The George Mason H.S. Mustangs boys basketball team treated the home fans to a fourth quarter scoring blitz, combined with tenacious defense, to overcome a third quarter deficit and roar past the Clarke County Eagles, 64-50, at the Mason gym Friday night.

While the win boosted the team’s record to 3-2 in the Bull Run District, including two wins over Clarke (7-10, 2-3), the Mustangs couldn’t maintain the momentum this Monday night, when they traveled to Abermarle County to face the undefeated, and district-leading, Madison County and fell, 61-34.

Madison County, one of Virginia’s top Division A programs, improved its record to 20-0 by surging to a 20-point lead at halftime and never looking back.

While Madison is two wins away from a perfect Bull Run District season, Mason hopes hoped to finish with a winning record, slated to face Strasburg at home last night, and at Manassas Park on the road Friday.

After that, Mason will tune up with two non-conference games next week – against Potomac Falls at home Monday and Briar Woods High on the road Wednesday – before entering the post-season district playoffs on Feb. 13.

Junior Jamal McLean scored 13 of his career-high 21 points in the fourth period of Mason’s win against Clarke County Friday. He hit two three-pointers at the start of the fourth period to shift the team into race horse mode, and relentless fast-breaking offense and smothering defense extended the lead through the final period.

McLean hit a total of five three-pointers in the game, as Mason hit nine altogether, including a 28-foot one by Yates Jordan at the halftime buzzer that closed the gap to two points. Anthony Andrianarison contributed 18 points and Joel Chandler 13 to the victory, which was the third in four games for Mason and boosted its record to 5-11.