YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Alphonso Willis scored 24 points to lead five Young Harris College men's basketball players in double figures as the Mountain Lions pulled away in the second half to defeat Clayton State University 109-85 Wednesday (Jan. 9) evening at the YHC Basketball Arena.

It is the third consecutive game the Mountain Lions, who improved to 6-7 overall and to 4-3 in the Peach Belt, have eclipsed the 100-plateau. Young Harris has scored 100 or more points in a game this season to equal the 2012-13 team for 100-point contest. Clayton State fell to 4-7 and 1-4. Young Harris travels to Americus, Georgia, for a 3:30 p.m. PBC contest against Georgia Southwestern State University.

Young Harris, which led for all but a minute and 46 seconds, used a 7-2 run to end the the first half to take a 45-40 halftime lead. The Mountain Lions used a 12-4 run at the start of the second half to take a 13-point lead (57-44) after a Willis layup with 16:41 to go. Willis' layup was set up by one of 28 turnovers by Clayton State. Young Harris scored 36 points off those Laker turnovers.

Clayton State got within five points (70-65) after a Jaylen Taylor putback with 9:46 remaining, but the Mountain Lions took control of the contest as they reeled off a 17-1 run to open up a 21-point advantage (87-66) after a Ryle Owens jumper  in the paint four minutes later. Seth McCoy scored 10 of those points during the decisive run for Young Harris. 

The Lakers got as close as 12 points (87-75), but the Mountain Lions, who shot 60.6 percent (20-of-33) from the field in the second half, took their largest lead of the game - 24 points (106-82) - on a Willis layup that was set up by a McCoy steal.

Willis, who had six rebounds and four steals, got his points on 9-of-17 hooting. McCoy, who hit four three-pointers, scored a career-high 16 points, while Owens added 14 more. Brian Harper recorded another double double with 13 points and 10 assists and added five steals, while J.J. Flores contributed 12 points. Nicksen Blanc nearly had a double double of his own with 13 rebounds and nine points.

Aubrey McRae led Clayton State with 18 points, while D'von Moore (16), Taylor (12), Christoff Nairm (12) and Justin Tuckson (11) after finished in double figures. Kyle Kincey had 11 rebounds to go along with his five assists, four blocked shots, and four steals.