YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – In a battle for the Peach Belt Conference West Division lead Clayton State (11-9, 6-5 PBC) could not withstand a first half offensive outburst as Young Harris (13-6, 7-3 PBC) posted an 88-70 victory in an NCAA Division II men's basketball game on Saturday, January 28.
 
Freshman guard Kyle Kincey (Tallahassee, Fla.) delivered a career-high 18 points to lead the Lakers while graduate forward Jaumonee Byrd (Douglasville, Ga.) added 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals. They were joined by junior guard Nathan Powell (Orlando, Fla.) with 11 points and seven boards and senior guard Maurice White (Baltimore, Md.) with 10 points. Redshirt-senior forward Alfonso Davis (Bronx, N.Y.) rounded things out with five points, eight caroms and two blocks.
 
Holding a narrow 9-8 lead after nearly five minutes of play, YHC would stretch their advantage to 27-14 behind an 18-6 run. Clayton State would finally stop that stretch with one of their own as they scored 14 of the next 21 points to cut the deficit to just 34-28 with 5:05 left in the half. The Mountain Lions, however, were not done and closed the half with an 11-5 rally that left them with a 45-33 lead heading into the break.
 
That margin would not improve for the Lakers at the start of the second half as Young Harris went on a 16-7 run to stretch to a 61-40 advantage with 12:52 remaining. Trailing 77-54 more than six minutes later, Clayton State would slice it to 81-67 behind a 13-4 run but it would too little, too late as the Mountain Lions held on for an 88-70 victory to maintain the lead in the PBC West Division.
 
C.J. Wilson scored a game-high 23 points behind 7-of-14 shooting from the field and 8-of-8 at the line while adding five boards and six assists to pace YHC. Marcellus Roberts came away with a double-double of 14 points and 12 boards, adding three steals for good measure. J.B. Charles had 18 points and five caroms and Marques McKoy chipped in with 11 points and nine boards. Ben Waterhouse rounded things out with seven points and five assists.
 
The Lakers road gets no easier when they travel to Montevallo for a key Peach Belt Conference West Division game on Monday, January 30. Game time is set for 8:30 p.m. (EST) in Montevallo, Alabama following the conclusion of the women's contest.