2/9/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – In the midst of a four-games-in-seven-days stretch, Lackawanna College got things started on the right foot with an impressive road win at Delaware Tech CC on Tuesday. Now the Falcons set their sights on the top-dog in Region XIX DII, when Raritan Valley CC comes to town on Thursday, February 9^th.
 
The game is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium, and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams set to tip-off first at 5:00pm ET. 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. Before the game, there will be a program to celebrate the six sophomores who will be playing their final regular season home games as Falcons, as well as the difference makers in our student-athletes' times at Lackawanna with a special presentation between games on Staff and Faculty Appreciation Night.
 
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 dropped their previous match-up with the Lions, 82-80, when a shot at the buzzer rimmed out for Lackawanna. You can read the recap from that game HERE. Raritan has defeated the Falcons in four straight games, with the last Falcon win coming in April 2021, when the Falcons beat the Lions in the Region XIX DII championship.   
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (13-8, 4-3) comes in after knocking off the defending Region XIX champions, Delaware Tech, on the road with a thumping 93-67 victory. The Falcons put five players in double-figures, scoring 51 points in the second half to pull away from the Terry Hawks. Lackawanna scored the first 13 points of the second half to completely take control, and never looked back from there. The win launched the Falcons into second place in the latest Region XIX standings. They are tied with Mercer at 4-3, but own the tiebreaker by virtue of a win earlier this year. Mercer plays Morris tonight, and a win would put them back above the Falcons, and sink the Falcons back to fourth, dropping behind Essex, who is in non-region action this evening. The second-through-fifth spots are all within a game of each other in the standings.
 
The Falcons are averaging 81 points per game this season, and are allowing 74.6 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 15.9 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 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 nine games in the spring semester for the Falcons. He had eleven points off the bench in the win over Delaware Tech. Against Raritan earlier this season, Brown had 15 points and six rebounds, to go with three assists, in the loss.   
 
Aamir Mack (Atlantic City, NJ) is second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.8 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 13 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 a team-high 18 points in the win over Delaware Tech. He's averaging 16.3 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game in his last three games, shooting 52% from the field. Against Raritan Valley, he was held to just six points and two rebounds in the loss.    
 
Malek Mims (Bethlehem, PA) is third 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 15 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 Delaware Tech, he had eleven points. In the first game against Raritan, Malek had 13 points and five rebounds in the loss.
 
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 eleven 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 75 points, combined. Mims had ten points in the win over Delaware Tech. He has hit for double-figures in four of his last five games. Against Raritan, he was 2-for-8 from the field for just four points, with four rebounds and three assists.  
 
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 had nine points in the win vs. Delaware Tech earlier this week. He had 12 points and nine rebounds in the loss to Raritan earlier this season.      

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 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.
 
Julian Wilson (Williamsport, PA) missed the first few games with injury, but has become a bench role player for the Falcons. Wilson is averaging 5.6 points per game in his 17 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 five 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 14 points in the win at Delaware Tech. He had five points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes of action against Raritan earlier this year.
 
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
Raritan Valley (14-9, 6-1) has had an uncharacteristic bumpy year outside of the region, going just 2-5 in January, before winning their last two Region XIX DII games to get back on track. The Lions, earlier this year, had won eight straight at one point. In its last game, Raritan had a 91-86 win over County College of Morris, avenging its only Region XIX loss from earlier this year. The Lions shot 48% from the field, and were 17-for-20 from the free throw line. They put three players in double-figures, and survived a hot-shooting performance from Morris, who shot 64% from the field for the game, and 46% from beyond-the-arc. Dan Dextraze led the Lions with 27 points and 15 rebounds, while Eddie Davis had 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Alif Bass had eleven points and a team-high six assists. The Lions are the top-team in Region XIX by two games over the second-place Falcons, with three games in region play remaining, including tonight's game.
 
Raritan Valley is averaging 85.4 points per game this year, while giving up around 80 points per game to their opponents. The Lions are hitting 43.8% of their shots this year, while knocking down 35% from downtown, around nine threes per game. The Lions are also great from the free throw line, averaging 75% on an average of 25 shots from the charity stripe per game. Raritan takes care of the ball, turning it over an average of eleven times per game, while forcing around 14 turnovers per game, nine per game coming on steals. Opponents are shooting 44% from the field against the Lions this year. The Lions are -2 in rebounding margin this season.
 
Raritan Valley has four players averaging double-figures, and the team-leader is the aforementioned Dextraze, scoring 18.3 points per game so far this season, jumping nearly seven points from his average last year. Dextraze is shooting 47% from the field this season, and is second on the Lions from three-point land, hitting 37% of his shots from deep, and averaging around 2.5 makes per game from downtown. Dextraze also hits 79% of his shots from the free throw line. Dextraze leads the team in rebounding (10.0 per game), and blocks (2.1 per game), and is third on the team in steals (1.6 per game). Dextraze has scored in double-figures in 20 games this season, and has gone for 20 or more in eleven games. His season-high came in the 89-63 win over Lehigh Carbon, where he scored 28 points on 9-for-17 shooting. Dextraze has 13 double-doubles on the year, his best game coming in the win at Rockland back in January, where he scored 22 points and had a season-best 16 rebounds. Dextraze had a team-high 27 points on a season-best ten made shots in the win over Morris, while pulling down 15 boards. Against Lackawanna, he had 13 points and 14 rebounds in the win, making three three-point shots and going 5-for-11 from the floor.
 
