11/16/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College men's basketball will look to keep its early season winning streak rolling with a pair of tough games this weekend in western New York, as the Falcons participate in the SUNY Niagara Tip-Off Classic in Sanborn, NY on Saturday, November 16^th, and Sunday, November 17^th.  
 
All games in the men's and women's showcase will take place in the SUNY Niagara gymnasium. The Falcons will face their first opponent, the #19 SUNY Niagara Thunder Wolves, on Saturday at 6:00pm ET. Then, on Sunday, the Falcons will face Jamestown CC 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 (4-2) are on a three-game winning streak, most recently knocking off SUNY Ulster by a 96-71 margin on Tuesday night. Lackawanna had four players in double-figures in the 25-point win.
 
Through the five games with stats, the Falcons are averaging 74.4 points per contest, while giving up 70.6. Lackawanna is shooting 36.7% from the field and just 19.7% from downtown. Meanwhile, the Lackawanna opponents are hitting 41.9% and 32.5%, respectively. Lackawanna has a -0.2 rebounding margin, and a 0.9 assist/turnover ratio. Lackawanna has forced 110 turnovers so far this season, and is averaging 13.8 steals per contest through its first five games.
 
Sophomore guard Shawnn Smith (Philadelphia, PA) is the leading scorer for Lackawanna averaging 16.5 points per game this season. Smith is shooting 44% from the floor and is a perfect 14-for-14 from the free throw line. He averages 5.6 rebounds per game and has 12 assists. He has scored 20 points or more in three games this season, and has scored in double-figures in all six games he's played. Smith had 23 points and seven rebounds, while playing all 40 minutes, in a loss to Montgomery County CC on November 6^th. Smith had 16 points in the win against Ulster on Tuesday night.
 
First-year guard Evan Laybourn-Boddie (Wilkes-Barre, PA) is averaging 16.3 points per game this season, second on the team, shooting 35% from the floor and 81% from the free throw line. Laybourn-Boddie leads the team with 14 assists and 18 steals through the five games with stats. Laybourn-Boddie has scored double-digits five times this season, putting up a season-high 28 points in the win against SUNY Onondaga on November 10^th, making eleven shots, four of which were three-pointers, while putting up five steals, four assists, and four rebounds. He had a season-high five rebounds in a loss to PSU Scranton back on November 4^th. Laybourn-Boddie had 19 points in the win against Ulster back on Tuesday.
 
First-year stretch forward Noah McIntosh (Philadelphia, PA) is third on the team with 12.7 points per contest this year. McIntosh is shooting 38.8% from the floor and averages five rebounds per contest this season. He also has six assists, seven steals, and five blocks. Noah has scored in double-figures in four games this season, putting up a season-high 20 points against Jefferson CC on November 9^th, hitting nine shots and pulling down seven rebounds. McIntosh had 12 points in the win against SUNY Ulster on Tuesday night.
 
First-year forward Tyrick Moy (Williamsport, PA) is averaging 6.4 points per game and 7.4 rebounds per game this season, leading the Falcons in rebounding. Moy also has five assists and is shooting 50% from the floor. Moy has scored in double-figures once so far this season, putting up 14 points and a season-best eleven rebounds in the win against Jefferson last weekend. Moy had seven points and six rebounds in the win against Onondaga.
 
First-year forward Jaden McMeekin (Pittsburgh, PA) is averaging four points per game through five contests. McMeekin is shooting 24% from the floor, making five three-pointers so far this season. McMeekin averages 3.2 rebounds per contest, with six assists and six steals this season. McMeekin scored his season-high six points twice this season, scoring six against PSU Scranton and six against Montgomery County CC. McMeekin did not score in his last game against Onondaga, but he had two rebounds, one assist, and three steals in the win. He did not play against SUNY Ulster.
 
Head coach Kirk Fallon is in his second season as the head coach, and his fifth overall with Lackawanna College men's basketball. Fallon came to the Falcons after a successful two seasons coaching girls basketball at Susquehanna Community HS. Fallon led the Lady Sabers to back-to-back PIAA District 2 championships and a 40-17 record in his two years. Before that, he was also a college basketball assistant at Keystone College for four seasons, where he was involved a lot of the logistics for the program. Kirk has a Bachelor's degree from Marywood, where he played three seasons for the Pacers. He's a northeast PA native, graduating from Susquehanna as a 1,000-point scorer. Fallon is 12-20 in his career at Lackawanna as head coach.
 
