YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Clayton State (4-7, 1-4 PBC) hung with offensive juggernaut Young Harris (6-7, 4-3 PBC) through the first half but a 64 point second half proved to be too much to overcome as they dropped a 109-85 decision in an NCAA Division II men's basketball game on Wednesday, January 9.
 
Redshirt-senior guard Aubrey McRae (Augusta, Ga.) led the way for the Lakers with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists while junior guard Kyle Kincey (Tallahassee, Fla.) delivered a career game. In 33 minutes he scored just two points but did everything else, setting career-highs with 11 boards, four blocks and four steals. For good measure he also tied his career-best with five assists.
 
Junior guard D'von Moore (Statesboro, Ga.) set his career-high with 16 points and equaled his personal best with four triples while senior forward Jaylen Taylor (Hephzibah, Ga.) just missed a double-double, finishing with 12 points and nine caroms. Senior guard Justin Tuckson (Stafford, Va.) helped fuel the offense with 11 points and six assists and junior guard Christoff Nairn (West Palm Beach, Fla.) chipped in with 12 points.
 
The Mountain Lions opened with a pair of quick threes for a six point lead but Clayton State would respond with an 8-3 stretch to cut it to 9-8 by the 16:13 mark. With YHC leading 12-11 less than a minute later they would extend that margin to 20-11 behind two more triples but once again defense was optional as the Lakers scored seven straight to cut it to two with 11:34 left in the half.
 
The frenetic pace would continue, as would the game of runs, as Young Harris scored eight of the next 10 points to push to a 28-20 margin just over four minutes later. Showing that they could knock down shots from beyond the arc as well, McRae and Tuckson drained one a piece to once again claw to within two, 28-26, this time by the 6:40 mark.
 
It would not stay that close though as the Mountain Lions mounted a 10-3 run, fueled by six points from Alphonso Willis, to extend to a 38-29 advantage three minutes later. Three straight long balls, two from Nairn and one from Moore, delivered not only some instant offense but a 38-38 tie in a span of just 1:38. Over the final 2:03, however, it would be Young Harris that would finish with a 7-2 burst to take a 45-40 lead into the break.
 
A 12-7 stretch to begin the second half would make it 57-44 for the Mountain Lions and they would maintain at least a nine point lead through the first nine minutes of the frame. That would change when Moore drained his fourth three of the night and Taylor drove for a layup to get the Lakers within 70-65 with 9:46 on the clock.
 
It would be short lived though as YHC went on a 17-3 run to extend to an 87-66 margin with 5:57 to play. Another 9-0 burst, fueled by five points from McRae and four from freshman guard Rodwens Albert (Boynton Beach, Fla.) would slice it back to a 12 point deficit, 87-75, with 4:13 left but the Mountain Lions would quell the run with a traditional three-point play. From there they would go on to close out the 109-85 victory.
 
Willis erupted for 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting to go with six boards, three assists and four steals to power the Young Harris attack while Seth McCoy and Ryle Owens ended up with 16 and 14 points, respectively. Brian Harper earned a double-double the hard way, scoring 13 points to go with his 10 assists and five steals and Nicksen Blanc ripped down 13 rebounds and scored nine points. J.J. Flores rounded things out with 12 points.
 
The Lakers return to action on Saturday, January 12 when they come back home to The Loch to take on Francis Marion. Tip-off is set for approximately 3:30 p.m. following the women's contest.