2/16/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – After two days away, Lackawanna College men's basketball begins, today, a three-games-in-four-days run. It all starts with tonight's final regular season home game, as SUNY Rockland comes to town.
 
The game is set for a 6:30pm 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 has already played the Hawks from Rockland this season, coming back from a deficit to knock off the hosts back in November, 85-82. The Falcons put five players in double-figures to come out with the win. You can read the recap HERE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (15-9) comes into Thursday night's clash after suffering a 96-62 setback to #17 DI Monroe College on Monday night, the fourth game in seven days at the time for Lackawanna College. The Mustangs scored the first 12 points of the game and led by as many as 30 in the latter stages, as the Falcons struggled from the field and couldn't stand up to the size and strength from Monroe. Lackawanna fought hard and got it to within 13 points late in the first half, but Monroe expanded the lead back out and pulled away, always seeming to answer any sort of run from the Falcons. Lackawanna had three players in double-figures, but shot just 28% from the field. Read the recap HERE.
 
As things stand right now, the Falcons are 6-3 and the second seed in the Region XIX DII standings, 1.5 games behind Raritan Valley, who is 8-2. The Lackawanna hold on second place is still tenuous, however, with both Morris (5-4) and Essex (5-4) each just a game behind. 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 the two-seed and a home game in the Region XIX playoffs. Raritan Valley has already secured the top-seed and home court advantage. Essex has one more game remaining, a road game at winless Delaware Tech CC on Saturday, February 18^th. A win for the Wolverines, coupled with a Falcon loss to Morris, could drop the Falcons as far as fourth, with Morris hopping them to second and Essex settling in at third.
 
The Falcons are averaging 79.8 points per game this season, and are allowing 74.8 points per game on the year. The Falcons are shooting 43.8% from the field, and are hitting around 30% on the year from downtown. Lackawanna gets to the free throw line a lot, going 335-for-519 so far this season, a 64.5% clip. The Falcons average 40.9 rebounds per game, with a +3.7 margin, and they have forced an average of 18.8 turnovers per game, with nine steals per contest for the Falcon defense. Opponents are shooting 43% from the field this season, and have hit 30.3% of their three-point attempts this year. Falcon opponents have forced an average of 17 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 points per game. He is fifth on the team in rebounding (4.3), and leads the team in 3PT FGs made (38). Brown is tops on the team in FT% (76.8%), and is fourth on the team with 25 steals this season. Nasir is fourth on the team in assists, with 40 helpers on the season. He's hit double-figures in 17 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 eight of eleven games in the spring semester for the Falcons. Brown had ten points and two assists on a tough shooting night for the Falcons, going just 2-for-13 from the field, but making five free throws in the loss to Monroe. Against Rockland, Nasir had a stellar game, scoring 23 points on 9-for-21 shooting, with five boards and two assists, in the win for the Falcons back in November.      
 
Aamir Mack (Atlantic City, NJ) is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.3 points per game. Mack averages 4.7 rebounds per game, tied for third on the team, and hits around 51.5% 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 16 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 had scored in double-figures in five straight games before the loss to Monroe, averaging 17.8 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game in that span. Against the Mustangs, Mack, like everybody else on the Falcons, struggled from the field, going just 3-for-10 and scoring seven points in the loss. Against Rockland in November, Aamir had 12 points and seven rebounds in the win for Lackawanna.
 
Malek Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is third on the team with 11.6 points per game this season. Mims leads the Falcons in steals (42), 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 (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 Monroe, Mims had eight points in 22 minutes of work, going just 2-for-7 from the floor. Against Rockland in November, Mims had 12 points, six rebounds, and a season-high eight assists to help the Falcons to the win.   
 
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 (70), and averages 3.8 rebounds per game from his guard position. He's also second on the team in steals (41). Mims shoots 43.1% from the field, and leads the Falcons in free throw attempts (102) and makes (70), shooting 68.6% overall from the line. Mims has scored in double-figures 13 times this year including six of his last eight 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 45.7% and has hit eight three-pointers in his last eight games, where he has scored 110 combined points, averaging 13.8 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 ten points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals in the loss to Monroe on Monday. Against Rockland in November, he scored 16 points and dished out five assists, while making a season-high seven free-throws in the win for the Falcons.    
 
Nashawn Johnson (Bronx, NY) is averaging 8.4 points per game this year. He's first on the team with 6.2 rebounds per game, and is shooting 42.3% from the field on the year. An All-Region selection in 2021, Nashawn is a 54.7% free throw shooter this year, and is third on the team with six blocks on the year. Nashawn has gone for double-figures in seven games this year, and 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 in November, 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. Nashawn had 14 points and nine rebounds in the loss to Monroe on Monday.  

Rahmad Ali (Newark, NJ) is averaging 7.7 points per game this season, while also pulling down 5.5 rebounds per game, second on the team. Ali is third on the squad with 58 total assists, and is third on the team in steals (33) this season. Ali is shooting 44.5% from the field this year, and is shooting 35.2% 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 was held scoreless with three rebounds and two assists in the loss to Monroe on Monday. He had just three points, three rebounds, and two assists in the win over Rockland earlier this season.   
 
Julian Wilson (Williamsport, PA) has become a key bench role player for the Falcons. Wilson is averaging 5.2 points per game in his 20 appearances, and has pulled down around 4.7 rebounds per game on the campaign. Wilson is shooting around 56.3% 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 had two points and five rebounds in the loss to Monroe College on Monday. He was held scoreless in just five minutes of work in the win against Rockland in November.  
 
