12/2/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – An extended break over Thanksgiving gave Lackawanna College men's basketball time to heal up and stew on a pair of losses before the holiday, and now the Falcons will try to ramp back up and bounce back with a tough game on Tuesday, December 3^rd, as they travel to take on defending Region XIX champ Raritan Valley CC.
 
The game is scheduled to tip-off at 7:00pm ET and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams competing first at 5:00pm ET. The games will be played inside the on-campus gymnasium at Raritan Valley CC in Branchburg, NJ. There will be a video livestream available via the RVCC Athletics YouTube channel, which you can find HERE.
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (6-5, 1-1) had won five of seven heading into their last contest, but dropped the road game at Delaware Tech, 74-73, on Saturday, November 23^rd. Del Tech hit eleven three-pointers and built an early advantage through the first half, but Lackawanna closed the gap midway through the second, taking the lead on an 11-0 run with under 13 minutes to play. Lackawanna held two separate five-point leads in the second half, including a 71-66 lead with 3:40 to go, but DTCC managed to come back twice, taking the lead for good on a pair of free throws with just over a minute to play, then hanging on for the victory. You can read the full recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are averaging 76.6 points per contest, while giving up 74.7. Lackawanna is shooting 39.8% from the field and just 24.4% from downtown. Meanwhile, the Lackawanna opponents are hitting 43.7% and 33%, respectively. Lackawanna has a +3.3 rebounding margin, with 44.7 boards per game this year. The Falcons have a 0.8 assist/turnover ratio, with 145 assists vs. 174 turnovers. Lackawanna has forced 212 turnovers so far this season, a 19.3 turnovers per game average, and is averaging 11.5 steals per contest through eleven games.
 
First-year guard Evan Laybourn-Boddie (Wilkes-Barre, PA) is averaging 17.3 points per game this season, eleventh in Region XIX and sixth in Division II. He's shooting 36.6% from the floor and 75% from the free throw line. Laybourn-Boddie leads the team with 27 three-point makes, 42 assists and 31 steals this season. Laybourn-Boddie has scored double-digits ten 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 three times this season, coming against SUNY Ulster on November 12^th, Jamestown on November 17^th, and against Essex County College on November 19^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. Laybourn-Boddie had eleven points and was just 1-for-7 from downtown in the loss at Delaware Tech.
 
Sophomore guard Shawnn Smith (Philadelphia, PA) is second on the team, averaging 15.4 points per game this season, which is ninth in Region XIX DII. Smith is shooting 44.9% from the floor and is 22-for-23 from the free throw line. He averages six rebounds per game and has 24 assists, second on the team. He has scored 20 points or more in three games this season and has scored double-figures in nine of ten 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 matched that season-high with nine rebounds against Essex, while also scoring 18 points and dishing out a pair of assists in the win for Lackawanna. Smith matched his season-best with nine rebounds and 15 points, along with a season-high five assists in the loss at Delaware Tech.
 
Sophomore guard Nick Marabito (Upper Darby, PA) is averaging 12.5 points per game through his six appearances this season. Marabito is shooting 36.2% from the floor, and has made eleven threes, tied for second on the team. Marabito is a 70% free throw shooter and has 14 rebounds through six games. Marabito has scored in double-figures five times this year, with his season-high coming against Essex, where he had 20 points on a season-high seven makes and three made three-pointers. Marabito had 12 points and four steals in the loss to Delaware Tech on November 23rd.
 
First-year stretch forward Noah McIntosh (Philadelphia, PA) is fourth on the team with 8.5 points per contest this year. McIntosh is shooting 41.3% from the floor and averages 3.7 rebounds per contest this season. He also has eight assists, eight steals, and six 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 hasn't scored more than five points in his last five games, scoring just two points in 13 minutes in the loss to Del Tech.
 
First-year forward Tyrick Moy (Williamsport, PA) is averaging seven points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game this season, leading the Falcons in rebounding. Moy also has eleven assists and is shooting 50.7% 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. Moy had just two points and two rebounds in 12 minutes in the loss to Delaware Tech on November 23^rd.
 
Sophomore guard Jasier Carter (North Brunswick, NJ) is averaging 5.6 points per game this season, shooting 49.2% from the floor. Carter averages 4.8 rebounds per game and has 15 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 six points, three boards, and two assists in the loss to Del Tech.
 
First-year forward Elijah Smith (Washington, D.C.) is averaging 5.3 points per game this season, and pulling down 5.5 rebounds per contest, third on the team. Smith has made eight appearances, shooting 41.5% from the floor. He has scored double-figures twice this season, setting his season-best with 12 points in the loss to Del Tech, where he also had five rebounds in 19 minutes. He set his season-high with 14 boards and nine points in the loss to Harcum on November 21^st. He also had eleven points and four rebounds in the loss to SUNY Niagara back on November 16^th.
 
First-year forward Jaden McMeekin (Pittsburgh, PA) is averaging 4.6 points per game through ten contests. McMeekin is shooting 34.1% from the floor, making eleven three-pointers so far this season. McMeekin averages 3.2 rebounds per contest, with 16 assists and 12 steals this season. McMeekin scored his season-high seven points in the loss to Niagara on November 16^th, grabbing four boards. On November 17^th against Jamestown, he set season-highs in rebounds (5) and assists (4), while scoring six points in the overtime win. McMeekin had five points and four assists in the loss to Delaware Tech.
 
