11/15/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College women's basketball is back to action this weekend with a pair of games in western New York, as the Falcons compete in the Niagara Tip-Off Classic at Niagara County CC in Sanborn, NY on Saturday, November 16^th, and Sunday, November 17^th.
 
All games in the men's and women's tournament will take place in the Niagara County CC gymnasium. The Falcons will face their first opponent, Jamestown CC, on Saturday afternoon at 4:00pm ET. Then, on Sunday afternoon, the Falcons will take on the hosts, the #17 Niagara County CC Thunder Wolves, at 12:00pm ET. Every game will have a video livestream available via the SUNY Niagara Hudl Fan Channel, linked HERE.
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (2-1) enters the weekend after dropping their first loss, a 76-62 setback on the road at Montgomery College (MD) on Tuesday evening. Lackawanna struggled shooting, hitting just 26% from the floor and 18% from the three-point arc, while also hitting only 52.2% of its free throws. That being said, the Falcons cut the deficit to just four points at 66-62 with a little over three minutes remaining. Unfortunately, Lackawanna went 0-for-6 the rest of the way, missing four free throws, to boot, as the Raptors pulled away for the win.
 
Through three games, the Falcons are averaging 74.67 points per game, shooting at 35% from the floor. They are only hitting 23% from downtown, and are at 52.5% from the free-throw line. The Falcons hold a +6 rebound advantage at 49.7 to 43.7, and they are holding their opponents to 31.8% from the floor, and a 65 points per game average so far this season. The Falcons have 43 steals through three games, a 14.3 per game average.
 
Sophomore forward Salote Franklin (Philadelphia, PA) leads the team with 18.7 points per game through her first three. Salote is shooting 42.3% from the floor and averaging a team-high 12 rebounds per game. She also has eight steals, second on the team. Salote had 30 points in the season-opening victory against CCBC Catonsville back on November 1^st, shooting 13-for-21 from the floor, while pulling down eight rebounds. She set a season-high for rebounds with 18 in the win against Richard Bland College on November 2^nd, putting up 19 points for her first double-double of the season. She struggled earlier this week against Montgomery, shooting just 2-for-14 and putting up seven points and ten rebounds in the loss to the Raptors.
 
Sophomore guard Desiree White (Carlisle, PA) is second on the team with 14.7 points per game through her first three, hitting a team-high seven three-point shots and shooting 32.6% from the floor to start the season. White averages four rebounds a game and has five steals through her first three contests. Desi has hit double-figures twice this year, scoring her season-high in the loss to Montgomery, where she had 26 points, including four three-pointers and six free throws, along with three steals. Against Catonsville, she had 13 points and four boards. Desi led the team last season, averaging 16.9 points per game and hitting a team-high 40 three-pointers.
 
Sophomore guard Jayla South (Long Pond, PA) is third on the team with eleven points per game through her three appearances. South is shooting just 25% and is 2-for-17 from three through the early going. She averages 8.7 rebounds per game, second on the team, and has eight assists, second on the squad, and four steals so far this season. South has scored in double-figures in all three games this season, with her season-high 12 points coming against Montgomery. She got that despite shooting 4-for-18 from the floor, and just 3-for-7 from the free throw line. She also had eleven rebounds for the double-double. South had eleven points and six boards in the win at Catonsville, and put up ten points, nine rebounds, and four assists in the win against Richard Bland College.
 
Sophomore forward E'ternity Aiken (Wilkes-Barre, PA) has 19 points through two games, 15 of which came in the win against Richard Bland College. Aiken is 7-for-13 (53.8%) from the floor, and has 14 rebounds through two games. She also has five steals. Aiken had 15 points and eleven boards in the win against Richard Bland College. She also had four steals and a pair of assists. She did not play against Montgomery earlier this week.
 