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 Hawks (11-17) had a bright 9-8 start in the first half of the season, but have gone just 2-9 in the spring semester this year. Rockland had dropped six in a row before an 88-62 win over Ulster on February 9^th. In their last game, the Hawks lost 106-92 to SUNY Sullivan on Tuesday. The game's final score wasn't quite as indicative of the gap between the two teams, as Sullivan led by as many as 30 through the course of the game, and held a 62-34 lead at halftime.  
 
SUNY Rockland was just 3-22 last year, so this year has certainly been a step in the right direction for the Hawks. Rockland averages around 77.8 points per game, but it gives up around 85.7 points per game. The Hawks' opponents are shooting nearly 46% from the field, and have hit 33.8% of their threes. Rockland is a 40.8% shooting team, but hits just 24% from downtown. The Hawks get outrebounded by a -3.5 margin, and they average over 18 turnovers per game, while forcing 16.7 per contest. Rockland averages 10.3 steals per game, but gives the ball up at nearly ten times a contest.  
 
Diamonte McMillan is averaging a team-best 16.2 points per game this season. McMillan is hitting on 45.6% of his shots this year, and is a 74.5% free throw shooter, one of the team-leaders. McMillan averages 3.3 rebounds per game from his guard spot, and is second on the team at 2.3 assists per game. He's also second on the squad with 1.7 steals per contest. McMillan has scored in double-figures 19 times this year, going over 20 points in eight different games. His season-high 30 points has been achieved twice this season. The first time came in a 93-89 loss to Hostos CC on January 14^th, where he had 30 on 8-for-22 shooting, hitting a season-best eleven free throws. His second time hitting for 30 came in a 102-75 loss to County College of Morris, where he was 10-for-22 shooting and made nine free throws. In both of those games, he had his season-high seven rebounds. He has also twice posted his season-high in assists (6) and four times he's posted his season-best in steals (4). He had just four points, four rebounds, and two assists in the loss to Lackawanna in November.
 
Emmanuel Barkor is second on the team, averaging 15 points per game this year. Barkor is hitting 52% from the field this season, and averages a team-high 9.6 rebounds per game this year. Barkor also averages about 1.5 steals per game, and one assist per contest this year. Barkor has hit double-figures in scoring 21 times this season, going over 20 points in four games on the year. He has twice scored his season-high of 29 points. The first game came in a 93-87 win over Erie CC in December, where he scored 29 on 10-for-19 shooting, and made nine free throws. He did it again in the loss to Queensborough in January, going 12-for-21 from the floor and hitting a pair of three-point shots in the 82-73 setback. Barkor has achieved double-figures in rebounds ten times this season, setting his season-best with 20 boards in a two-point loss to Raritan back in January. Barkor has put up ten double-doubles on the season. He had eight points and nine rebounds in the loss to Lackawanna in November.
 
Tayejon Lynch is third on the team, averaging 14.3 points per game this year. Lynch is shooting around 41% from the field, and leads the Hawks in three-point shooting, hitting at 29% from the field. Lynch averages 5.1 rebounds per game, third on the team, and leads the Hawks in assists (6.4) and steals per game (2.3). Lynch has hit double-figures in 13 games this season, scoring a season-best 26 points in a 110-71 loss to SUNY Orange on February 7^th. Lynch had 26 on 7-for-17 shooting, making a season-high nine free throws in the loss. The game before, where he scored 24 points in a seven-point loss to Westchester, he had his season-high with six made three-pointers. Lynch had a double-double against Queensborough in November, scoring 14 points and posting 12 assists, and he had a triple-double in the win over Ulster last week, where he scored 19 points and posted season-highs in rebounds (13) and assists (15) in the win. Lynch had 13 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in the loss to Lackawanna back in November.  
 
Jazair Whitely is averaging 7.4 points per game this season, shooting 39.5% from the field and hitting around 27% of his three-point attempts this year. Whitely is second on the team at 5.4 rebounds per game, and averages just over a steal per contest this season. Whitely has scored in double-figures eight times this season, scoring his season-high 22 points in the win over Erie back in December, where he was 8-for-10 from the floor and hit three three-pointers. Whitely has four double-doubles this year, setting his season-best with 12 rebounds in the win over Ulster last week. He had four points and five rebounds in the loss to Lackawanna in November.
 
Jaiden Dunn averages 7.2 points per game on the year. Dunn is a 34.5% shooter on the season, and averages around 23.5% from downtown. Dunn averages 4.2 rebounds per game this year, while also putting up around an assist per contest. Dunn has scored double-figures in eight games this season, going for his season-high 18 points in a 77-58 loss to Nassau CC last month. He was 6-for-15 from the floor and hit a pair of three-pointers in the loss. Dunn set his season-high against Queensborough with eight rebounds, and has twice achieved four assists in a game for his season best. Dunn had eleven points, four rebounds, and two assists in the loss to Lackawanna earlier this season.  
 
The head coach for SUNY Rockland is Brian Sondey, now in his second season in charge of the Hawks. Sondey was hired last August, after Rockland had missed the previous year due to the pandemic. Sondey spent time as the head men's basketball coach at Concordia College from 2010 through 2018, and had most recently been an assistant coach at both College of New Rochelle and Manhattanville.
 
Game Information
The game between Lackawanna and Rockland is set for a 6:30pm 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 just one day to prepare for their final two games of the year. On Saturday, February 18^th, they travel to County College of Morris for a crucial battle with the Titans, with second-place in Region XIX DII, and a potential playoff home game, hanging in the balance. That game is set for a 12:00pm ET tip-off. Then, the Falcons will travel to take on SUNY Westchester on Sunday, February 19^th, for a 3:00pm ET tip-off in the final regular season contest of the season.