DANVILLE, Va. - Antonio Fitzgerald loves a challenge against someone he knows. And he hates losing.

These two facts combined help explain Fitzgerald's career-high 35 points in George Washington's 72-67 victory over Mount Zion (N.C.) Tuesday.

"He (Fitzgerald) told us after the Reynolds game (a 92-70 loss) that we weren't going to lose anymore," George Washington coach Ron Hollingsworth said. "Tonight he was playing against (Mount Zion guard Jarrett) Jack and he put them on his back and T.O. did the same for us."

Fitzgerald made no field goals in the fourth quarter, but scored eight points at the free-throw line, including the last four points of the game to salt away the victory. He scored 17 in the third quarter, when the Eagles (11-3) outscored the Warriors (20-5) 25-15.

"I really don't like losing," he said. "Mount Zion gave us a good test going into our district. I think we'll go undefeated. I don't think anyone in our district can beat us."

Anthony Iqohardo drilled a well-defended 3-pointer with 33 seconds left to pull the Warriors to within a point at 68-67.

The Eagles put together a 5-0 mini-run at the 3:30 mark to erase a Mount Zion lead and stake themselves to a 59-55 advantage after Brad Deshazor's eight-foot running hook over Jack. It was Deshazor's only field goal.

GW never again trailed, extending to five points with just over a minute to go. Fitzgerald lost the handle on the ball, got it back while running back toward halfcourt with three defenders chasing. He found Richard Thomas open under the basket and Thomas shoveled to Justin Harris for a layup to put the Eagles up 64-59.

Jack canned two free throws on a foul in the backcourt, but Harris struck again, making a cut to the basket and scoring on a 30-foot pass from Brian Henderson, pushing the lead back to five points.

Henderson, shooting just 40 percent from the line, also made four clutch free throws and forcing Jack to foul him with 46 seconds left.

"That basket was going to be the turning point," Jack said. "I had to foul him. I wanted to be out there helping my team."

Jack was unstoppable, scoring 25 points on 10-for-12 shooting. But he committed his fourth foul on a reach-in against Harris with 3:29 to go in the third quarter and the Warriors leading 39-37.

The Eagles took advantage, going on a Fitzgerald-fueled 10-2 run. He stole the ball in the backcourt and scored, then drilled back-to-back three-pointers. Then Henderson intercepted a pass at midcourt and made two free throws after he was fouled, giving GW a 47-41 lead just 1:20 after Jack left the court.

"He was killing us but he was in foul trouble," Hollingsworth said. "They're totally different without him. We went back to our press because we didn't feel like they had another ballhandler."

Fitzgerald scored 17 third-quarter points, including winning a street-style game of "can you top this?" between Jack and Fitzgerald.

With Mount Zion leading 33-30 with about five minutes left in the third quarter, Jack scored on a layup and Fitzgerald responded. The two then traded progressively more difficult attempts. Then Jack scored and was fouled. Fitzgerald responded with a three from the corner.

Henderson ended the duel there, drawing a charging foul on Jack with 4:31 to go in the third quarter. A minute later, Jack committed his fourth foul and went to the bench.

"We were just trying to outdo each other," said Jack, who played for the 1999 YBOA Under-16 national champion Maryland Stallions, who defeated Fitzgerald's Danville Warriors in the final. "We've played several times before this."

Fitzgerald said he was trying to fulfill his promise to his teammates and coaches.

"Primetime players step up their game," he said. "He knew he had to score for his team to win and I knew I had to for my team to win."

Last season, Fitzgerald relished his shot at J.J. Redick and Cave Spring in the Northwest Region semifinal. Fitzgerald scored 11 points in the first half, matching Redick's first-half total and holding GW close until a third-quarter blitz resulted in an Eagles victory.

This time, he outdueled Jack, literally. He enjoys playing against good players for which he has respect, but still says his aim is to get his team a win.

"I know they're good and they know I'm good," he said. "I do what I have to do for the team to be successful. I'm happy, but it's because we won. It's all about the W."