John Paul Kromka scored 17 points and Fred Mulbah added 15 points, but Concord hit four free-throws in the final 21 seconds to slip by the Mountain Cats, 79-76, in Friday's 2019-20 season-opener at the IUP Classic.
 
Pitt-Johnstown fell behind 11-6 to start, before four points from Caiden Landis tied it six minutes into the game.
 
Concord followed with a 16-5 run over the next five minutes to rebuild the lead to 27-16 on an Ethan Heller 3-pointer, but the Mountain Cats responded to outscore the Mountain Lions, 24-10, over the final nine minutes of the opening half to take a three-point lead.
 
A pair of jumpers from Josh Wise got the Pitt-Johnstown run started and Joe Batt and Mulbah each connected on free-throws to cut it to 31-28 at 4:04.
 
After Heller and Liam Evans hit 3-pointers for Concord to get its lead back out to seven, the Mountain Cats tied it at 37 on Donovian Maxfield's 3-pointer, and took a 40-37 lead into the halftime break when Kromka completed a conventional 3-point play with just five seconds left.
 
Kromka's basket to begin the second half and Drew Magestro's 3-pointer extended the run to 29-12 and gave Pitt-Johnstown a 47-40 advantage.
 
The Mountain Lions kept it close and got a 3-pointer from Brandon Kennedy at 5:14 to tie it at 68, and regain the lead at 73-72 on David Mulumba's 3-pointer with 2:28 to play.
 
The teams exchanged the lead down the stretch, but Concord's Martin Kelly, Jr. and Heller each hit two free-throws in the final 21 seconds to give the Mountain Cats the 3-point lead.
 
Pitt-Johnstown had a chance to tie it, but Jared Jakubick's 3-pointer as time ran out wouldn't fall and Concord held on for the victory.
 
Kromka finished with 17 points, four rebounds, and a game-high five blocks, and Mulbah had 15 points, six rebounds, and six assists to lead the Mountain Cats.  Landis scored 13 points and Wise had nine points and nine rebounds.  Pitt-Johnstown also got seven points from Joe Batt, five points from Maxfield, and seven rebounds from Jakubick.
 
Pitt-Johnstown shot 44% (27-61) from the field and 18-20 from the free-throw line, but just 4-18 from behind the 3-point line.  Concord was held to 39% (26-67) shooting, but connected on 14 of its 34 3-pointers.  The Mountain Lions were also 13-19 from the charity stripe.
 
Heller finished with a game-high 29 points, including five 3-pointer to lead Concord.  Malik Johnson scored 14 points, Kelly, Jr. had 15 points, and Simun Kovac pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds for the Mountain Lions.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will wrap-up the IUP Classic against West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday at 8 p.m., before making its 2019-20 home debut with a non-conference game against Carlow on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Sports Center.