YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Elijah Alston led six Lander University players in double figures with 18 points as the Bearcats held off Young Harris College 95-85 in the Peach Belt Conference men's basketball opener Thursday (Dec. 19) afternoon at the YHC Basketball Arena on Education Day.

The Mountain Lions welcomed over 700 students from Hayesville, Ranger and Towns County middle schools for the game.

The Bearcats improved to 7-2 overall and to 1-0 in the PBC, while the Mountain Lions slipped to 2-7 and 0-1. Young Harris hits the road for a 3:30 p.m. league encounter Saturday (Dec 21) against Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina.

Young Harris jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead after Brian Harper buried a three-pointer with 17:26 left in the first half, but Lander took control as the Bearcats responded with a 19-2 run to take a 21-9 lead after a Deon Berrien layup four minutes later. The Bearcats extended their advantage to as many as 17 points in the opening 20 minutes before the Mountain Lions trimmed the deficit to 11 (47-36) at the half.

Lander opened a 19-point lead (57-38) in the opening minutes of the second half and still led by as many as 13 points (87-74) with 1:31 to play before the Mountain Lions used a 9-2 run to pull within four points (89-85) after Jacorie Archie sank a three-pointer after a Harper steal with 26 seconds left.

The Bearcats thwarted the YHC rally as they were perfect (6-of-6) from the charity stripe over the final seconds to seal the win.

Deshundre Rucker added 12 points, while LaRaymond Spivery (11), Sidney Robinson (11), Tyler Brevard (10) and Berrien (10) also finished in doule figures. Alston added 10 rebounds, while DaJuan Moorer nearly had a double double with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Harper finished with 18 points, nine assists and six steals to lead the Mountain Lions, who scored 29 points off 23 Lander turnovers. Seth McCoy tallied 15 points, while Paul Miller posted 14 more. Ryle Owens also added 10 points.