About #19 SUNY Niagara
The #19 Thunder Wolves (6-0) are unbeaten this season, scoring 75 or more points in every game this year. Niagara has topped 90 points in three games, with a season-best 109 points coming in the 109-102 win at Allegany College of Maryland on November 8^th. In their last game, the Thunder Wolves beat Cuyahoga CC by a 75-65 margin. The Wolves opened up an eleven-point lead at halftime and held on through a tight second half for the win. Four Niagara players scored in double-figures, and the Wolves shot 37.3% from the field, and outrebounded their opponents by a 44-32 margin. Niagara forced 23 turnovers and had 15 steals.
 
Niagara is averaging 89.8 points per game this season, while giving up 78.2 points per contest this year. Niagara is shooting 42.7% from the floor and is hitting 32.8% from beyond-the-arc. Opponents are shooting 41% from the floor and 32.6% from deep. Niagara outrebounds its opposition by a 42-35.2 margin, just below +7, and the Wolves force the opposition to commit 17 turnovers per contest. Niagara averages 4.5 blocks per contest and 6.7 steals per game.
 
Sophomore guard Jamyier Patton leads the team with 20.8 points per game, shooting 52.4% from the floor and 41.7% from downtown, while making 82.9% from the free throw line. Patton averages six rebounds per game, third on the team, along with three steals per contest and 1.8 steals per game. He's scored in double-figures in all six games this season, putting up a season-high 27 points in the win against Harford on November 10^th. He had a season-best ten makes in the win against Genesee to open the season, where he scored 26 points. Patton has hit his season-best in rebounds twice this season, with nine boards in both wins against Genesee and Harford. He had a season-best five assists in the win against WVU Potomac back on November 9^th. Patton had 14 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals in the win against Cuyahoga CC earlier this week.
 
First-year guard Chioke Marshall is second on the team with 17 points per game this season, averaging 45.3% from the floor and a team-best 53.8% from downtown, while hitting 84% from the free throw line. Marshall is averaging four rebounds per game, while dishing out 1.2 assists per game. Marshall has five games in double-figures this season, putting up a season-high 32 points in the win against Allegany on November 8^th, hitting six shots from the field and going 18-for-18 from the free throw line. His season-best six rebounds came against WVU Potomac. Marshall had 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals in the win against Cuyahoga CC this week.
 
Sophomore guard Jalen Duff is averaging 13.5 points per game this season, third on the team. Duff is shooting 37.9% from the field and hitting 34.5% from the three-point line. He's also a 72.4% from the free throw line. Duff averages 5.2 rebounds per game, and 3.2 assists per contest, while also putting up 1.7 steals per game. He has scored in double-figures in five of his six appearances this season. His season-high was 19 points against Genesee, where he made six shots from the floor, four of them three-pointers. He set season-highs in rebounds (8) and steals (5) against Cuyahoga earlier this week, while scoring ten in the win.
 
Sophomore stretch guard Camron Dyer averages eleven points per game, fourth on the squad. He's shooting 45% from the floor and is an 81.8% shooter from the free throw line. Dyer is second on the team with 6.3 rebounds per game, averaging an assist per contest and a team-high two blocks per game. Dyer has scored in double-figures in four games this year, including his season-high 19 points against Allegany College of Maryland, where he hit eight shots in the win. He set a season-high in rebounds with nine boards in the win against Allegheny. He had three blocks, a season-best, in the win against Harford. He had 13 points, six rebounds, and two blocks in the win against Cuyahoga earlier this week.
 
The head coach is Bill Beilein, now in his 16^th season in charge of the Thunder Wolves. Beilein has gotten his squad to four Region III DII Final Fours, coming up with four region championships. Niagara has also made four national tournaments under Beilein. He's a six-time Region III Coach of the Year, and has developed six NJCAA All-Americans. Before coming to Niagara in 2009, Beilein was an assistant at Medaille College. He spent time in the HS ranks, as well as time as an assistant at the University of Mobile and SUNY New Paltz. Beilein is the nephew of former Michigan head coach John Beilein, a Niagara native. The younger Beilein was a four-year letter winner at SUNY Oswego, where he earned a bachelor's degree in history, followed by a master's degree in athletic administration from Canisius. Beilein has a 319-127 overall record at SUNY Niagara.
 
About Jamestown CC
The Jayhawks have struggled (1-5) coming into the weekend, dropping three in a row after an impressive 38-point win against SUNY Sullivan back on November 9^th. Jamestown lost its last game, an 80-49 setback against Villa Maria on Thursday, November 14^th. Despite only scoring 49 points, the Jayhawks shot 47.5% from the floor for the game. Jamestown committed eleven turnovers and was just 5-for-6 from the free throw line. They fell behind by a 37-22 margin at the break, and were outscored by 43-27 after halftime. The Jayhawks will play CC of Beaver County on Saturday, before taking on the Falcons on Sunday.
 