First-year guard Ania Crocker (Freeport, NY) is averaging 8.3 points per game through her three appearances this season, shooting 38.7% from the floor. Crocker is averaging five rebounds per game, and has a team-high nine assists and eleven steals. She also leads the team in blocks with five so far this season. Crocker scored her season-high eleven points against Richard Bland College, putting up five assists in the win. She had eight points and six boards in the win against Catonsville. She had six points and seven rebounds, along with three blocks, in the loss to Montgomery on Tuesday.
 
Sophomore forward Saraiah Franklin (Philadelphia, PA) is averaging four points and six rebounds per game through her first three appearances. Franklin is shooting 33% from the floor and has six assists through three games. Saraiah had her season-bests in points (6) and rebounds (9), along with three steals, in the loss to Montgomery on Tuesday. She had four points, five rebounds, and four assists against Richard Bland College.
 
Head coach Monica Spence is in her third season at the helm for the Falcons. Spence spent a year as an assistant before taking over the program in 2022. Before her time at Lackawanna, Spence spent time coaching at youth levels and in semi-professional men's basketball. Spence is a Wilkes-Barre native, who played her high school basketball locally at Wilkes-Barre GAR. Spence is 23-26 in her time as the head coach for the Falcons.
 
About Jamestown CC
The Jayhawks (4-1) have won four straight heading into the weekend, after dropping their season opener against PSU Shenango back on November 3^rd. Their latest win was a 61-54 victory on the road at CC of Allegheny County. The Jayhawks shot 44% from the floor and took a 15-point lead into halftime, then cruised to the win from there. Jamestown had three players in double-figures, and held its opponent to 32% shooting. The Jayhawks overcame a 35-point performance from Allegheny's Skye Harris Butler.
 
Through five games, the Jayhawks average 67.6 points per contest, while giving up just 58.4. Jamestown shoots 40.3% from the floor, and hits around 26% from downtown. Their opponents are at 40.2% from the floor, and much better at 39.6% from deep. Jamestown owns a +23.8 rebounding margin, 45.2-to-21.4, and averages 12 steals per game. The Jayhawks are sloppy, however, averaging 30 turnovers per contest.
 
Sophomore Myla Truitt leads the balanced Jayhawk attack with 13.2 points per game this season, shooting at 43.8% from the floor. Truitt averages 3.4 rebounds per game, and has a team-best 3.2 assists, along with 2.4 steals per game this season. Truitt has scored in double-figures in all five of her games this year, including a season-high 15 points in the win at Cuyahoga CC on November 8^th. She shot 58% from the floor in that victory. She had a season-best seven rebounds in the loss to PSU Shenango on November 3^rd, but also put up her season-high in steals with six. She had a season-best four assists in the win against Clark State College on November 9^th. She had 14 points on 6-for-12 shooting with a rebound, two steals, and three assists in the win against CC of Allegheny on Tuesday.
 
Sophomore forward Courtney Martin is second on the team at 9.8 points per game, hitting 52.3% from the field this season. Martin is third on the team at 5.2 rebounds per game, and averages 1.4 blocks per game this year. She has three games in double-figures, with a season-best 16 points on 8-for-13 shooting coming in the win at Cuyahoga CC. Martin had a season-high nine rebounds in the loss to PSU Shenango. She had ten points and four rebounds, along with two blocks, in the win against Allegheny earlier this week.
 
Sophomore guard Jennica Berens is third on the team with nine points per game this season, hitting on 43.2% of her shots. Berens is averaging five rebounds per game, fourth on the team, and is second with 2.8 assists per contest this year. She also leads the team with 4.4 steals per game. Twice she's scored in double-figures this year, scoring 16 points against Lakeland Community College on November 5^th, and then putting up 16 in the win against Allegheny earlier this week. She had a great all-around game against Allegheny, getting a season-best eight steals, four assists, and three rebounds in the win. She had a season-high eight rebounds against Clark State on November 9^th, and she set her season-high against Cuyahoga CC on November 8^th with five assists.
 
