1/10/25

SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College men's basketball will play its second game in three days this weekend, when the Falcons host the SUNY Rockland CC Hawks on Saturday, January 11^th, in Scranton.
 
Saturday's game is set for a 1:00pm ET tip-off inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium. The game is open to the public, with tickets being sold at the door for adults ($5) and students ($3). Anyone with a valid Lackawanna College ID will be granted free admission. There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Athletics network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE.
 
Saturday's home game is the first of four-straight contests inside the Student Union for the Falcons.
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (8-9) have lost their last two games, and six of their last eight contests. Lackawanna fell on Thursday night to SUNY Westchester, 98-79, in a game where the Falcons couldn't keep pace with the hot-shooting Vikings. After a torrid first half ended 51-47, Westchester, the home squad Vikings came out in the second half on a 7-0 run to take a double-digit advantage. After shooting 54% in the first half, Lackawanna could only muster 32.4% in the second frame, as Westchester's lead never dipped below ten the rest of the way. Westchester shot 48.1% from the floor for the game and made eleven three-pointers, while outrebounding the Falcons 56-35 and outscoring Lackawanna 30-6 in second-chance points.
 
The Falcons average 78.8 points per contest, while giving up 76.5. Lackawanna is shooting 39.5% from the field and just 25.7% from downtown. Meanwhile, Lackawanna opponents are hitting 45.3% and 34.2%, respectively. Lackawanna has a + 2.2 rebounding margin, with 42.8 boards per game this year. The Falcons have a 0.9 assist/turnover ratio, with 229 assists vs. 269 turnovers. Lackawanna has forced 286 turnovers so far this season, a 16.8 turnovers per game average, and is averaging 10.8 steals per contest.
 
First-year guard Evan Laybourn-Boddie (Wilkes-Barre, PA) is averaging 16.8 points per game this season, 16th in Region XIX and sixth in Division II. He's shooting 37.5% from the floor and 75.5% from the free throw line. Laybourn-Boddie leads the team with 43 three-point makes, tied for the most in Region XIX, has dished out 54 assists, and leads the Falcons with 40 steals this season. Laybourn-Boddie has scored double-digits 13 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. 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 scored 23 points and set season-highs in three-point makes (5) and rebounds (8), along with five assists in the win against Sussex  back on December 12^th. He scored 18 points on four made threes, along with four rebounds and four assists, in the loss to Morris on December 17^th. He did not play against Westchester on Thursday.
 
Sophomore guard Shawnn Smith (Philadelphia, PA) is second on the team, averaging 15.4 points per game this season, which is eleventh 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, third 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. Smith has not played the last six games for Lackawanna College.
 
Sophomore guard Nick Marabito (Upper Darby, PA) is averaging 14 points per game this season, third on the team. Marabito is shooting 34.2% from the floor, and has made 25 threes, second on the team. Marabito is a 74.5% free throw shooter and averages 3.2 rebounds per game this year. Marabito has scored in double-figures ten times this year, with his season-high coming against Mercer County CC on December 10^th, scoring 23 points in the win against the Vikings. Marabito made seven shots from the floor and was 7-for-9 from the free throw line, while also pulling down five rebounds and putting up four steals. Marabito set a season-high for rebounds (6), while scoring 14 points in the loss to Middlesex on December 7^th. Marabito had 13 points, five rebounds, and a season-best eight assists in the win against Sussex. Marabito had a nice game against Westchester on Thursday, leading the Falcons with 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting, hitting four three-pointers, and dishing out four assists.
 
First-year stretch forward Noah McIntosh (Philadelphia, PA) is fourth on the team with 9.2 points per contest this year. McIntosh is shooting 43% from the floor and averages 3.2 rebounds per contest this season. He also has 13 assists, 15 steals, and a team-high 12 blocks. Noah has scored double-figures in seven games this season, including three straight games just before the new year. He has scored his season-high 20 points twice this year, the first coming against Jefferson CC on November 9^th, hitting nine shots and pulling down seven rebounds. The second came in the win against Sussex on December 12^th, scoring 20 points on 9-for-12 shooting. McIntosh set his season-high for rebounds twice this season, pulling down seven boards in the opener against Thaddeus Stevens on November 2^nd, and then grabbing seven boards against Jefferson. McIntosh is averaging 11.8 points per contest in his last five games, shooting 48% from the floor and averaging 2.6 rebounds per contest. He had eight points and a pair of assists in the loss to Westchester on Thursday.
 
First-year guard Noah Elias (Silver Spring, MD) had 17 points against Westchester, his first game of the year. Elias shot 6-for-11 from the floor and hit four three-pointers for the Falcons. He made his debut off the bench, playing 27 minutes.
 
Sophomore forward Jireej Cole (Bronx, NY) had a double-double in his first appearance of the year, scoring 16 points and pulling down eleven rebounds. Cole shot 7-for-13 from the floor and hit a pair of free throws, while also dishing out two assists against Westchester. Cole played 32 minutes and started for the Falcons.
 
Sophomore guard Jasier Carter (North Brunswick, NJ) is averaging 7.3 points per game this season, shooting 49.2% from the floor. Carter averages 4.5 rebounds per game and has 20 assists and 14 steals this season. Carter scored a season-high 20 points twice this season, first doing it against Raritan, along with a season-best eight rebounds on December 3^rd. He matched that season-high in his last game, scoring 20 points and grabbing six rebounds in the loss to Morris. He has scored double-figures four times this season, putting up 14 points against SUNY Ulster on November 12^th, then scoring ten points and matching his season-high rebounds with eight boards against Mercer. Carter did not score in just two minutes of action against Westchester.
 