Jamestown is averaging 70.3 points per game this season, shooting at 45.5% from the floor and hitting 35.9% from beyond-the-arc. Their opponents are averaging 82.2 points per game this season and are shooting at 49% and 29.9% from the field and downtown, respectively. Jamestown is almost even on rebounding margin, with 28.8 rebounds for the team vs. 29.3 rebounds against. They average 15.7 turnovers per game, while their opponents are putting up nearly eleven steals per game.
 
First-year guard Travis Castro leads the squad with 14.3 points per game, averaging 47.1% from the floor, hitting 37.5% from downtown, and shooting 91% from the free throw line. Castro averages 3.7 rebounds per contest, along with 1.7 assist per game. Castro has scored in double-figures four times this year, with a season-best 30 points coming in the win against Sullivan. Castro made eleven shots, including six three-pointers, and had a season-best three steals and two rebounds in the win. Castro has scored in double-figures in his last four games, including 13 points and three rebounds in the win at Villa Maria this past Thursday.
 
First-year player Federico Foddai is second on the team with 11.7 points per game, shooting 37.1% from the floor and hitting 34.8% from three-point range. Foddai leads the team with 6.2 rebounds per game, while also putting up two assists per contest. Foddai has scored in double-figures in four games this season, culminating in his season-high with 22 points in a loss to Cecil College back on November 10^th. He hit eight shots, six of which were from three-point range, in the loss to the Eagles. Foddai has one double-double this season, scoring 12 points and pulling down a season-best eleven rebounds in the win against Lakeland CC on November 5^th. Foddai had a season-best four assists in the loss to Cecil. Foddai had five points and four rebounds in the loss to Villa Maria on Thursday.
 
First-year player Tamir Barrant is third on the team with 9.7 points per game this year. Barrant is shooting 38.6% from the floor and hitting 80% of his free throws this season. Tamir averages four rebounds per game, along with 2.2 assists per contest. He has three games in double-figures, with a season-best 20 points coming in the loss to Cecil, where he hit seven shots. He has twice gotten a season-high six rebounds, once against Sullivan and the other against Allegheny back on November 12^th. He set a season-high in assists with five helpers in the loss to Villa Maria on Thursday, where he also scored just two points and had one rebound.
 
First-year player Marcus Wynter averages 9.5 points per game, fourth on the team this season. Wynter is shooting 59% from the floor, 25% from downtown, and about 60% from the free throw line. Wynter averages six rebounds per game, second on the team, while also leading the Jayhawks in assists per game (4.8) and steals per game (2.2). Wynter has two games where he's gone for double-digits, scoring 15 points twice in the win against Sullivan and the loss to Allegheny. He had a double-double against Sullivan, putting up his season-best eleven rebounds in the victory. He had six points and a season-high 12 assists in the loss to Cecil. He had seven points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in the loss to Villa Maria on Thursday.
 
The head coach is Xavier Churnac, now in his sixth season in charge of the Jayhawks. Churnac came to Jamestown in 2019, and his teams made three straight Region III playoffs at the start of his tenure, including a championship game appearance in 2021. Churnac was the interim head coach the year before his hiring and was an assistant with the program since 2015 prior to that elevation. Churnac has a season of semi-professional basketball under his belt, and is a former Jamestown basketball player, spending two seasons with the Jayhawks in 2010 through 2012. He then went on to play at Edinboro University on athletic scholarship. Churnac has a bachelor's degree in communications from Edinboro, and an AAS in general studies from Jamestown. He's a Kingston, Jamaica native, but moved to the US when he was five, and grew up in East Harlem, NY. He has a 31-91 overall record in his time at Jamestown CC.
 
The Match-Ups
The Tip-Off Classic gets under way on Saturday, November 16^th with both men's and women's teams competing at SUNY Niagara in Sanborn, NY. The first game for Lackawanna will be on Saturday at 6:00pm ET, when the Falcons face #19 SUNY Niagara, the hosts. Then, on Sunday, November 17^th, the Falcons will take on Jamestown CC at 12:00pm ET. Every game will have a video livestream available via the SUNY Niagara Hudl Fan Channel, linked HERE.
 
Lackawanna gets back to work on Tuesday, November 19^th, when the Falcons open up Region XIX DII play on the road, with a match-up against the Essex County College Wolverines in Newark, NJ. Tip is scheduled for 7:00pm ET inside the Essex County College gymnasium, and the men's game will be the second of a doubleheader, with the women's teams playing first at 5:00pm ET.