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 14-23 in his career at Lackawanna as head coach.
 
About Raritan Valley CC
The defending Region XIX champion Lions (4-3, 2-0) have not played since November 21^st, which was an eleven-point win on the road at Mercer County CC in Region XIX DII play. The Lions had lost three in a row, all out of region play, before knocking off Del Tech and Mercer on the road in back-to-back games. Against the Vikings, Raritan broke open a two-point game in the second half to pull away for the win, shooting 50.7% from the floor and going 18-for-25 from the free throw line. The Lions forced 28 turnovers and held Mercer to no offensive rebounds.
 
The Lions are extremely balanced with four players in double-figures this season, and the squad averages 81.3 points per game, while giving up 77 per contest this year. Raritan is shooting 46% from the floor, but just 27.8% from downtown. The Lions are good from the line, hitting 70.6% from the free throw line. Their opponents are shooting 46% from the floor and 40.5% from deep. Raritan has a slim +0.3 rebounding margin, averaging 37.3 boards per game this year. Their opponents are turning the ball over an average of 18 times per game, and Raritan is at 15 turnovers per contest, while putting up 9.4 steals per game and 4.6 blocks per contest.
 
First-year guard Raydelh Boutin is tied with first-year forward Najee Graham for the team lead at 15.3 points per game this season. Boutin is shooting 49.4% from the floor and hitting 71% of his free throws this season. Boutin averages 3.4 rebounds per game, and just under two assists per contest, while averaging just over a steal per game. Boutin has five games in double-figures this season, scoring his season-high in the opener with 22 points to knock off Rockland CC on November 7^th. He had 15 points and a season-high seven rebounds in the win at Delaware Tech on November 19^th. Against Mercer on November 21^st, he scored 18 points and had six rebounds in the win.
 
Graham, while averaging 15.3 points per game, shoots 45.8% from the floor, 33% from downtown, and a team-best 82% from the free throw line. Graham averages a team-high 11.4 rebounds per game, is second on the team at 3.7 assists per game, and is second in steals per contest (1.9). Graham scored a season-high 28 points on 13-for-18 shooting in a five-point loss to Chesapeake back on November 13^th. Graham also set his season-highs with six assists and five steals in the loss. He has hit double-figures in rebounding in his last four games, and had a season-best 19 rebounds, along with nine points, in the win at Delaware Tech on November 19^th. He had 27 points and 15 rebounds for a double-double in the win at Mercer on November 21^st.
 
First-year guard Sutan Fitzpatrick averages 14.7 points per game this season, shooting at 42.6% from the floor and hitting around 30% of his attempts from deep. Fitzpatrick leads the team in assists (5.3 per game) and steals (2 per game), and averages 4.9 rebounds per contest. He scored in double-figures in six of the first seven games this season, putting up a season-high 22 points in a four-point loss to nationally ranked Cecil College on November 17^th. He had 16 points and a season-high eight assists in the win against Westchester back on November 9^th and matched that season-high with eight assists in the win against Mercer, where he had just five points.
 
Naz Robinson averages 10.7 points per game this season, shooting a team-best 60% from the floor and hitting 54.5% from downtown, while also making 75% of his free throws. Robinson averages 2.1 rebounds per game and is third on the team at 3.1 assists per contest. He also averages 1.6 steals per game. He has three games with double-digit scoring, putting up his season-best 21 points in the win against Delaware Tech on November 19^th, hitting three three-pointers in the victory. He had eight points and a season-best six assists in the opener against Rockland back on November 7^th. Robinson scored 15 points and had three rebounds, three assists, and three steals in the win at Mercer.
 
Kevin Ryan returns as the head basketball coach at Raritan Valley CC, now in his 12^th season overall with the program. Ryan took the fledgling Lions program and turned it into a year-in, year-out Region XIX power, culminating in the program's first two Region XIX championships in the last two seasons. Ryan's team last year went 24-7 overall, his best record at Raritan, and the fourth time he's won 20 or more games. Ryan first took over the program in 2012, and won 100 games in six seasons, ending with a 22-10 record in 2017-2018, his best season at the time. He left the program for one year, then returned ahead of the 2019-2020 campaign, once again retooling and rebuilding the Lions into the two-time defending champions. Ryan is a New Jersey native, playing two seasons of basketball at St. Peter's Prep before transferring to Lawrence Academy in Massachusetts, then playing a year of NCAA Division III basketball at Hartwick College in New York. He's a Catholic University graduate, who has spent time coaching in the AAU circuit in New jersey for several years before taking over at Raritan. Ryan is 188-116 all-time in his Raritan career.
 
The Match-Ups
Tuesday night's game is scheduled to tip-off at 7:00pm ET and will be the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams competing first at 5:00pm ET. The games will be played inside the on-campus gymnasium at Raritan Valley CC in Branchburg, NJ. There will be a video livestream available via the RVCC Athletics YouTube channel, which you can find HERE.
 
Lackawanna is back to action on Saturday, December 7^th, when the Falcons travel to take on Middlesex College in Region XIX DII action. The game is set for a 3:00pm ET tip-off, and will pit the Falcons against a Middlesex team that was #19 in last week's NJCAA Division II national rankings. The game is the second of a doubleheader in Edison, NJ, as the women's teams will play first at 1:00pm ET.