1/10/25

SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College women's basketball ended its 2024 portion of the schedule with three straight wins, and the Falcons are hoping to continue that trend with the start of the 2025 section of the year. Lackawanna will get that chance on Saturday, January 11^th, when the Falcons travel to Herkimer, NY to take on the Herkimer CC Generals in non-region NJCAA women's basketball action.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00pm ET inside the Herkimer CC varsity gymnasium in the Physical Education building on campus. There will be a video livestream available via the Herkimer Generals Athletic Livestream, which can be accessed HERE.
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (9-4) will enter 2025 on a three-game winning streak, and the Falcons are winners in six of their last eight contests. The layoff will be the biggest factor for Lackawanna, as the squad will be tipping off on Saturday for the first time in 28 days. The Falcons last played on Saturday, December 14^th, knocking off Salem CC by a narrow 73-70 score on the road to close out the first half of Region XIX DII play. The Falcons blew a 16-point lead with seven minutes to play, as the Mighty Oaks charged and got things as close as 71-70 with seven seconds left. Lackawanna was undaunted, however, scoring a pair of free throws to extend the lead to three, then forcing a turnover to escape with the victory. You can read the full recap HERE.
 
This season, the Falcons are averaging 71.1 points per game, while giving up 69.8 points per game against. Lackawanna is shooting 35.2% from the floor this season, while shooting 23.7% from three-point range. The Falcons have also struggled from the free throw line, but have gotten better this season, hitting 60% of their attempts. Lackawanna's opponents are hitting 36.4% from the floor and have hit 30.9% of their three-point shots. Lackawanna has a +2.2 rebounding margin, averaging 45.3 boards per game. The Falcons are averaging 20.8 turnovers per game, while forcing 19.8 per game this year. Lackawanna averages 12 steals per contest, while its opponents average 10.9 swipes per game. Lackawanna is averaging 4.2 blocks per game.
 
Sophomore forward Salote Franklin (Philadelphia, PA) leads the team with 17.5 points per game this season, seventh in the region and third in DII. Salote is shooting 45.7% from the floor and averages a team-high 11.4 rebounds per game, second in DII. She also has 31 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 23 boards and 28 points in the win against Salem last month. Salote was 15-for-16 from the free throw line in the contest, going 8-for-8 in the fourth quarter alone, to help secure the win. Salote has scored in double-figures in 12 games this year and has eight double-doubles on the year. She set a season-high with eight assists in the win against Essex on November 19^th, where she also had 14 points and ten boards. 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 16 blocks this year. She has scored 20 or more points in three of her last four games.
 
Sophomore guard Jayla South (Long Pond, PA) is second on the team with 13.7 points per game this season, tenth in Region XIX DII. South is shooting 34.2% and has made a team-best 13 three-point shots this season. She averages 5.9 rebounds per game, fourth on the team, and has 33 assists, second on the squad, along with 27 steals so far this season. South has scored double-figures in eleven 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 ten points and three rebounds on 4-for-13 shooting in the win against Salem CC back in December.
 
Sophomore guard Desiree White (Carlisle, PA) is third on the team with 11.1 points per game through her first eight games, missing five games due to injury earlier this year. White has hit eleven three-point shots and is shooting 31% from the floor in her eight appearances. White averages three rebounds a game and has seven steals through her first eight 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. She had 20 points against Mercer on December 10^th, hitting seven shots and knocking down three three-point shots. Desi led the team last season, averaging 16.9 points per game and hitting a team-high 40 three-pointers. Desi had eight points and two rebounds in the win at Salem last month.
 
First-year guard Ania Crocker (Freeport, NY) is averaging 10.8 points per game this season and is shooting 35.4% from the floor. Crocker averages 5.6 rebounds per game and has 38 assists, first on the team. She also leads the Falcons with 32 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 five games. She was scoreless off the bench, but she had three rebounds and three assists in the win against Salem last month.
 
Sophomore forward Saraiah Franklin (Philadelphia, PA) is averaging 7.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game through her 13 appearances. Franklin is shooting 39.2% from the floor and has 32 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. Saraiah had four points and six rebounds, along with four assists, in the win at Salem last month.
 
Sophomore forward E'ternity Aiken (Wilkes-Barre, PA) is averaging 6.1 points per game through her seven contests this year. Aiken missed six games due to injury this season. She is shooting 42.9% from the floor and averages 6.7 rebounds per game, third on the team. She also has ten steals. Aiken had 15 points and eleven boards in the win against Richard Bland College, her lone double-double of the season. She also had four steals and a pair of assists. 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. She had five points, five rebounds, and two assists in the win against Salem.
 
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 30-29 in her time as the head coach for the Falcons.
 
About Herkimer CC
The Generals (8-1) lost their season-opener, and then they ran off eight straight wins to close out the 2024 part of the schedule, but they have not played since Sunday, December 8^th. When things tip off on Saturday, it'll be the first time in almost five weeks since Herkimer played. That last game was a dominant 89-28 win against SUNY Broome at home. The Generals jumped out to a 21-8 lead after one quarter and never let up, shooting 44.7% from the floor and an impressive 50% from downtown, hitting nine three-pointers. The Generals put five players in double-figures and got 43 points from their bench in the victory. Herkimer is the #14 team in the latest NJCAA Division III rankings.
 
