November 18, 2009
     The Lakers had one of their best shooting nights ever, scored 108 points, but fell to the undefeated Erie Community College Kats 111-108.
     It was the second one-basket loss in less than a week for the Lakers, who had five players score in double figures. 
     The Lakers shot an impressive 59% from the floor, 82% from the line and 43% from beyond the arc.  Numbers like that would have been sufficient to knock off most opponents.
     However, the undefeated Kats shot 67% from the floor, 72% from the line and 64% from beyond the arc. 
     The Lakers did win the battle of the boards, but with the shooting clinic that both teams put on, there weren’t a whole lot of rebounds to be had.
     Tevin Calhoun led the Lakers with 24 points, while Nate Barnes and Darrell Lampley each tossed in 20.  Klein Harper and Brendan Cooper led all rebounders with eight and seven rebounds respectively.  Cooper had 18 points and Harper had 14.
     The Lakers travel to New York this weekend where they will play Monroe Community College in the opening game of Monroe’s tournament.

November 15, 2009
     The Lakers took to the road and beat undefeated Beaver County Community College 92-86, in their second game in as many days.
     The Lakers recovered nicely after a tough home loss, in the final seconds the previous day, against another undefeated opponent, Genesse Community College.
     Lakeland trailed by three at the half, but their pressure defense forced Beaver to turn over the ball and the Lakers converted their transition baskets.
     A three point shot by Nate Barnes was followed by a monstrous dunk by Tevin Calhoun to propel the Lakers to a strong finish.
     The Lakers improved to 4-2 on the year.  Calhoun led the Lakers with 28 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
     Next up for the Lakers is yet another undefeated team.  Erie Community College is 5-0 and coming off a weekend victory (86-80) over Mohawk Valley.
     The Lakers will tip-off on Wednesday, November 18^th at 7:30 following the game between the Lady Lakers and Erie Community College, which starts at 5:30. 
     Admission is always free at Lakeland’s home contests.

November 14, 2009
     The Lakeland men’s team lost on a lay-up by Genesse Community College’s leading scorer Quintin Redfern, with four seconds left in this game.
     The Cougars were nearly perfect from the free throw line in the final six minutes, converting on nine of their ten trips to the line.  Redfern scored seven of those nine, plus that last shot to keep the Cougars undefeated at 4-0 and dropping the Lakers to 4-2.
     Lakeland’s starting five worked as a well oiled machine through the first five minutes of the game.  Their full court press forced multiple Cougar turnovers, which allowed the Lakers to jump out to an 18-8 lead.
     Sophomore center Klein Harper took control of the paint early, with post up buckets and put backs, to score ten points in the first seven minutes.  The Lakers were also strong from the outside with sophomore Nate Barnes sinking two and freshman Tevin Calhoun dropping another from beyond the arc in the early going.
     The Lakers looked solid as they led 30-14 at the ten minute mark.  Everything seemed to be going the Lakers’ way when freshman Brendan Cooper blocked a Genesse shot against the backboard and the crowd could almost hear Austin Carr yelling “Get that weak stuff out of here!”
     Unfortunately, that was the last of the Lakers’ highlights as the Cougars went on a 19-6 run in the last ten minutes of the half, to pull within three; and the Lakers went to the locker room clinging to a 36-33 lead.
     It didn’t take long for Genesse to pick up where they left off, and by the sixteen minute mark of the second half the teams were tied at 44.  The next twelve minutes were a sloppy affair with neither team able to get into a rhythm.
     While the Cougars packed the paint, the Lakers worked hard for every bucket; scoring on drives to the basket and midrange jumpers.  Meanwhile, Genesee made 28 trips to the line in the second half, while the Lakers were there only 13.
     With six minutes left and the score tied at 64, Redfern took over for the Cougars.  His drives to the basket continuously placed him at the charity stripe and he converted seven of those attempts.
     With eleven seconds left and the home team down a basket, Lakers’ point guard Darrell Lampley drove to the hole and was fouled.  He converted his first free throw, but was replaced at the line by Nate Barnes when the referees noticed that Lampley was bleeding.  The Barnes’ bucket tied the game at 76.
     Unfortunately, Lakeland could not stop Redfern’s drive to the hoop on the ensuing possession, and he scored the lay-up.  A long pass by the Lakers on the subsequent inbound play went out of bounds and the Cougars were able to inbound their possession successfully, and hold on for the win.
     Barnes led all scorers with 26 points.  Lampley had 19, while Harper and Calhoun each had 12 for the Lakers.  Redfern led the Cougars with 21 points.