1/14/25

SCRANTON, Pa. -- After nearly four quarters of sluggish offense, Lackawanna College women's basketball and Essex County College started making big shots late in their Region XIX Division II clash on Tuesday night.
 
It was Lackawanna College that made its shots count, as the Falcons survived a double overtime thriller against the Wolverines, 76-70, inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium.
 
Six players scored in double-figures for Lackawanna College, as the Falcons (11-4, 7-2) overcame a night where they committed 26 turnovers to win. Lackawanna shot 30.3% from the floor and hit just 6-for-33 from downtown, but the Falcons got big shots down the stretch from Desiree White (Carlisle, PA), Salote Franklin (Philadelphia, PA), and Jayla South (Long Pond, PA) to grab the win. Franklin had 19 points, 20 rebounds, four blocks, and three assists. White added 14 points and seven boards, and South had ten points and 13 rebounds.
 
The Falcons saw a first half double-digit lead get erased when Essex (3-8, 2-7) scored a jumper to start the fourth quarter, giving the visitors the 45-44 advantage barely a minute into the final frame. Both teams struggled mightily in the final period, with Essex ahead at 47-46 with under three minutes to go. An offensive put-back gave the Wolverines a three-point lead, and they still led by three at 51-48 with 2:23 to play.
 
That's when things finally started heating up.
 
The Falcons pulled even after a South lay-up, followed by a free throw from E'ternity Aiken (Wilkes-Barre, PA) with 1:17 to play. After an Essex turnover, an offensive rebound led to a wide-open three from White, who buried it in the left corner to put the Falcons up 54-51 with 12 seconds remaining. Essex answered at the other end with a three-point shot with under five to go, and the game went to overtime knotted at 54.
 
In that first OT, Lackawanna led 61-57 with 2:22 remaining, but back-to-back buckets from Essex tied the game at the 1:30 mark. With under 30 seconds to go, the game still tied at 61, a steal by Ania Crocker (Freeport, NY) led to another shot from White, this time on a two-point jumper from the midrange, which put Lackawanna up two. A runner with under 15 seconds to go tied the game again for Essex, sending the game to a second OT.
 
That was where Essex faltered, as the Wolverines, hobbled by foul trouble and running on tired legs, couldn't keep up with the Falcons, who hit free throws, gobbled up offensive rebounds, and managed to pull out the win.
 
In addition to Franklin, White, and South, Crocker put up 12 points and three steals, Aiken had eleven points and five rebounds off the bench, and Saraiah Franklin (Philadelphia, PA) added ten points and eight rebounds. Jakira Coar led Essex with 26 points on 40 attempts from the floor, while Michelle Hernandez added ten points and eleven rebounds.
 
Lackawanna College remains in second place in Region XIX DII with the win, and the Falcons get right back to region play on Saturday, January 18^th, when they host Delaware Tech CC inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00pm ET.