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Ty Goss

Senior Shushan Krikorian looks to make a play on the Yorktown defense.

The regular season of basketball is over, but the lights of the Highlander court stayed lit on Feb. 13 to host Yorktown for the first round of the district playoffs. McLean was coming into the game incredibly hot, ending the season as the first seed of the district off the back of a nine game win streak.

Right from the tip, the game quickly developed into a shootout. Neither team found much success from inside the arc, but when they were willing to fire from range, both sides found the basket. Yorktown managed to keep up with McLean’s fast pace, only allowing the Highlander to walk away with a three point lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was where the tides began to turn. McLean’s sharpshooters started to find their groove, and the entire team contributed to a brutal defense that held the Patriots to eight points in the entire quarter. The Highlander’s full court press paired nicely with their ignited offense, and the lead quickly expanded to 39-20 in favor of McLean.

Halftime gave Yorktown a moment to breathe, but the second they returned to the court, their respite was brought to an end. Liberty District Player of the Year Kara Bremser and Second Team All-District sophomore Tatum Olson caught fire, demanding three defenders on them at all times; even with the increased coverage, the Patriots couldn’t stop the hailstorm that was McLean’s three point shooting. The entire team helped contribute with aggressive rebounds and decent mid-range threats that kept Yorktown on their toes. By the end of the third, the game seemed all but over, with McLean commanding a 65-24 lead.

The fourth quarter was a formality. Yorktown seemed tired and mentally checked out, while the Highlanders gave their bench some play time to round out the game. After a quick eight minutes, McLean was declared the victor, with the scoreboard reading 74-33 in their favor.

After a successful first round of their post-season, the Highlanders qualified for the regional playoffs after locking in a top four spot in the district playoffs. McLean will take the home court again on Feb. 15 to face off against Marshall in the district semifinals.