During its 12-game winning streak, No. 1 Mount Carmel boys basketball defeated tough competition with quality team play and attention to detail.

On Monday, it was No. 4 Glenelg Country’s turn to come up with the complete effort.

The host Dragons set an early tone with tough defense and responsible work on the boards, jumping out fast and maintaining a safe distance to cruise to a 61-52 win in Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference play.

Glenelg Country got a team-high 23 points from senior guard Pat Curtin in improving to 15-5 overall and 10-2 atop the MIAA A’s Black Division. Mount Carmel, who got a game-high 25 points from Mario Tatum, is now 24-4 and 10-2 in the league’s Red Division.

Clamp-down defense led to a 14-4 lead after one quarter for the home team, and the Cougars could never get closer to nine points the rest of the way.

“It was everyone being aggressive and everyone playing basketball like we know how to play,” Curtin said. “We played our game, our style of basketball with everybody staying aggressive and selfless, which is a winning recipe.”

The Cougars’ struggles around the basket — they missed several looks at the rim — were apparent early and plagued them throughout the game. The Dragons made sure to take advantage.

Ronald Alford and Jalen Baker hit 3-pointers at the end of the first quarter to help build a 10-point lead. Curtin found his range with three 3-pointers in the second quarter to push the halftime lead to 28-15.

A tough three-point play from Tatum cut the deficit to 32-23 midway through the third quarter, but the Dragons responded with an 8-0 run highlighted by a 3 from Alford. Despite the Cougars finding their 3-point range in the fourth — getting three from Tatum and two more from Antwan Williams (10 points) — the Dragons never let up.

After knocking off the area’s top-ranked team for its fifth win in six games, Glenelg County coach Garrett O’Donnell was pleased with the grinding performance but also his team’s goals in perspective. In addition to Curtin’s 23, Alford posted 13 and Baker and Donavan Marshburn finished with 10 each.

“We’re still trying to get better every single day,” O’Donnell said. “As most every coach sees it — they see the flaws in their team and see the strengths in the others. So we’re just trying to get better every single day and keep our head down.”

Mount Carmel coach Tony Martin put it simply: “Just not our day. [Glenelg Country] played well and they deserved to win. We were due for an egg at some point and laid it today — this was definitely not our best effort.”

Both teams return to action on Wednesday with home games. Mount Carmel hosts St. Frances at 5:15 p.m. and Glenelg Country takes on Boys’ Latin at 6 p.m.

Have a news tip? Contact Glenn Graham at ggraham@baltsun.com, 410-332-6636 and x.com/GlennGrahamSun.

Mount Carmel — 4 11 14 23 — 52

Glenelg Country — 14 14 18 15 — 61

MC — Howard 6, Wilson 6, Scott 3, Tatum 25, Hill 2, A. Williams 10

GC — Curtin 23, Baker 10, Harris 2, Leggett 2, J. Williams 1, Marshburn 10, Alford 13