Damon Strand is second on the team with 17.6 points per game this year. Strand is shooting 51% from the field this season, best on the team, and is averaging 41% from three-point range, also first on the squad. Strand is second on the Lions with six rebounds per game this year, and is also averaging 1.4 assists per game and 1.7 steals per contest. Strand has hit double-figures in scoring 17 times this year, going over 20 points on eight different occasions. His season-high 31 points came in an 87-81 win over SUNY Westchester back in November. He was 11-for-17 from the floor, a season-best, and made four three-pointers in the win. He set his season-high with ten rebounds in the 108-74 win over Essex back on February 2^nd, where he also had 20 points for his lone double-double this season. He made a season-best six three-point shots in the 94-89 loss to Harcum back on January 24^th. Strand had nine points and four rebounds, as well as four assists, in the win over Morris on Tuesday. Against Lackawanna back in December, he had 14 points on four three-point shots and four rebounds in the win.  
 
Eddie Davis is third on the team, averaging 17.3 points per game so far this season. Davis is hitting around 46% from the field, and 26.6% from deep this season. He's the team-leader in free throws (82.7%), and also leads the Lions in assists (4.2 per game) and steals (2.2 per game). Davis also averages 4.5 rebounds per game from his guard position. Davis has hit double-figures in scoring 15 times this season, scoring his season-high against SUNY Rockland at home in December, scoring 31 points on 11-for-17 shooting, and going 7-for-7 from the free throw line in the 102-74 win. Davis has gone over 20 points seven times this year, including his last appearance, where he scored 25 points on 10-for-18 shooting against Morris. Against Essex last week, he had his lone double-double of the year, scoring 27 points and putting up ten assists in the win. Davis was great against Lackawanna earlier this season, scoring 24 points on 10-for-17 shooting, and grabbing six boards in the win.  
 
Alif Bass is fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game this year. Bass is shooting around 46% from the field this year, and is hitting just over 33% of his three-point attempts. Bass is second on the team in assists (3.7 per game) and averages just over a steal per contest. Bass is also averaging 4.4 rebounds per game. 16 times he's gone for double-digits, including his season-high of 23 points twice this season. He had 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting in a 93-81 win at Essex back in December, then scored 23 again on 8-for-12 shooting and seven free throws in the loss to Harcum back in January. Bass has one double-double, when he scored 14 points and had a season-high 12 rebounds in the win over Rockland in December. Bass has hit a season-high six assists in one game four times this year. Against Morris, he had eleven points, six assists, and four rebounds. Against Lackawanna earlier this season, he had 17 points on 7-for-15 shooting, with six rebounds in the win.  
 
Malachi White is averaging 6.6 points per game this year, shooting 50.4% from the field, and hitting 78% of his free throws this season. White averages 3.5 rebounds per game, and just under an assist and a steal per game. White has scored in double-figures six times this year, including three of his last four games. He set his season-high with 30 points in the win over Essex last week, going 14-for-19 from the floor. He also reached his season-high with eight rebounds in that game, the third time he's done it this year. white had a season-high five assists in the win at Rockland back in January. Against Morris, he had nine points and five rebounds in the win. Against Lackawanna, the first time around, he had two points and three rebounds in 18 minutes.
 
Ruben Reyes is averaging 6.5 points per game this season. Reyes is an 81% free throw shooter, and is shooting 31% from the field on the year. He averages just over two rebounds per contest, and just over one assist per game. Reyes has gone for double-digits in points on seven separate occasions, including his season-high of 22 in the OT loss to Chesapeake, where he hit a season-best six three-pointers. Reyes had six points and a pair of rebounds in the win over Morris on Tuesday. Against Lackawanna in December, he had three points in 13 minutes of action.
 
The head coach for Raritan Valley is Kevin Ryan, now on his second stint with the Lions. Ryan took over the program in 2012, going 10-14 overall. That would be the last season in which the Lions did not make the Region XIX playoffs under Ryan. The next year, he went 20-7, capturing a GSAC championship, COTY aware, and finishing as runner-up in the Region XIX playoffs. Ryan would step away after the '17-'18 campaign, only to come back a year later, leading the Lions to the Region XIX championship game, where they'd finish as runners-up. He'd do it again a year later in the pandemic-shortened '20-'21 campaign, only to finish as runners-up again, this time against Lackawanna College. Ryan is in his tenth season at Raritan Valley, and is 154-97 in his tenure.
 
Game Information
The game is set for a 7:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium, and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams set to tip-off first at 5:00pm ET. 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. Before the game, there will be a program to celebrate the six sophomores who will be playing their final regular season home games as Falcons, as well as the difference makers in our student-athletes' times at Lackawanna with a special presentation between games on Staff and Faculty Appreciation Night.
 
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 continue their run through Region XIX play with another home game this Saturday, February 11^th, when they host the Mercer County CC Vikings. That game is set for a 1:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union.