YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Senior Kevin Altidor led four players in double figures with 19 points as Young Harris College defeated Clayton State University 66-58 in a Peach Belt Conference men's basketball game Saturday (Feb. 21) afternoon at the YHC Basketball Arena.
The Mountain Lions won their seventh consecutive game to improve to 12-12 overall and to 9-9 in the PBC's West Division. Young Harris is currently in a three-way tie for third place in the division with the University of North Georgia and Georgia Southwestern State University, but will likely need a victory Wednesday (Feb. 25) when they travel to Montevallo, Alabama, to face PBC champion University of Montevallo at 8:30 p.m. to qualify for the conference tournament. Clayton State fell to 15-11 and 8-10.
"For us to claw back to 12-12 (overall) and to .500 in the conference after starting 2-9 in a real credit to our three seniors – Herdie, Isaiah and Kevin," said YHC head coach Pete Herrmann. "It was a hard fought game by both teams. I thought we came up with some big baskets down the stretch. Our defense was big tonight, holding Clayton State to 39 percent shooting."
In a game that saw eight ties and 11 lead changes, Young Harris took the lead for good on a three-pointer by senior Herdie Lawrence at 53-52 with 4:06 to play. That jumpstarted a 13-2 run by the Mountain Lions to open up a 63-54 lead on two free throws by Altidor with 44 seconds remaining. Young Harris held the Lakers at bay as they knocked down seven of nine attempts from the charity stripe over the game's final 91 seconds.
The five starters for the Mountain Lions – Bjorn Walker, C.J. Wilson, senior Isaiah Johnson, Altidor and Lawrence – accounted for 197 of the 200 minutes played. Altidor added nine rebounds and three blocked shots while Wilson and Johnson tallied 16 points. Wilson contributed six assists while Johnson had six rebounds and five assists. Lawrence tallied 15 points.
Dantez Bennamon led the Lakers, who outrebounded Young Harris 43-26, with 17 points and nine rebounds and Kelsey Terry added 15 points and seven rebounds.
