11/19/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College men's basketball is set to start a challenging Region XIX DII schedule, and it begins on Tuesday, November 19^th, as the Falcons travel to take on the Essex County College Wolverines in Newark, NJ.
 
The game is scheduled to tip-off at 7:00pm ET on the Cleo Hill, Sr. Court inside the Essex County College Physical Wellness Building gymnasium. It will be the second of a doubleheader, with the women's teams scheduled to start first at 5:00pm ET. Both games will have a video livestream available via the Essex Athletics – Wolverine TV YouTube Channel linked HERE.
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (5-3) come into the contest as winners of four of their last five games, splitting a pair of games this past weekend at SUNY Niagara's Tip-Off Classic. Lackawanna fell to D2 #19 SUNY Niagara on Saturday night by an 83-73 score, before taking the 80-76 overtime win against Jamestown CC on Sunday afternoon. Against Niagara, the Falcons held a four-point lead early in the second half, but the Thunder Wolves went on a run to take the lead, and Lackawanna never recovered. On Sunday, the Falcons once again held a lead, this time going up seven with four minutes to play, but the Jayhawks rallied to tie the game and sent it to overtime. The Falcons recovered to pull out the victory in the extra frame.
 
Through eight games, the Falcons are averaging 77.6 points per contest, while giving up 73. Lackawanna is shooting 39.4% from the field and just 22.4% from downtown. Meanwhile, the Lackawanna opponents are hitting 42.4% and 31.7%, respectively. Lackawanna has a +4.1 rebounding margin, with 45.6 boards per game this year. The Falcons have a 0.9 assist/turnover ratio, with 111 assists vs. 116 turnovers. Lackawanna has forced 153 turnovers so far this season, a 19.1 turnovers per game average, and is averaging 12.3 steals per contest through eight games.  
 
First-year guard Evan Laybourn-Boddie (Wilkes-Barre, PA) is averaging 17.1 points per game this season, first on the team, shooting 35.8% from the floor and 79% from the free throw line. Laybourn-Boddie leads the team with 18 three-point makes, 30 assists and 25 steals through the first eight games. Laybourn-Boddie has scored double-digits seven 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 six rebounds twice this season, coming against SUNY Ulster on November 12^th and Jamestown on November 17^th. Laybourn-Boddie had a season-high six assists to go with his 26 points, six rebounds, and three steals in the overtime win against Jamestown this past Sunday.
 
Sophomore guard Shawnn Smith (Philadelphia, PA) is second on the team, averaging 16.4 points per game this season. Smith is shooting 45.6% from the floor and is a perfect 15-for-15 from the free throw line. He averages 5.3 rebounds per game and has 16 assists, second on the team. He has scored 20 points or more in three games this season and has scored double-figures in all seven 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. He set a season-high with nine rebounds in the loss to PSU Scranton on November 4^th. Smith had 13 points, four rebounds, and a steal in the loss to Niagara this past Saturday. He did not play against Jamestown CC on Sunday.
 
First-year stretch forward Noah McIntosh (Philadelphia, PA) is third on the team with 10.4 points per contest this year. McIntosh is shooting 42.7% from the floor and averages 4.3 rebounds per contest this season. He also has eight assists, seven steals, and five blocks. Noah has scored 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 just seven points in two games on the weekend, scoring five points and pulling down three boards in the win against Jamestown CC.
 
First-year forward Tyrick Moy (Williamsport, PA) is averaging 8.1 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game this season, leading the Falcons in rebounding. Moy also has nine assists and is shooting 51.9% from the floor. Moy has scored double-figures twice so far this season, putting up a season-high 17 points and eight rebounds in the win against Jamestown. Moy scored all eight points in overtime for the Falcons. Moy's season-high in rebounding came against Ulster, where he pulled down 12 boards and scored nine points on November 12^th.
 
