2/7/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – An important stretch of the schedule, with four games in seven days, including three Region XIX games, begins tonight for Lackawanna College men's basketball with a road match-up at the defending Region XIX DII champions, the Delaware Tech CC Terry Hawks.  
 
The game is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Delaware Tech CC gymnasium at the Stanton Campus location in Newark, DE. There will be a video livestream available via the Delaware Tech CC Athletics YouTube Channel, HERE.
 
Lackawanna College owns a 77-68 victory over Delaware Tech from earlier this season, back on November 29^th at home. The Falcons put up a 51-29 lead at the break, and held on during a furious Delaware Tech rally in the second half to secure the win.  
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (12-8, 3-3) enters the game after a close 85-77 loss at home to Division I Harcum College. The Falcons shot 41% for the game, both from the field and from three-point range, and put four players in double-figures, but the Bears made eight more free throws, and survived a five-minute stretch where they only scored three points by holding the Falcons to just two points, on a pair of free throws, to put the game away. Read the recap HERE. The eight-point margin was the closest loss the Falcons have had to Harcum since losing 98-90 back in the 2010-2011 campaign. The Falcons are currently 3-3 in Division II, placing them fourth in the standings.
 
The Falcons are averaging 80 points per game this season, and are allowing 75 points per game on the year. The Falcons are shooting 44.4% from the field, and are hitting around 30% on the year from downtown. Lackawanna gets to the free throw line a lot, going 273-for-431 so far this season, a 63% clip. The Falcons average 40.6 rebounds per game, with a +3.6 margin, and they have forced an average of 18.5 turnovers per game, with 8.9 steals per contest for the Falcon defense. Opponents are shooting 43% 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) is one of four Lackawanna players in double-figures and leads the Falcons in scoring at 16.1 points per game. He is third on the team in rebounding (4.7), and leads the team in 3PT FGs made (35). Brown is tops on the team in FT% (75.3%), and is fourth on the team with 23 steals this season. He's hit double-figures in 15 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 six of eight games in the spring semester for the Falcons. He 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists in the loss to Harcum over the weekend. Against Delaware Tech back in November, he had 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting, pulling down seven rebounds and making five free throws in the win.  
 
Malek Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is second on the team with 11.7 points per game this season. Mims leads the Falcons in steals (36), and averages 4.1 rebounds per game from his point guard spot. Mims has hit on 44.7% of his shots this season, and is first on the team in assists (57) this year. He's also second on the team in made three-point shots (24) this season. Mims has scored in double-figures 14 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 Harcum, Mims had five points, three rebounds, and three assists, as well as two steals. Earlier this season against Delaware Tech, Mims had 14 points, six rebounds, and two assists in the win.
 
Aamir Mack (Atlantic City, NJ) is third on the team in scoring, averaging 11.5 points per game. Mack averages 4.4 rebounds per game, fourth on the team, and hits around 51% of his shots from the field. Mack also has made 57% of his shots from the free throw line this year, and is a 38% 3PT shooter. Mack has hit for double-figures in points 12 times this season, going for his season-high 22 points in the first game of the spring semester 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. Mack had 15 points on three made three-pointers and eight rebounds in the loss to Harcum. He's averaging 15.5 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game in his last two, shooting 52% from the field. Against Delaware Tech, he had 14 points and five boards in the win back in November.   
 
Caleb Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is fourth on the team at 10.8 points per game this year. Mims is second on the team in assists (55), and averages 3.8 rebounds per game from his guard position. He's also second on the team in steals (33). Mims shoots 44.6% from the field, and leads the Falcons in free throw attempts (80), shooting 66% overall from the line. Mims has scored in double-figures ten times this year including four games in a row at one point. He went for his season-high against SUNY Orange two weeks ago, scoring 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting, grabbing five rebounds and making four three-point shots. Mims is shooting 57% and has hit six three-pointers in his last four games, where he has scored 65 points, combined. Mims had 15 points and six rebounds, with a season-best four steals, in the loss to Harcum. He had 13 points, five rebounds, and a season-high six assists in the win over Delaware Tech earlier this year.
 
Nashawn Johnson (Bronx, NY) is averaging eight points per game this year. He's first on the team with 6.1 rebounds per game, and is shooting around 42% from the field so far this season. An All-Region selection in 2021, Nashawn is a 57% free throw shooter this year, and is third on the team with six blocks on the year. After making just one three-pointer in the fall semester, he's made six threes in nine spring semester games. He has scored in double-figures five 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. Nashawn had 12 points and six rebounds in the loss to Harcum this past weekend.     

