MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State (8-8, 3-4 PBC) came back from a 17 point second half deficit to take a lead in the final minute but was unable to hold on as Flagler (7-7, 2-6 PBC) pulled out a narrow 83-80 victory in an NCAA Division II men's basketball game on Monday, January 16.
 
Redshirt-senior forward Alfonso Davis (Bronx, N.Y.) led the way for the Lakers with a 21 point, 12 rebound performance that included six offensive boards and a pair of blocks. Freshman guard Christoff Nairn (Boynton Beach, Fla.) dropped a career-high 16 points behind 4-of-8 shooting from the beyond the arc and graduate forward Jaumonee Byrd (Douglasville, Ga.) added 10 points and six caroms.
 
Freshman guard Kyle Kincey (Tallahassee, Fla.) delivered a strong all-around game with career-highs of six points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in 28 minutes. Junior guard Dantez Bennamon (Goose Creek, S.C.) added nine points and six rebounds and junior guard Nathan Powell (Orlando, Fla.) finished with seven points.
 
After deadlocking at 5-5 early on Flagler's offense ignited for a 16-3 run that left them with a 21-8 lead by the 13:11 mark. That margin would grow to 29-14 before the Lakers rallied to within 29-22 behind an 8-0 burst. The Saints would then answer with an 11-2 stretch that made it 40-24 with 5:21 left in the half. Clayton state would recover and stay with FC for the rest of the half and headed to the break trailing 52-35.
 
The Lakers would come out strong to start the second half as they scored eight of the first 10 points to cut it to 54-43 just 1:14 into the frame. Flagler then rebuilt its lead to 63-47 over the next 3:28 but Clayton State would not go away.
 
They would mount a 13-4 run that got them within 67-60 with 9:07 to play before both team's defenses locked in for the next two minutes. Coming out of that drought the Saints' Kessler Bell drained a three to stretch it to a 10 point margin but Clayton State answered right back with a bucket at the other end to make it 70-62.
 
Trailing 77-68 with 3:17 left, the Lakers made their run as they put together a 12-2 stretch to come all the way back and take an 80-79 lead with 33 seconds to play. In that run they found themselves down 79-76 before Kincey took the ball away at the other end and Bennamon notched a put back to slice it to one with 56 seconds to play.
 
It would be Kincey and Bennamon that would factor into Clayton State taking the lead on the very next play as well as well. On a long miss by Flagler, Kincey tipped the ball out into the front court to Bennamon who laid it in for the go-ahead bucket.
 
The Saints would have an answer, however, as Vaughn McCall knocked down a corner three with 13 seconds to play to flip the script and make it 82-80. The Lakers were unable to find the range at the other end and Flagler tacked on a free throw to escape The Loch with a narrow 83-80 victory.
 
Cortlin Davis finished with 15 points, four rebounds, three blocks and a pair of assists in 29 minutes to pace the Saints while McCall led all scorers with 21 points. Jeffercy Jean had a solid all-around outing with 10 points, seven boards and five assists and Chris Williams had 12 points and nine caroms. Ben Bobbitt added nine points and five rebounds and Bell chipped in with eight points and six boards to round out the top performers.
 
The Lakers have little time off between games as they head to North Georgia on Wednesday, January 18. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. in Dahlonega, Georgia following the conclusion of the women's game.