FARGO -- Fargo Shanley head coach Tim Jacobson got the start he had hoped for Friday night at the Fargo Civic Center.
The Deacons powered to a 19-point lead in the opening 12 minutes. That strong start sparked Shanley to a 54-36 victory against Grand Forks Red River in the East Region girls basketball semifinals.
"You dream about that and you hope it can happen," Jacobson said of building a big early lead.
The No. 3-seeded Deacons (18-3) play top seed West Fargo for the region crown at 6:30 p.m. today at the Bison Sports Arena. No. 2-seeded Red River (16-5) plays Fargo Davies at 3 p.m. at the BSA in a state-qualifying game.
"I just don't think we had a whole lot of energy to start the game out," said Red River head coach Kent Ripplinger. "Our team fought back. It wasn't for lack of fight."
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Shanley scored 22 of the game's first 25 points to cruise to an early double-digit lead. Deacons junior Jessica Anderson scored eight points during that opening stretch. The 6-foot-1 post capped the rally with a basket that gave Shanley a 22-3 lead with 6 minutes, 35 seconds to play in the first half.
Red River didn't reach double digits until junior guard Payton Salquist sank a 3-pointer with 1:35 to play in the first half. That cut the Shanley lead to 27-11. The Deacons took a 27-13 lead into halftime.
"We came out really well tonight and played as a team and our defense really stepped up," said Anderson, who ended with 14 points and 14 rebounds. "We were all in it and just ready to go out together and win as a team."
The Deacons lead never dipped into single digits in the final 27 minutes of the game. Shanley led by as many as 22 points in the second half.
"Defensively, we played really well as a unit," said Jacobson. "It was critical that we continued to play the defense that we did."
The Roughriders shot 25 percent (13 of 52) from the floor and also committed 15 turnovers. Ripplinger didn't think his team had its normal zip throughout the game.
"When I see us short from the free-throw line, I know we're tired," said Ripplinger. "I know we're mentally tired and our legs are a little tired, too. It was tough going."
