The McLean Highlanders boys varsity basketball team fell to Herndon High School in a close 64-61 loss on Friday, Jan.18th. The losses continue for a struggling McLean team who entered the match on a five game loosing streak.

Throughout the high scoring affair, there were periods where both teams struggled on defense to prevent the other team from scoring easy baskets on the perimeter and in the paint. 

Nevertheless, the match was an exciting bout throughout, with McLean leading 27-24 at half. At the start of the 2nd half, McLean started red hot, scoring 6 straight points and extending their lead to a sizable margin. However, Herndon made a stellar comeback in the 4th quarter, having a 58-54 lead with just a minute left to play. Despite the valiant effort to tie the game, Herndon pulled away at the end of the game in a tight win. 

“I think its crucial that we don’t get stuck in the past and that we always focus on the next thing,” guard Bhuva Rajagopal said.

The team now aims to move forward and go on a winning stretch to close the season.

“We need to remain calm and focused during crunch time in order to make the right decisions to win games,” Rajagopal said. 

Fellow guard Roy Jonkers echoed similar sentiments that the team has moved on and is ready for their next opponent. 

“To be able to bounce back we need to forget about the past games and focus on our future opponents, ” Jonkers said. 

McLean played Yorktown on Tuesday and will play at home versus rivals Langley High School on Friday, Jan. 31st.