1/11/24

SCRANTON, Pa. -- Mason Lawson hit the game-winning three-point shot with 2.1 seconds remaining, and Lackawanna College overcame a second half deficit to knock off SUNY Sullivan County CC, 78-75, in a wild non-region men's NJCAA basketball game on Thursday evening at the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium.
 
The Falcons (6-8), after trailing 57-50 in the second half, had rallied to a five-point lead at 69-64 with just under six minutes to play, but the Generals (10-7) quickly got the game within a score, and both teams traded buckets until it was 75-all with about 12 seconds to play. Lackawanna College called a timeout to draw up an inbounds play, but, with the shot clock winding down, the Falcons were running low on time. That's when Lawson (Sophomore; Boston, MA) hurled an off-balance three that banked in just before the shot clock expired, giving Lackawanna an improbable 78-75 lead with 2.1 seconds remaining.
 
Lackawanna was whistled for a technical after the shot when bench players entered the playing surface, but Sullivan missed the free throw, and the Falcons didn't let the tying shot get up before the horn, securing the win against the visitors in the Falcons' first game of the 2024 portion of the schedule.
 
Four Lackawanna College players were in double-figures, as the Falcons shot 43% from the floor, hit nine three-pointers, and were 11-for-14 from the free throw line. Lawson had ten points and four assists, while Pablo Avalos Ortiz (Sophomore; Málaga, Spain) led the way with 22 points, all off the bench. Aamir Mack (Sophomore; Atlantic City, NJ) added 20 points and seven rebounds, while Niare Poplar (Sophomore; Philadelphia, PA) scored 14 points, all in the second half, helped along by four second half three-pointers.
 
Sullivan was led by Andre Bowles with 19 points and six rebounds. Tajuan Thomas added 13 points, and Erik Jarecki scored eleven points.
 
The Falcons get right back to action on Saturday, January 13^th, with another non-region contest. Lackawanna is set to host SUNY Ulster County CC in the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams playing first at 1:00pm ET at the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium. The men's teams are scheduled for a 3:00pm ET start.