Alyson Canfield is averaging 8.6 points per game this season, shooting at 26.3% from the floor. Canfield averages four rebounds per game, along with an assist per game and 0.8 steals per game. Canfield scored over ten points once this season, scoring a season-high 21 points in the win against Clark State College, making eight shots from the field and hitting four three-pointers. She set a season-high with eight rebounds against Lakeland Community College, where she also had three assists, a season-best. Against Allegheny, she had eight points, four rebounds, and an assist on Tuesday.
 
The head coach for the Jayhawks is Dave Turnbull, now in his fourth season in charge. Turnbull was hired in the summer of 2021, and quickly won Region III Coach of the Year, helping the Jayhawks to a 13-15 overall record and a berth in the NJCAA East District Semi-Final, where they lost to Union College. Turnbull had the Region III Player of the Year, plus three All-Region selections that season. His team improved its win total to 15 in the 2022-2023 season, and made the Region III championship game, before falling to SUNY Niagara. They went back to the region championship in the 2023-2024 season, going 13-13 overall, but once again falling to SUNY Niagara. Before his time at Jamestown, Turnbull won a pair of sectional titles at Southwestern Central School, going 71-24 as the head coach. Prior to that, he was at Maple Grove HS, where he won a sectional championship. He spent time as a camp instructor at the University of North Carolina before his time in high school. He's a Jamestown native with a Juris Doctorate from Syracuse University's College of Law. He also holds a bachelor's degree from UNC Chapel Hill, and he also has an associate's degree from Jamestown CC. Turnbull is 45-39 in his career at Jamestown.
 
About SUNY Niagara
The #17 Thunder Wolves (6-0) have been excellent this season, winning every game by at least 20 points. The closest game was a 22-point win against Harford CC at the Allegany College of Maryland Personal Best Classic last weekend. The most lopsided win came against Genesee CC, a 102-21 victory back on November 2^nd. Their latest victory was a 67-41 victory against Cuyahoga CC on Wednesday, November 13^th. Niagara forced 44 turnovers, overcoming a poor shooting night at 31.3%, where they were just 3-for-27 from downtown. The Thunder Wolves outrebounded Cuyahoga by a 53-41 margin and came up with 21 steals.
 
Niagara is averaging 85 points per game through its six contests, while giving up 44.8 points per game so far this season. The Thunder Wolves are shooting 39.2% from the field, and are hitting 24% from the three-point line. Their opponents are hitting 29.5% from the floor, while shooting 22% from downtown. The Thunder Wolves have a 52.8-to-37 rebounding advantage, a +15.8 margin. Their opponents are averaging 28.7 turnovers per game, while the Thunder Wolves average 14.5 steals per contest. Niagara also averages 20.5 assists per contest.
 
First-year guard Mackenzie Owens is averaging a team-high 11.7 points per game this year, shooting 31.6% from the floor, and hitting 25% from the three-point line. She averages 3.8 rebounds per game, along with 1.5 assists per contest and about half a steal per game. She has scored in double-figures in five games this season, scoring her season-high 15 points in the win against Allegheny back on November 3^rd. She's hit her season-high in rebounds three times this year, getting five rebounds in her first three games this season. She had five points, three rebounds, and two assists in the win against Cuyahoga CC on Wednesday.
 
Sophomore stretch guard Krystal Smith is averaging eleven points per game this season, second on the squad. Smith is shooting 43.1% from the field and is hitting 68.8% from the free throw line. Smith leads the team with 8.3 rebounds per contest and is second on the team with 3.7 assists per game, along with 3.2 steals per game, second on the team. Smith has four games with double-digit points, scoring a season-high 19 points in the win at Allegany College of Maryland on November 8^th. She has hit double-digits in rebounds twice this year, getting a double-double against Harford with eleven points and ten rebounds. She had a season-high 12 rebounds in the win against Cuyahoga, while also putting up nine points. She had a season-best seven assists in the win against Allegheny and has twice hit her season-high of five steals this season. In addition to her nine points and 12 boards, she had three steals and a block in the win at Cuyahoga.
 
