12/13/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College women's basketball will look to wrap up its four-game road swing to end 2024 in style, as the Falcons make the trip to southern Jersey to battle with the Mighty Oaks from Salem CC in Region XIX DII women's basketball action on Saturday, December 14^th.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 12:00pm ET inside the DuPont Fieldhouse in Davidow Hall in Carneys Point, NJ. The game will be the first of a doubleheader at Salem CC for the afternoon, with the Salem men's team taking on nationally ranked Brookdale CC at 2:00pm ET afterwards. The women's game with Lackawanna will have a video livestream available via the SCC Mighty Oaks YouTube Channel, linked HERE.
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (8-4, 5-2) enter the weekend on a two-game winning streak in Region XIX DII play and are currently in third place in the Region XIX DII standings behind undefeated #4 Union and #17 Harcum College. Lackawanna had an exciting victory in its last game, edging Mercer County CC 77-76 on the road this past Tuesday night on the road. It was a game where the Falcons blew a nine-point second half lead, battled back from a late six-point deficit, and hit two big shots down the stretch to come away with the win, including a put-back from Saraiah Franklin (Philadelphia, PA) with five seconds left that turned out to be the game winner. You can read the full game recap HERE.
 
This season, the Falcons are averaging 70.9 points per game, while giving up 69.8 points per game against. Lackawanna is shooting 35.5% from the floor this season, while shooting 24.4% from three-point range. The Falcons have also struggled from the line, hitting 57.9% of their attempts. Lackawanna's opponents are hitting 36.1% from the floor and have hit 30.7% of their three-point shots. Lackawanna has a +1.1 rebounding margin, averaging 44.8 boards per game. The Falcons are averaging 20.4 turnovers per game, while forcing 19.3 per game this year. Lackawanna averages 11.8 steals per contest, while its opponents average 10.8 swipes per game. Lackawanna is averaging 4.3 blocks per game.
 
Sophomore forward Salote Franklin (Philadelphia, PA) leads the team with 16.6 points per game this season, ninth in the region and fourth in DII. Salote is shooting 46.7% from the floor and averages a team-high 10.4 rebounds per game, third in DII. She also has 27 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. Salote has scored in double-figures in eleven games this year and has seven double-doubles on the year. She set a season-high with eight assists in the win against Essex on Tuesday, November 19^th. Franklin had 15 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and a season-high five steals in the win against Delaware Tech on November 23^rd. Salote also leads the Falcons with 15 blocks this year. She had 20 points and 16 rebounds, going 7-for-13 from the floor, in the win against Mercer on Tuesday.
 
Sophomore guard Jayla South (Long Pond, PA) is second on the team with 14 points per game this season, ninth in Region XIX DII. South is shooting 34.4% and has made a team-best 13 three-point shots through the early going. She averages 6.2 rebounds per game, fourth on the team, and has 33 assists, second on the squad, along with 25 steals so far this season. South has scored double-figures in ten games so far this season, scoring her season and career-high with 42 points against Essex on November 19^th, making 15 shots and hitting six three-pointers in the win. She also had eight rebounds and season-highs in assists (7) and steals (5). Jayla set a season-high for rebounds with eleven boards and 12 points in the loss to Montgomery back on November 12^th. Jayla had 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists against Mercer on Tuesday night.
 
Sophomore guard Desiree White (Carlisle, PA) is third on the team with 11.6 points per game through her first seven games, hitting eleven three-point shots and shooting 31% from the floor to start the season. White averages 3.1 rebounds a game and has seven steals through her first seven contests. Desi has hit double-figures three times 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. She missed five games with injury, but returned four games ago to the lineup. Desi had a breakout performance with 20 points on seven makes in the win against Mercer on Tuesday.
 
First-year guard Ania Crocker (Freeport, NY) is averaging 11.5 points per game this season, 16^th in DII, and is shooting 36.5% from the floor. Crocker averages 5.8 rebounds per game and has 35 assists, first on the team. She also leads the Falcons with 31 steals. She's fourth on the team with eight rejections this year. Crocker scored her season-high against Jamestown on November 16^th, exploding for 28 points and a season-best 13 rebounds in the win on November 16^th. Crocker went 13-for-23 from the floor in the win. She set a season-high with seven steals against Richard Bland College on November 2^nd, where she also set her season-high with five assists. Crocker matched that season-high with five assists against Essex on November 19^th, scoring 26 points, grabbing five rebounds, and posting four steals in the win. Ania has not scored in double-figures in her last four games. She had five points and three rebounds, to go with three assists and three steals, in the win against Mercer on Tuesday.
 
Sophomore forward Saraiah Franklin (Philadelphia, PA) is averaging 8.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game through her 12 appearances. Franklin is shooting 41.1% from the floor and has 28 assists on the year. Saraiah had one of her best games of the year against Essex, scoring 14 points and setting a season-high in assists (5), along with matching her season-highs in rebounds (12) and steals (3). Against Harcum on November 21^st, she had a season-best 23 points, scoring 13 in the fourth alone, while going 8-for-9 from the free throw line and pulling down eleven rebounds. She had 12 points and eight rebounds in the win against Del Tech on November 23^rd. Saraiah has two double-doubles on the season. She scored 14 points and had five rebounds and four steals in the win against Mercer, scoring the game-winner on a put-back off a missed free throw with five seconds remaining.
 
