AMERICUS, Ga. – C.J. Wilson and Isaiah Johnson combined for 44 points as Young Harris College rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half to pick up its sixth consecutive win as the Mountain Lions defeated Georgia Southwestern State University 71-65 in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball victory Wednesday (Feb. 18) evening at the Storm Dome.
The Mountain Lions improved to 11-12 overall and moved into a three-way tie with Georgia Southwestern and Clayton State University into fourth place in the PBC West Division with an 8-9 mark with two games to go in the regular season. The top four teams in the division advance to the conference tournament which begins Feb. 28. The Hurricanes fell to 13-11. Young Harris entertains Clayton State Saturday (Feb. 21) in a 3:30 p.m. contest at the YHC Basketball Arena. The Mountain Lions will recognize their three seniors prior to the game.
Georgia Southwestern used a 13-2 run in the second half to open a 53-43 lead on a four-point play by Kevin Burnell with 12:44 remaining. Young Harris responded with a 14-4 run to get within a point (58-57) on Bjorn Walker's jumper with 6:13 to play.
"It was a tremendous win for us," said Young Harris head coach Pete Herrmann. "It was a solid defensive effort. We held a team to seven baskets in the second half that had 15 in the first half."
The Hurricanes regained a three-point lead (62-59) on a Darius Redding with 4:33 remaining, but the Mountain Lions reeled off eight unanswered points to take a 67-62 lead on two free throws by Wilson, who scored 17 of his 24 points in the second half, with 37 seconds remaining.
"C.J. was big down the stretch," said Herrmann. "Ben Waterhouse and Kevin Altidor also made some big plays for us. The team is playing well together and picking one another up."
Damien Leonard hit a three-pointer seven seconds later to pull the Hurricanes within two points (67-65), but Young Harris sealed the win from the charity stripe where they hit all six free throws down the stretch,
Johnson finished with 20 points for the Mountain Lions. Johnson and Wilson each grabbed seven rebounds and recorded five steals apiece. Young Harris scored 23 points off the 19 turnovers by the Hurricanes. Kevin Altidor and Ben Waterhouse each tossed in 10 points while Altidor grabbed nine rebounds.
Leonard led the Hurricanes with 18 points while Burnell (15), Deric Rudolph (12) and Darius Redding (11) finished in double figures. Josh Birchfield grabbed 10 rebounds for Georgia Southwestern.