The Generals are averaging 70.3 points per game so far this season, shooting 41.2% from the floor and hitting 31.7% from downtown. Opponents are averaging 48.2 points per game so far this season, shooting 30.5% from the floor and hitting 22.5% from downtown. Herkimer averages +12 in rebounding margin per game, pulling down 45.3 boards per game this season. The Generals force around 23 turnovers per game, while giving the ball up 17.9 times per game. Herkimer averages 16.7 steals per contest and blocks 5.3 shots per game.
 
Three players are scoring in double-figures for the Generals this season, with sophomore guard Sage Geisler leading the way at 20 points per game. Sage shoots 44.1% from the floor and hits 33.8% from deep, while also making 69.6% from the free throw line. She averages 5.1 rebounds per game, fourth on the squad, and leads the Generals in assists per game (5.9) and steals per game (4.1). Geisler has scored in double-figures in all nine games this season, putting up her season-best with 37 points in the win at SUNY Orange back on November 19^th. Geisler made a season-high 14 shots in that contest, knocking down four three-pointers, dropping eight assists and pulling down seven rebounds in the victory. She set her season-high in rebounds with nine boards in the loss to Mohawk Valley CC to open the year, the only loss for the Generals this year. She had a season-high nine assists, along with a season-best eight steals, in the win against North County CC back on November 9^th. She had 24 points, eight rebounds, six steals, and five assists in the win against Broome last month.
 
First-year guard Kavashia Archie is second on the team at 14.3 points per game this year, shooting 45.3% from the field. Archie leads the Generals with 9.8 rebounds per game this season, and she's second on the team at 3.4 assists per contest. She's also second on the team with 3.9 steals per game. She has hit double-figures in points in all eight of her appearances this year. Her season-high 20 points came in the win against Hudson Valley CC on November 13^th, scoring 20 on eight made shots and a season-high 15 rebounds. It was one of her five double-doubles this year. She also tied her season-high with five assists in the win. Archie set her season-best with five steals in the win against North County CC. Against Broome, Archie had 14 points, eleven rebounds, four assists, and four steals in the victory.
 
Sophomore forward Imani McNeil averages 14.1 points per game, third on the team, while shooting 47.4% from the floor. McNeil is second on the team at 9.4 rebounds per game this year, averaging just under two assists per game and 2.4 steals per contest this year. In her seven games, McNeil has scored in double-figures six times. Her season-high 25 points came against Cayuga CC, hitting 12 shots from the field in the win on November 16^th. She had eleven rebounds in that victory, one of three double-doubles for McNeil this year. Her season-high in rebounding came with 16 boards in the win against Hudson Valley, where she also had 17 points. She set a season-best with six assists against Tomkins Cortland CC back on December 7^th. She had 13 points and seven rebounds in the win against Broome.
 
Sophomore guard Kerisa Van Olst is fourth on the squad, averaging eight points per game this year. Van Olst shoots 41.7% from the floor and is a 36% shooter from downtown, while leading the team in free throw shooting at 90% this season. Van Olst averages 4.4 rebounds per game, 2.3 assists per game, and is at around one steal per contest this year. She has three games in double-figures scoring this year, putting up a season-best 15 points in the win against Orange, where she hit four shots, including a pair of threes, while also making five free throws. Van Olst had eight points and a season-high seven rebounds in the win against Hudson Valley CC. She had eight points, five rebounds, and four assists in the victory against Broome.
 
The head coach for the Generals is Matt Hazzard, now in his fourth year in charge. Hazzard came to Herkimer after spending time as an assistant with his alma mater at the HS level, Cooperstown Central, where he coached both girls and boys basketball. While there, Cooperstown girls appeared in two state semi-finals, winning a state championship in 2015. He worked closely with three first-team all-state players. Hazzard assisted the Generals prior to his hiring, helping the Generals and the NJCAA for the various national championship events that Herkimer hosts. Under his direction, Herkimer is 53-33 in his 3+ years.
 
The Matchup
This is the first and only match-up between the two. Last year, the Generals won nine of their final ten games in the regular season, with the only blemish being a 66-55 loss on the road to Lackawanna in February. The Falcons held Herkimer to just 23.4% shooting, but they almost squandered an 18-point second half lead, as Herkimer battled back to cut it to six with five minutes to go. The Generals ran out of gas, however, and Lackawanna pulled away for the win.
 
Saturday's game is scheduled for 1:00pm ET inside the Herkimer CC varsity gymnasium in the Physical Education building on campus. There will be a video livestream available via the Herkimer Generals Athletic Livestream, which can be accessed HERE.
 
Lackawanna College gets back to Region XIX DII play on Tuesday, January 14^th, when the Falcons take on the Wolverines from Essex County College in Scranton. Tip is scheduled for 5:00pm ET inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium. The game is the first of a doubleheader, with the men's teams immediately following at 7:00pm ET.