11/2/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College men's basketball had a tough end to its 2023-2024 campaign, and the Falcons are ready to get back to their winning ways in the 2024-2025 scholastic year. The season starts in earnest on Saturday, November 2^nd, as the Falcons travel to south central PA to take on Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
 
The tip is scheduled for 12:00pm ET inside the Thaddeus Stevens gymnasium in Lancaster, PA. The Falcons have two games in three days, as they open their home slate on Monday, November 4^th, against PSU Scranton inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium. Tip for that game is set for 6:00pm ET.
 
Media Day 2024 Recap
Just last week, Lackawanna men's basketball gathered for its annual media day, where the guys took pictures and chatted ahead of the 2024-2025 season.
 
Last year's Falcons went 8-18, ending the season on an eight-game slide and missing the Region XIX playoffs. Lackawanna's performance throughout the season was one of heart and effort, but too often the Falcons faltered on defense, or dug a hole too deep to come back from. Forward Aamir Mack (Atlantic City, NJ) was the bright spot for the Falcons, becoming the 12^th player, ever, to score 1,000 points in a Lackawanna College uniform for a career.
 
The cupboard isn't completely bare, but the Falcons need to replace a lot of offensive firepower from last season, having graduated or lost their top nine scorers from a year ago. Shai Solo (Brooklyn, NY) is the lone returning player with experience, making 15 appearances and averaging ten minutes per game, scoring about 3.5 points per game and averaging 1.3 rebounds per game in his limited time.
 
Someone the Falcons will rely on, from both a scoring and leadership perspective, is Yoav Cohen (Ramat Gan, Israel). Cohen is a sharp-shooting swing guard who missed all last season with a medical redshirt, but stuck around the team and served in a support role for his teammates. Cohen is healthy and itching to get on the court and show what he can do.
 

 
Another player from last year's team that did not see time, but may step up this season, is Steven McKoy (Beverly, NJ). McCoy is a guard that also missed last season due to injury. He's joined by Derek Rivera (Bronx, NY), who was a part of last year's team, but did not play.
 
The lack of returning experience means the Falcons will be relying on some first-year players and transfers to step in and step up. Point guard Shawnn Smith (Philadelphia, PA) joins the Falcons after spending time with Lock Haven University last year. Smith will help give the Falcons some steady hands at the wheel when running the offense. Guard Nick Marabito (Upper Darby, PA) joins the Falcons after spending last year at Washington Adventist University. Swing guard Jasier Carter (North Brunswick, NJ) was a productive player at Bucks County CC last season. A few other transfers include Ousmane Diallo (Burkina Faso), Jireej Cole (Bronx, NY) and Zykir Williams (Philadelphia, PA). Diallo comes to Lackawanna from Luzerne County CC, Cole from SUNY Sullivan, and Williams from Northampton CC. Diallo is eligible for the fall semester, while Cole and Williams will become eligible in the spring.
 
There are several first-year players that the Falcons are hoping will produce, and swing guard Noah McIntosh (Philadelphia, PA) will look to be a contributor. McIntosh played at Cardinal O'Hara HS in the powerful Philadelphia Catholic League. He spoke to us about what he thinks he can bring to the table in 2024.
 

 
First-year player Robert Bell (Willow Grove, PA) will hopefully give the Falcons more depth at the guard spot, and first-year guard from Wilkes-Barre, Evan Laybourn-Boddie, will give the Falcons a local product with tremendous upside. Other first-year players joining the program this season include guards Xavier Spears (East Stroudsburg, PA), Elijah Smith (Washington, D.C.), and Darryl Bennett (Carbondale, PA), along with forwards Oliver Almonte (Scranton, PA),  Noah Elias (Silver Spring, MD), Nysir Neal-Pelzer (Philadelphia, PA), Tyrick Moy (Williamsport, PA), and Jaden McMeekin (Pittsburgh, PA). Elias will be available to the Falcons in the spring semester.
 
Back for his fifth year overall, and his second season in charge, is Kirk Fallon. Coach Fallon brings Mackenzie Heath and Dirk Haynes back to his bench, and is looking for his team to take a step forward this year. Coach Fallon talked at media day about his expectations for the squad this year.
 

 
The Falcons are busy in the fall semester, and like the women's team, will be on the road fairly often throughout the fall. Lackawanna has three of its 16 fall semester games at home. After the PSU Scranton opener on November 4^th, Lackawanna won't be home again until November 21^st against Harcum College. The first Region XIX home game is December 12^th against Sussex County CC. The Falcons have a crossover with DIII powerhouse Montgomery County CC on November 6^th, then will take part in the Lazer Tip-Off Classic next weekend in Syracuse, NY, followed by the Niagara Tip-Off Classic the following weekend. Lackawanna opens its Region XIX schedule with an away game at Essex. Apart from the region schedule, the non-region schedule will see Lackawanna take on SUNY Ulster, SUNY Westchester, Rockland CC, Cecil College, SUNY Orange, and Monroe University. Lackawanna will play Jefferson CC and Onondaga next weekend, and then Niagara County CC and Jamestown CC the weekend after that up at Niagara County.