BELMONT, N.C. | Carl Cleveland poured in an incredible 29 points to lead Young Harris College past Belmont Abbey College, 78-70, in a thrilling Conference Carolinas matchup Tuesday evening (Dec. 17). 

Cleveland's efficient performance, which included a 9-of-14 showing from the field and a near-perfect 10-of-11 at the free-throw line, helped the Mountain Lions fend off a hot-shooting Belmont Abbey team that hit 58.3% of its three-point attempts. Karl Chavis added 19 points and six rebounds, while Justin Payne contributed 13 points as the teams point guard.

The game saw seven lead changes and six ties as both teams traded momentum in the first half. Young Harris (9-3 overall) closed the opening period with a 43-31 advantage, fueled by their defense converting turnovers into quick points. Belmont Abbey (1-5 overall) narrowed the gap late in the second half, but the Mountain Lions' dominance in the paint and steady free-throw shooting down the stretch sealed the victory. 

QUOTE FROM HEAD COACH JEREMY CURRIER:
"Really proud of our players and their toughness tonight. This was a great road win for us. Belmont Abbey shot the ball great and gave us problems with our own defense. Our players continue to fight and battle through adversity. I am especially proud of Justin Payne as he stepped up and made winning plays as our point guard in the absence of Kolbe Ashe. I am so proud of the character and leadership that our players displayed." 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• Carl Cleveland: 29 points (career high), three rebounds, 10-of-11 from the free-throw line. 

• Karl Chavis: 19 points, six rebounds, and two steals. 

• Justin Payne: 13 points, including 3-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc, along with five rebounds. 

• Jaden Peters: Led Belmont Abbey with 23 points, including 5-of-9 from three-point range. 

• Daniel Lubamba: Added 16 points and four rebounds off the bench, shooting 4-of-4 from deep. 

• Young Harris converted 20 Belmont Abbey turnovers into 20 points and dominated the paint with a 40-16 scoring edge. 

• The Mountain Lions shot 51.9% from the field and 75% from the charity stripe. 

UP NEXT 

Young Harris will face former Peach Belt Conference rival Columbus State University on Friday (Dec. 20) in Columbus, Georgia. Tip-off is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.