First-year forward Ava Bull is averaging 9.8 points per game this season, shooting a team-high 63.4% from the floor this season, while putting up 8.2 rebounds per contest, second on the squad. She averages a steal per game, and 0.7 assists per contest. Bull has scored in double-figures three times this season, with her season-best 20 points coming against Allegany College of Maryland, where she shot 8-for-10 from the floor. She also ended up with a double-double, pulling down a season-high ten rebounds in the win. She has pulled down at least six rebounds in every game this season. She had just two points on 1-for-7 shooting against Cuyahoga, but she also pulled down six rebounds and a steal in the win.
 
Sophomore guard Makayla Thomas is averaging 9.3 points per game this season, fourth on the team. Thomas is shooting 45.1% from the floor this season and is hitting 33% from the three-point line. Thomas has 4.2 rebounds per contest this season, while averaging 2.7 assists per game and 2.8 steals per game. Thomas has scored twice in double-figures, getting a season-best 15 points in the win against Cuyahoga CC on Wednesday. She has one double-double this season, with 14 points and eleven rebounds against WVU Potomac in the win on November 9^th. She had a season-high five assists in the win against Allegheny. Against Cuyahoga, she had her 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, and her season-high of six steals.
 
Sophomore forward Anaya Smith is averaging nine points per game this season, shooting 42.3% from the floor, with 33% from downtown. She's averaging 6.5 rebounds per contes this season, along with 1.2 blocks per game and just under one steal per game. Smith has scored in double-figures twice this season, going for her season-high 14 points against Harford back on November 10^th. She has twice hit her season-high with nine rebounds coming against Allegany and Harford. Against Cuyahoga on Wednesday, she had 13 points, six rebounds, and two steals.
 
First-year guard Isabella Karabetsos is averaging 8.7 points per game, shooting 36% from the field and 37.5% from downtown. Karabetsos averages 3.8 rebounds per game, and leads the team with 6.2 assists per game, along with 3.5 steals per game. She has scored in double-figures three times this season, scoring ten points in contests against Genesee, Allegheny, and Harford. She hasn't had a game below five assists this season, setting a season-high twice with seven assists against Allegheny and Harford. She had a season-best five steals in the win against Genesee. She had nine points, six rebounds, five assists, and four steals in the win at Cuyahoga on Wednesday.
 
The head coach is Nate Beutel, now in his 13^th season at SUNY Niagara. The Thunder Wolves have become a regional powerhouse, a perennial threat to win the region championship and challenge for a spot in the NJCAA national tournament. He's a six-time Region III Coach of the Year, and his teams have advanced to the Region III Final Four in every season he's been in charge. Beutel has nine seasons with 20 or more wins, taking the Thunder Wolves to a 31-2 record in the 2018-2019 season, going undefeated at 31-0 before dropping a pair of games in the national tournament. Beutel had his team right back in position at 30-1 the next season, but that was cut short due to the pandemic. The Thunder Wolves have gone 29-5, 29-5, and 27-3 in the last three seasons. Before his time at Niagara, Beutel was the head boys basketball coach at Grand Island HS. His coaching resume includes stops at Medaille College, Wilson HS, XGen Elite AAU and Buffalo Storm AAU. He's also coached softball and women's lacrosse in his time at Niagara and has been an adjunct professor at the school. He has a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Medaille College. Beutel is 293-71 in his time at Niagara.
 
The Match-Ups
The Niagara Tip-Off Classic is both a men's and women's event, starting on Saturday afternoon in Sanborn, NY. All games in the men's and women's tournament will take place in the Niagara County CC gymnasium. Falcons women's basketball will face their first opponent, Jamestown CC, on Saturday afternoon at 4:00pm ET. Then, on Sunday afternoon, the Falcons will take on the hosts, the #17 SUNY Niagara Thunder Wolves, at 12:00pm ET. Every game will have a video livestream available via the SUNY Niagara Hudl Fan Channel, linked HERE.
 
After this weekend, the Falcons will open their Region XIX DII schedule with a road game on Tuesday, November 19^th against Essex County College on the road in Newark, NJ. The game tips at 5:00pm ET, and will be the first game of a doubleheader, with the men's teams following.