Rahmad Ali (Newark, NJ) is averaging 7.6 points per game this season, while also pulling down 5.1 rebounds per game, second on the team. Ali is third on the squad with 47 total assists, and is third on the team in steals (25) this season. Ali is shooting 42.6% from the field this year, and is shooting 34% from downtown this season. Rahmad has gone for double-figures six times this season, and has twice scored his season-high 15 points. The first time came against Raritan Valley CC back in December, where he was 6-for-14 from the floor with three three-pointers in a loss to the Lions on the road. The second time he hit for 15 came in the win over Central Penn, where he was 6-for-11 from the floor and hit three three-pointers, while pulling down five rebounds and dishing out a pair of helpers in the win at home. Ali scored nine points and had six rebounds in the loss to Harcum this past weekend. The first time around against Delaware Tech, he had five points and six rebounds in the win.
 
Julian Wilson (Williamsport, PA) missed the first few games with injury, but has become a bench role player for the Falcons. Wilson is averaging 5.1 points per game in his 16 appearances, and has pulled down around 3.9 rebounds per game so far this campaign. Wilson is shooting around 62% from in close at the basket, and has scored in double-figures four 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. In his last game, Wilson had six points and three rebounds while battling foul trouble against Harcum. Against Delaware Tech, he only saw six minutes of action.   
 
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
Delaware Tech CC (7-16, 0-6) comes into the contest with Lackawanna having lost 13 of its last 15 games, including six of eight here in the spring 2023 semester. The Terry Hawks were last in action on February 2^nd, when they lost to Chesapeake College 91-70 in Wye Mills, MD. The Skipjacks shot 51% from the field and held Del Tech to 35%, while outrebounding the Terry Hawks 47-30 on the evening. Delaware Tech put three players in double-figures, with Syed Myles scoring a game-high 24 points on 7-for-18 shooting, going 9-for-10 from the free throw line. Keyon Scott added 14 points, and Cole Matthews had eleven.
 
Delaware Tech is averaging 75.8 points per game this year, while giving up around 81 points per game. They're shooting around 41%, and their opponents are hitting 45% from the field. The Terry Hawks are a good free throw shooting team at 77.8% from the charity stripe. They hold a -4 rebounding margin, and average 15 turnovers per game this year. Their opponents average 14 turnovers per game, and eight steals per contest.  
 
The Terry Hawks have a pair of players in double-figures this year, and are led by Syed Myles, returning from last year. Myles is hitting on 41% of his shots so far this year, and is averaging a team-best 22.9 points per game. Myles is shooting an average of 6-for-7 from the free throw line per contest, hitting at 80.6% from the line. He's third on the team at 5.1 rebounds per game this year. He is second on the Hawks in assists (2.7 per game) and is tied for second in steals (1.3) per game this season. Myles has scored in double-figures in 22 of 23 games for Del Tech this season, 19 times going for 20+ points. His season-high came in a loss at Harford Community College, where he scored 34 points on 11-for-25 shooting in a 97-91 loss in December, where he also had five rebounds and three steals. In a 98-91 win over RCSJ Cumberland back in November, he scored 29 points on a season-high eleven makes from the field. Myles was two assists away from a triple-double, pulling down a season-best 12 rebounds and dishing out eight assists in the win. Myles has twice put up eight assists in a game. He's scored over 20 points in ten straight games, averaging 25.4 points per game in that span. Myles had 24 points and made nine free throws in the loss to Chesapeake back on Thursday, pulling down seven rebounds. Against Lackawanna in November, he had 20 points, seven rebounds, and two steals in the loss.    
 
Freshman Ethan Schmidt is second on the team at 12.9 points per game this year. He's the best three-point shooter for Del Tech, hitting 60 three-pointers this year at a 35% clip, and is shooting just over 35% from the field this year. He's a 94% average from the charity stripe this season. Schmidt averages 3.2 rebounds per contest, and 1.5 assists per game this season. Schmidt has scored in double-figures in eleven games this year, and scored his season-high in the win over RCSJ Cumberland, going for a team-high 31 points. He was 11-for-17 from the field, making five three-point shots. He set a season-high with six three-pointers made against RCSJ Gloucester in the first game of the year. He had a season-best nine rebounds against Delaware County CC, where he also had 15 points. In his last game, he had five points on just 2-for-9 shooting, dishing out a pair of assists and grabbing one rebound. Against Lackawanna, he had 17 points on five three-point makes, along with three rebounds and two assists in the loss.
 