First-year forward Tyrick Moy (Williamsport, PA) is averaging 7.4 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game this season, leading the Falcons in rebounding. Moy also has 15 assists and is shooting 46.9% from the floor. Moy has scored double-figures four times 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 a productive ten points and nine rebounds in the loss to Morris last month. He had seven points and a pair of rebounds in the loss to Westchester.
 
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 16-27 in his career at Lackawanna as head coach.
 
About SUNY Rockland CC
The Hawks (10-4) had a very successful first half of the season, winning six games in a row at one point, and will enter the second half of the year on a three-game winning streak. Rockland does have some common opponents with the Falcons this season. The Hawks fell on the road at Raritan Valley by 25 back in early November, beat Ulster by 26, defeated Westchester at home by four, and beat both Middlesex by 18 and Essex by six in overtime. That OT game with the Wolverines was on December 19^th and was the last game of action for the Hawks. Rockland did not have a great night shooting the ball (31.5%) and was an ugly 8-for-38 from downtown, but the Hawks outrebounded Essex by a 55-to-44 margin, grabbing 18 offensive boards and putting up 36 more shots than the Wolverines. That helped Rockland overcome its poor shooting and 18 turnovers to eke out a win.
 
Rockland averages 82 points per game this season, shooting 46% from the floor and hitting around 34% of its shots from downtown. Opponents are scoring 73.9 points per game, and shooting 41.2% and 29.8%, respectively. Rockland is slightly under an even rebounding margin (-0.6), pulling down 38.7 boards per contest this year. The Hawks have a positive assist to turnover ratio, averaging 18.9 helpers per game and 14.6 turnovers per contest. Rockland forces just under 20 turnovers per game, averaging 11.9 steals per contest. They also block 3.7 shots per game.
 
Three players average double-figures for the Hawks this season, with sophomore guard Tyler Lingham leading the way at 15.6 points per game this year. Lingham shoots around 50% from the floor and is a 34.5% shooter from downtown. Lingham is fourth on the team at 4.7 rebounds per game and is tied for second on the team at 2.9 assists per contest. Lingham has scored in double-figures in 12 of his 13 appearances this year. His season-high scoring output came with 32 points on 11-for-22 shooting I the win against Queensborough CC on November 9^th. Lingham has twice topped ten rebounds on the year, resulting in two double-doubles. He had 17 points and ten boards in the season-opening win against Brookdale, then had 21 points and ten boards in the latest win against Essex last month. He was 8-for-16 against the Wolverines, hitting three three-point shots, grabbing ten boards, and dishing out four assists. His season-high for assists came against Westchester on November 26^th, where he had six helpers in the win.
 
First-year guard Thierry Lokrou is second on the team with 14.8 points per game. Lokrou is shooting around 45.5% from the floor and averages just under two makes per game from downtown, first on the team. He's also a 73.8% free throw shooter. Lokrou is second on the squad at 5.7 rebounds per game and is fifth on the team at 2.6 assists per game. He leads the Hawks at nearly three steals per contest. He has ten games in double-digit scoring this season. His season-best 26 points came in a loss to SUNY Orange on December 3^rd, making nine shots from the floor and hitting four three-pointers. He had 25 points in winning against Ulster in November, knocking down a season-high five three-pointers. His one double-double came against Orange, pulling down ten rebounds. His season-high for boards came against Raritan, where he had eleven rebounds in the loss to the Lions. Lokrou had just five points and a rebound in the win against Essex last month.
 
First-year forward Abijah Miller is third on the team at 12.6 points per game, shooting 40.8% from the floor and hitting 34.4% from the three-point mark. He's also a 75% shooter from the free throw line. Miller leads the team in rebounding at 7.1 boards per game, and averages 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Miller has scored double-figures in eleven games this season. His best came against Westchester, putting up 20 points on 8-for-16 shooting in the four-point win. That was one of three double-doubles for Miller this year, pulling down ten rebounds in the win. His season-high in boards came against Essex last month, scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in the victory.
 
First-year guard Jerell Taylor is fourth on the squad at 9.9 points per game, shooting 55.9% from the floor and a team-high 76.5% from the free-throw line. Taylor averages 2.8 rebounds per game and just under two steals per game. Taylor has scored in double-figures seven times on the year, reaching his season-best 22 points twice. He had 22 points in an 82-73 win against Hudson Valley CC back on December 10^th, then duplicated that output with 22 points in the win against Essex in his last game. He ended up with a double-double in the contest, securing a season-high eleven rebounds.
 
The head coach for Rockland is John Cavaliere, in his first season in charge of the Hawks. Cavaliere was hired in May of 2024, coming from Purchase College, where he was an assistant. Before that, Cavaliere was head coach at Putnam Science Academy and Concordia College.
 
The Match-Ups
This is the first of two games between Lackawanna and Rockland this year, with the squads scheduled to play again in February in Scranton.
 
Tip-off for Saturday is scheduled for 1:00pm ET inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium in Scranton. The game is open to the public, with tickets being sold at the door for adults ($5) and students ($3). Anyone with a valid Lackawanna College ID will be granted free admission. There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available via the Lackawanna College Athletics network at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE.
 
Lackawanna will be back in action on Tuesday, January 14^th, when the Falcons are set to host Essex County College in NJCAA Region XIX DII play. Tip-off is set for 7:00pm ET inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium as the second game of a doubleheader, with the women's teams competing first at 5:00pm ET.