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YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Jaleel Charles and Benjamin Williams each scored 12 points as Claflin University held off Young Harris College 69-62 in a non-conference men's basketball game Wednesday (Nov. 29) evening at the YHC Basketball Arena.

The Panthers, which won the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference last season, improved to 6-1, while the Mountain Lions fell to 1-4. Young Harris will host the University of North Carolina at Pembroke Saturday (Dec. 2) at 3:30 p.m. in the Peach Belt Conference lid lifter for both teams.

The lead seesawed back and forth between the two teams in the first half as there were five lead changes. Neither team led more than six points in the opening 20 minutes. Claflin led 35-29 at the half.

The Mountain Lions cut the deficit to three points (41-38) on a Nicksen Blanc layup with 15:01 left in the game. The Panthers, which held Young Harris without a field goal for the next 6:26, expanded their lead to nine points (50-41) on a layup by Tyler Thompson off a Jaleel Charles' steal. 

"Tonight was the first game this season we were outrebounded and by double figures," said Young Harris head coach Pete Herrmann. "We executed our game plan and got good looks; however, we didn't make the shots and got outrebounded. I was proud of the way we played - tough, but it's a matter of finishing shots."

Back-to-back three-pointers by Greg Murphy got the Mountain Lions back within three points (56-53) with 7:05 to play. But Young Harris, which shot 31.8 percent (7-of-22) in the second half,  went the next 4:40 without making another field goal. The Mountain Lions snapped their drought when J.B. Charles hit a three-pointer with 2:25 to go and cut the deficit to four points (62-58). 

Claflin pushed its lead back to eight points (66-58) on two free throws by Williams with 22 seconds left.

Austin Lawton and Tristan Thompson each added 10 points for the Panthers, while Lawton added 11 rebounds and four blocked shots.

Charles led the Mountain Lions with 16 points and six rebounds. Blanc added 12 points and five rebounds, while Murphy tossed in 11 points and three steals. Antonio Wade finished with eight points, while James Laput added seven rebounds. Demari Edwards had six points and five assists, while Ben Waterhouse contributed six points, four assists and two blocks.