Sophomore forward E'ternity Aiken (Wilkes-Barre, PA) is averaging 6.3 points per game through her six contests this year, scoring a season and career-high of 15 points in the win against Richard Bland College. Aiken is shooting 42.4% from the floor and averages seven rebounds per game through her first six appearances. She also has nine 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. Aiken played for the first time in six games two weeks ago against Union, coming back from injury. She tied her season-high with eleven rebounds against Middlesex, along with eight points, two blocks, and two assists. Aiken scored four points, had seven rebounds, and dished out three assists against Mercer.
 
Head coach Monica Spence is in her third season at the helm of 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 29-29 in her time as the head coach for the Falcons.
 
About Salem CC
The Mighty Oaks (4-4, 1-4) had lost four straight games before snagging a win just this past Thursday night, knocking off Bucks County CC by a 73-38 margin at home. Salem opened a 41-12 lead at halftime and were never truly challenged in the win at home. Salem had three players in double-figures and shot 43.7% from the floor, while hitting nine three-pointers. The Mighty Oaks forced 28 turnovers.
 
Through its first eight games, Salem is averaging 70.6 points per game, while giving up 70.8 points against this season. The Mighty Oaks are shooting 40% from the floor and hitting 27.6% from downtown, but have made only 58% of their free throws. Salem's opponents are averaging 38.5% from the floor and 25.9% from three-point range this season. Salem is -1.4 on rebounding margin this season, averaging 39 boards per game. The Oaks average 12.6 turnovers per game, while forcing 19.6 per contest this year. They average 12 steals per game, and their opponents average 13.6 steals per game.
 
First-year guard Nyaijah Jackson is the only player in double-figures this season, averaging 11.6 points per game this season, shooting 52.2% from the floor and 30% from three-point range. She averages 3.8 rebounds per game, fifth on the team, and she is second in assists per contest (2.9) and first in steals (2.3). Jackson has scored double-figures in five games this season, putting up a season-high 18 points in the win against Lehigh Carbon CC on November 16^th. Jackson was 9-for-12 from the floor and had two rebounds and two assists in the win. She had 14 points and a season-high seven rebounds in the loss to Raritan Valley on December 7^th. She also tied her season-highs in assists (4) and steals (4) in that game. Jackson scored nine points and had four rebounds in the win against Bucks on Thursday night. She has started the last two games, after coming off the bench through her first six appearances.
 
First-year forward Akira Chambers is second on the team at 9.9 points per game this season, shooting 55.4% from the floor and 63% from the free throw line this year. Chambers is tied for second on the team at 4.6 rebounds per game this season, and she averages just below a steal per game this year. Chambers has scored in double-figures three times this season, with her season-high coming against Lehigh Carbon, dropping 21 on the Cougars in the win for Salem. Chambers has hit her season-best with six rebounds on three different occasions, including against Bucks on Thursday, putting up seven points and six rebounds in the win for Salem.
 
Sophomore guard Kathryn Laurence is third on the team at 9.8 points per game this year, shooting 41.7% from the floor and a team-best 36.6% from the three-point line. Laurence averages 1.6 assists per game and 2.4 rebounds per contest this year. She has five games in double-figures this season, setting her season-high with 16 points against Bucks on Thursday, hitting six shots, four of which were from downtown. She also set a season-best with five rebounds in the victory against the Centurions. She had 14 points, three rebounds, and a season-best four assists in the win against Delaware Tech back on November 14^th.
 
Sophomore guard Maggie St. Clair averages 9.6 points per game this season, shooting 34.7% from the floor and 60% from the free throw line. She's also averaging around 23% from downtown. St. Clair averages 3.5 rebounds per game and is fourth on the team at 2.6 assists per game. She also averages around 1.4 steals per game this year. St. Clair has three games in double-figures this year, setting a season-best with 17 points in a ten-point loss to Essex on November 23^rd. She hit four three-pointers and had a season-high three steals in the loss. She scored five points and had her season-high six rebounds against Raritan. St. Clair scored ten points and pulled down three boards, while dishing out three assists, in the win against Bucks County.
 
The head coach is Brian Marsh, now in his second season at Salem leading the women's basketball program. Marsh took over the squad in August 2023 and was tasked with reviving the Mighty Oaks to get them ready for Division II action in Region XIX. He guided the Oaks to a 9-13 record last year, making great strides towards the end of the season. Marsh had originally been hired as a lead assistant and recruiter with the program 18 months before his hiring as head coach. Before his time at Salem, Marsh was an advance scout for the Arlington HS girls basketball team in Washington state for seven seasons. Marsh has New Jersey ties, spending 15 seasons as the coach for the Haddon Township travel basketball organization in Camden County. Marsh is a Temple University graduate.
 
The Matchup
Lackawanna won both match-ups with Salem last season with little trouble. Last year marked Salem's first foray into Region XIX Division II play. This game will mark the final Region XIX DII contest for the Falcons in the first half of the season. Six of their final eight Region XIX DII games will be at home in January and February.
 
Saturday's game is scheduled for 12:00pm ET inside the DuPont Fieldhouse in Davidow Hall in Carneys Point, NJ. The game will be the first of a doubleheader at Salem CC for the afternoon, with the Salem men's team taking on nationally ranked Brookdale CC at 2:00pm ET after the women's contest. The women's game with Lackawanna will have a video livestream available via the SCC Mighty Oaks YouTube Channel, linked HERE.
 
Saturday's game is the last game of the 2024 portion of the schedule for the Falcons this year. They will be off until January 11^th in the new year, when Lackawanna is scheduled to travel to take on Division III #14 Herkimer County CC. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00pm ET for that contest.