YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | C.J. Wilson became Young Harris College's third 1,000-point scorer in the NCAA era as he led the Mountain Lions with 21 points as YHC opened up Peach Belt Conference action with an 83-72 victory over Armstrong State University Thursday (Dec. 17) evening at the YHC Basketball Arena.
                      
The Mountain Lions improved to 3-7 overall and to 1-0 in the league while the Pirates slipped to 1-6 and 0-1. Young Harris closes out 2015 with a 3:30 p.m. PBC home contest against Flagler College Saturday (Dec. 19).
 
Wilson, a junior guard from Conyers, Georgia, has now scored 1,012 points in his career and joins Frank Adams (1,573) and Steve Viterbo (1,067) as the Mountain Lions' 1,000-point scorers since basketball was reinstated in 2010.
 
Young Harris used a 13-1 run to take a 20-10 lead on a three-pointer by J.B. Charles with 11:25 left in the first half. It was one of three three-pointers that the Mountain Lions hit during the rally. Armstrong State scored eight unanswered points to pull within two points (20-18) on an Ethan Mackey jumper with 9:07 to play.
 
The Mountain Lions took their largest lead of the first half – 13 points (40-27) – on a Marcellus Roberts layup with 1:13 left. Wilson cracked the 1,000-point plateau on a layup with 15:54 remaining that gave the Mountain Lions a 52-41 lead. Young Harris added to its lead in the second half as they opened up a 16-point margin (61-45) on a Roberts layup with 10:04 to play.
 
The closest the Pirates would get the remainder of the game was eight points (67-59) on a Nicholas Scott three-pointer with 5:28 to play.
 
"It was a good win to start the Peach Belt schedule," said YHC head coach Pete Herrmann. "We won every category tonight – that's a real plus. I tried to emphasize guarding and rebounding over the past two days and we did a good job of both against Armstrong."
 
Wilson also led Young Harris with nine assists while Charles added a career-high 19 points. Bjorn Walker added a double double with 13 points and 10 rebounds while Ben Waterhouse tallied 11 points.
 
Shaquiell Mitchell paced the Pirates with 21 points and 13 rebounds while Mackey tossed in 18 points. Loren Hall added 12 points.