YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Justin Jones led four Young Harris College players in double figures with 19 points as the Mountain Lions recorded an 86-75 non-conference men's basketball victory over Belmont Abbey College Wednesday (Nov. 28) evening at the YHC Basketball Arena.

The Mountain Lions improved to 2-4 and will open their Peach Belt Conference schedule Saturday (Dec. 1) in Pembroke, North Carolina, when they face the University of North Carolina at Pembroke at 3:30 p.m. The Crusaders fell to 5-2.

The game was a back-and-forth affair until the Mountain Lions used an 8-0 run that culminated on back-to-back three-pointers from Seth McCoy to open up a 55-48 lead with 15:52 remaining. The final three-pointer was set up by a Belmont Abbey turnover. YHC converted 16 Belmont Abbey turnovers into 24 points. Young Harris pushed its lead to eight points (63-55) on an old-fashioned three-point play by Brian Harper with 12:25 to go.

Belmont Abbey whittled the deficit down to four points (69-65) after three free throws from Ben Ferguson with 6:30 left, but the Mountain Lions used a 9-2 run to extend their lead to 11 points (78-67) after Nicksen Blanc hit two free throws with 2:51 remaining. The closest the Crusaders would get the remainder of the way was seven points (78-71), but the Mountain Lions sealed the win as they sank 8-of-12 free throws over the final 82 seconds.

Blanc added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Mountain Lions, while McCoy, who hit five three-pointers, contributed 15 points. Harper added 10 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals. 

DeQuan Abrom led Belmont Abbey with 20 points, while Romeao Ferguson added 14 points and six rebounds. Sean Halloran (11) and John Bowen (10) also scored in double figures for the Crusaders.