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McLean’s girls junior varsity basketball team secured its first victory of the season Jan. 16, defeating visiting Wakefield 38-25 after withstanding a second-half comeback attempt.

The Highlanders won the opening tip and quickly established themselves on offense. They took a 2-0 lead in the first two minutes before the Warriors answered with a three-pointer.

Freshman Dahlia Parker helped McLean move ahead 7-3 with a layup and another two-point basket. After a competitive stretch, the Highlanders finished the first quarter leading 11-5.

“We really improved our rebounds and our shots for this game,” sophomore Lila Adams-Christian said. “We also had very good zone defense [which] we really worked on.”

Wakefield opened the second quarter with two free throws, but McLean regained possession and maintained its momentum. Adams-Christian scored twice near the middle of the quarter as the Highlanders expanded their advantage to 22-7 by halftime.

The Warriors increased the pressure after the break and began cutting into McLean’s lead. The Highlanders responded by tightening their defense and concentrating on rebounds.

Sophomore Farah Elzein suffered an injury during the third quarter and had to leave the court. McLean adjusted its lineup and ended the period with a 25-16 advantage.

“[The team] was able to come together and lots of players were able to sub into the game,” assistant coach Tom Ball said. “Everyone worked well together and it was great to see their resilience.”

Wakefield continued closing the gap during the fourth quarter, but McLean’s defense prevented the Warriors from taking the lead. The Highlanders pulled away to complete the 38-25 win.

“Being able to win our first game was really rewarding,” Adams-Christian said. “Getting to build our friendship connections within the team was definitely a big part of the success.”

McLean will try to carry that momentum into a home rivalry game against Langley High School on Thursday, Jan. 22.