lackawanna and Monroe is set for a 6:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium. The game is open to the public, with admission sold at the door for students ($3) and adults ($5). Lackawanna College students can gain free entry with a valid student ID. There will be a video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Falcons and Region 19 Sports Networks. You can access the pay-per-view stream via lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE. Steve Young will handle the play-by-play, while Sports Information Director Tom Ferguson will provide color commentary.
 
The Falcons will have a two-day break before returning to action for their final home game of the regular season on Thursday, February 16^th, when they host the SUNY Rockland Hawks in non-region action. That game is set for a 6:30pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union.