Sophomore guard Jasier Carter (North Brunswick, NJ) is averaging 5.8 points per game this season, shooting 45.1% from the floor. Carter averages 5.3 rebounds per game, and has eleven assists and seven steals this season. Carter scored a season-high 14 points in the win at Ulster, going 7-for-9 from the floor for the victory. Carter had ten points in two games, scoring eight and grabbing six boards in the loss to Niagara this past Saturday.
 
First-year forward Jaden McMeekin (Pittsburgh, PA) is averaging 4.7 points per game through seven contests. McMeekin is shooting 30.6% from the floor, making eight three-pointers so far this season. McMeekin averages 3.6 rebounds per contest, with eleven assists and nine steals this season. McMeekin scored his season-high seven points in the loss to Niagara on Saturday, grabbing four boards. On Sunday against Jamestown, he set season-highs in rebounds (5) and assists (4), while scoring six points in the overtime win.
 
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 13-21 in his career at Lackawanna as head coach.
 
About Essex County College
The Wolverines (0-4) have yet to get one in the win column, but they are getting closer. Their last game was at home against CCBC Catonsville, where the Wolverines fell 59-56. Essex shot 39.7%, but went 0-for-14 from downtown while committing 12 turnovers on the night.
 
Essex is averaging 67.3 points per game this year, shooting at 41.6% from the floor, while hitting around 26% from three-point territory. Opponents are scoring 77.3 points per game this season, shooting 43.5% from the field. The Wolverines have a -2.8 rebounding margin, pulling down 32.5 rebounds per game this year.
 
Sophomore guard Jaiden Gilzene returns for the Wolverines this season, leading Essex with 42 total points in the two games he's seen action in this year. Gilzene is a 53% shooter from the floor, and has 18 rebounds and five steals through his first two contests. Gilzene had 22 points and eleven rebounds in the loss to Howard CC on November 9^th, then had 20 points, seven rebounds, and three steals against Prince George's CC on November 10^th. Gilzene was great against the Falcons last season, scoring a combined 52 points in two games, including 30 in the 122-120 double OT win at home on January 30^th. He has not played the last two games for Essex.
 
First-year player Ethan Laquindanum is second on the team with 14.8 points per game through the first four, shooting 40.4% from the floor and 73% from the free throw line. Laquindanum averages 4.8 rebounds per game and leads Essex with six assists per contest this year. He also averages a team-high 2.8 steals per contest. Laquindanum has three games with ten or more points, getting a season-high 24 points against SUNY Westchester, along with ten assists and eight rebounds. Laquindanum scored 15 points against Catonsville on November 14^th, with six assists, three rebounds, and three assists.
 
Sophomore Ricardo Gomez averages eight points per game this season, third on the team. Gomez shoot 37.1% from the floor and 38% from downtown. His six rebounds per game is second on the team, and he's averaging 1.3 steals per game through his first four. Gomez reached double-figures once through the first four, scoring a season-best 17 points in the loss to Westchester. He had five points and a season-best eleven boards in the loss to Catonsville.
 
First-year player Jarrett Nelson averages 7.8 points per game, shooting a high percentage at 52.4% from the floor, and a team-best 54.5% from the three-point line. Nelson averages 1.8 rebounds per game, and just below an assist per game this year. Nelson has scored in double-figures once this season, scoring a season-best 21 points against Westchester, where he hit four three-point shots and shot 58% from the floor. He also had three rebounds and two assists against the Vikings. He played just one minute against Catonsville on November 14^th.
 
AJ Kemp is the head coach, in his first season at the helm for Essex County College.
 
The Match-Ups
The Falcons and Wolverines will get underway at 7:00pm ET on the Cleo Hill, Sr. Court inside the Essex County College Physical Wellness Building gymnasium on Tuesday night. It will be the second of a doubleheader, with the women's teams scheduled to start first at 5:00pm ET. Both games will have a video livestream available via the Essex Athletics – Wolverine TV YouTube Channel linked HERE.
 
Lackawanna returns to action on Thursday, November 21^st, when the Falcons are set to host Division I #25 Harcum College. Tip-off is set for 7:00pm ET inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium. The game will be the second in a doubleheader, with the women's teams playing first at 5:00pm ET.