By Chris Gay
Staff Writer, Augusta Chronicle
Three years ago, Mac Young lost to Paine College in the City
Classic as a member of the Augusta State team. Over the summer,
Young transferred to Paine, and two losses to Augusta followed.
Finally, Young was on a winning team.
Yari Scott scored nine of his game-high 27 points in the final 2:40
of the game as Paine pulled away for a 68-58 win over Augusta State
in the City Classic at the Augusta State University Athletic
Complex Monday night.
``It took me three years to get one of these (wins),'' Young said.
``I don't feel great about that.''
With the victory, Paine evens the all-time series with Augusta at
13. Paine (9-3) has now defeated all three Peach Belt schools on
its schedule.
Marcus Gradney scored on a turnaround jumper to give Augusta State
(10-4) a 52-51 lead with 4:21 left in the game. But Scott made a
pair of key 3-pointers, and the Lions ended the game on a 16-6
run.
``We knew we were going to have to play great defense,'' Paine
coach Ron Spry said.
Paine held a Jaguars offense averaging 72.3 points a game to 40
percent shooting from the field, including a 5-of-19 performance
from 3-point range. More importantly, the Lions committed just four
turnovers to Augusta's 19.
``Paine played a helluva game,'' Augusta acting head coach Buck
Harris said. ``Yari Scott was unbelievable. He made some key shots,
and I thought they played hard. They played harder than we did in
the second half.''
Harris ends his run as head coach at 4-1. Gary Tuell, out for more
than a week after an appendectomy, will return as Augusta's head
coach when the Jaguars play at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at USC
Aiken.
In the first half, Paine trailed 17-15, but Young capped an 8-0 run
with a driving layup to give the Lions a six-point lead with 5:24
left in the first half.
Augusta State made nine straight free throws in the opening half
and tied the game
at 23-all on a T.J. Ott free throw. Ott later added a 3-pointer,
and Russell Hinder followed with another three as the Jaguars
extended the lead to 31-26 at the break.
Scott scored nine points in the first 3:33 of the second half as
Paine cut the lead to 38-36. Six minutes later, Reggie Rosier
tipped in a missed Ott jumper to give the Jaguars a 46-41 lead with
10:42 remaining.
Colin Jamerson tacked on 12 points for Paine. Festus Hawkins led
the Jaguars with 21 points.