Keyon Scott is third on the team, averaging 9.2 points per game this year. Scott is a 42% shooter, and a 31% shooter from downtown, while hitting 87% of his free throws this season. Scott averages a team-high 3.4 assists per game, and is tied with Myles for second on the team at 1.3 steals per game this season. Scott has scored in double-figures 13 times this season, six in the spring semester, and in his last four games. Scott scored his season-high 15 points three times this year. The first came against Raritan Valley back in December, when he had 15 points on 7-for-14 shooting in an 82-70 loss. He had eight assists in the loss. The second time he scored 15 came against Harford, where he posted a season-best ten assists and six rebounds, in the loss. The third time he scored 15 came in the last win for Del Tech, back on January 24^th against Frederick, where he posted 15 points and three rebounds. He had 14 points and three rebounds in the loss to Chesapeake. Scott is averaging 13.5 points per game in his last four contests. Against Lackawanna, he had six points, five assists, and three assists in the loss.  
 
Devin McDowell is averaging 9.1 points per game this year, and is shooting around 42% from the field for Del Tech this season, while shooting 39% from downtown this season. McDowell is second on the team at 5.9 rebounds per game, and averages just under an assist and a block per game. McDowell has scored in double-figures seven times this year, hitting his season-high of 19 points in a loss to County College of Morris back on December 6^th. He was 7-for-16 from the floor in the 92-73 loss. McDowell has one double-double this year, going for 12 points and a season-best 12 rebounds in a loss to Mercer back on December 10^th. Against Lackawanna in November, he had six points and four rebounds. McDowell hasn't played since January 7^th against Harford CC.  
 
Cole Matthews is averaging 8.4 points per game this year. Matthews is hitting on 40% of his shots this year, and is a 77% free throw shooter this season. Matthews is averaging 4.7 rebounds per game, and is dishing out around two assists per game, third on the team. He also leads the Terry Hawks in steals, at 1.4 per contest. He's gone into double-figures eight times this year, scoring his season-high 14 points against Cumberland. Against the Dukes, he made a season-best seven of nine free throws to help secure the victory. Matthews has hit his season-high of eight rebounds three times this year, and reached his season-high in assists with five twice this year, most recently against Mercer on January 31^st. Matthews had eleven points, four rebounds, and four assists in the loss to Chesapeake last week. Against Lackawanna in November, he had nine points, four assists, and three rebounds.  
 
Jaelin Joyner is averaging 7.9 points per game, while pulling down a team-high 9.9 rebounds per game this year. Joyner is shooting 51.7% from the field, leading the team, and also leads the Terry Hawks in blocks, averaging 1.7 per game. Joyner averages just under one steal per game, and has five double-doubles on the year. Joyner had his best game against Middlesex, pulling down his season-best 20 rebounds and scoring 13 points. Joyner set his season-high twice this year with 16 points, scoring it first against Raritan Valley back on December 3^rd, and then again against Howard CC on December 17^th. He's gone for double-digits in rebounding eleven times this season. Joyner had four points and five rebounds in the loss to Chesapeake last week. He had just two points and seven rebounds in the loss to Lackawanna earlier this season.  
 
The head coach for Delaware Tech is Richard Rago, now in his fourth official season at the helm for the Terry Hawks. Delaware Tech's program did not participate in the pandemic-shortened 2020-2021. Rago was tasked with building the program back up in 2018, and, after a tough first year, improved by eleven wins in his second year. Rago came to Del Tech after spending nearly 30 years in high school basketball, coaching St. Elizabeth HS in Delaware. There, he won Catholic League COTY five different times, and had his teams as a regular in the state tournament over his last ten seasons. Last season, he led the Terry Hawks to the Region XIX championship with an upset win on the road against Raritan Valley CC.

 
Game Information
The game is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Delaware Tech CC gymnasium at the Stanton Campus location in Newark, DE. There will be a video livestream available via the Delaware Tech CC Athletics YouTube Channel, HERE.
 
The Falcons continue in Region XIX DII play on Thursday, February 9^th, when they host the top-dog in the Region, Raritan Valley CC, for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union. It'll be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams scheduled to play first at 5:00pm ET.