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McLean turned a one-point halftime lead into a convincing 67-56 victory at Wakefield on Jan. 16, keeping the Highlanders unbeaten in Liberty District play.

The Highlanders arrived with a 5-0 district record after back-to-back wins, but Wakefield tested them early. The teams exchanged baskets throughout the opening quarter before the Warriors used a pair of late runs to take a 19-17 lead.

The close battle continued in the second quarter. Senior forward Jake Bell provided energy with aggressive defense and offensive rebounding, helping McLean move ahead by one at halftime.

Coach Rob Clemens urged the Highlanders to remain disciplined after turnovers disrupted their offense in the first half.

“The shots would start falling, but it wasn’t helping us that we were turning the ball over,” sophomore guard Lucas Van Order said.

McLean seized control after the break, scoring the first seven points of the third quarter. Wakefield answered with a few baskets, but the Highlanders entered the fourth ahead 46-40.

“We stepped up, we defended as a unit, and that’s what sealed it,” senior forward Roman Ludikowski said. “We didn’t get lazy. We still worked hard and got good shots.”

The Highlanders kept applying pressure in the final period, using several short scoring runs to prevent the Warriors from mounting a comeback.

Bell led McLean with 29 points. Sophomore forward Nahome Kidane added 13, while senior guard Nick Karageorgos scored 10.

Kidane credited stronger defense and improved shooting in the second half for the 11-point win.

McLean next travels to Yorktown to face the Patriots with a chance to secure its sixth district victory and strengthen its position in the title race. The Highlanders are seeking to defend the district championship they won last season.

“Yorktown has been in the back of our minds for a while,” Van Order said. “The team will be ready for this game and the challenges that may lie ahead.”