SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Young Harris battled for 40 minutes but ultimately fell to King University 80-69 in the third round of the Conference Carolinas Tournament on Friday night (March 7). The Mountain Lions traded blows with the Tornado throughout the contest, with the lead changing hands seven times and the score tied on seven different occasions. However, a strong second half from King proved to be the difference as they pulled away late. 

Despite the loss, Young Harris showcased its resilience, particularly at the free throw line, where they were a perfect 17-for-17. The Mountain Lions' depth was also on full display, with the bench contributing an impressive 30 points, keeping them in the fight until the final minutes. 

Young Harris concludes the season with a 21-9 record, marking another strong campaign.

QUOTING HEAD COACH JEREMY CURRIER:

"Great game by King. We knew they were going to be a tough opponent, it was a battle at our place. They did a great job, but I am really proud of our guys. We persevered through a lot this season, had a lot of guys step up. We talk a lot about culture in our program, who we are, and how we will respond to adversity; our guys have responded all year. Tonight we did not have enough and made some key mistakes. We could not get it going on offense in the first half, but we started out on a 7-0 run in the second half, to give our guys a shot to win. That speaks to the character of the young men in our locker rooms. Incredibly proud of our entire team and wish King the best." Continuing, "We have rotated our starting lineup all year, we have changed it a lot. We talk about the one day contract in our program, the guys that work the hardest day-in-and-day-out; that is who we usually start. We do not really have a set starting five, so we have nine or ten guys that have started throughout the year. We got key contributions from a number of guys. Bench points were important. We were really concerned about King in the fast-break offense, they were averaging around 15, and finished with zero tonight." Closing, "There is a lot that goes on off the court in terms of their (Carl Cleveland, Karl Chavis, and Cameron Bleshoy) leadership and picking up their teammates. I am most proud of the character and the culture that we have built within our program; we always say that we want to lead the league in culture. We have a number of guys that just played their last college basketball game and I am really proud of our effort throughout the year. They have laid the foundation, and for us, the last three year period was the winningest period in program history. We want to keep building, keep getting the right guys in the program, and I am excited about what is next for our program."

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Karl Chavis led the way for Young Harris with 18 points, adding five rebounds and two steals. His ability to attack the rim and knock down shots kept the Mountain Lions in striking distance all game long. 

• Carl Cleveland recorded 17 points and seven rebounds while shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. He was especially effective in the second half, helping Young Harris keep pace. 

• Morgan Rashed provided a big boost off the bench with 12 points and seven rebounds, showcasing his ability to contribute in key moments. 

• Kolbe Ashe facilitated the offense with two assists while playing solid perimeter defense, limiting King's outside shooting opportunities. 

• The Mountain Lions capitalized on King's mistakes, scoring 16 points off turnovers while also winning the battle in fast-break points 10-0. 

UP NEXT: 

Young Harris' season comes to a close after a strong 21-win campaign. 

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