By Andy Walter

DOVER — Dover High knew it didn’t play its best basketball in the first half on Thursday night.

Lake Forest had a lot to do with that.

But, leading the Spartans by just a point at intermission, the Senators also realized they had to step up in the second half.

Second-seeded Dover did just that, taking control in the third quarter before rolling to a 71-48 victory over No. 15 Lake Forest in the second round of the DIAA boys’ basketball state tournament.

The Henlopen Conference champion Senators (20-2) out-scored the Spartans, 25-3, in the third quarter in advancing to Saturday’s state quarterfinals.
Dover will host No. 10 St. Georges at 2 p.m. The Hawks knocked off No. 7 Seaford, 67-61, on Thursday.

With Cape Henlopen also falling in the second round, the Senators are the last Henlopen Conference squad remaining in the tourney.

After a back-and-forth first half that featured five lead changes and four ties, Dover needed a three-point play from senior Dorell Little with 32 seconds left in second quarter just to take a 32-31 into halftime.

“We knew they were going to come out hot,” said Dover senior point guard Denim Perkins. “We just knew we had to shut down their key players in the second half.

“We just knew we had to stay composed. We’ve got some guys that have been through it. We’ve played in big games.”

“We made an adjustment with our press,” said Senators’ coach Stephen Wilson. “I believe in my coaches. When my coaches and players ask me to do something, I try to do it.

“They were making shots in the first half but we didn’t think we were going to make those shots in the second half. We just made a couple minor adjustments and I thought it worked out.”

The Senators reeled off the first 11 points of the third quarter and never looked back. Four different Dover players scored in the run as the Senators also forced four turnovers.

The Spartans committed only five turnovers in the entire first half.

Dover’s advantage eventually grew to 57-32 when sophomore JayVion Denis, Little and Noah Allen connected on three three-pointers in a row.

The Senators’ went up by as many as 28 points in the fourth quarter before they emptied their bench.

Wilson said he had a number of young players who don’t have much tournament experience.

“Everybody sees that we have seniors,” he said. “But we’re starting two sophomores and a junior.

“There’s some experience out there but right now we’re going to stay with our depth and stay with what got us here. We’re not going to try to change anything.”

Dover got double-digit scoring from Little (15 points), Perkins (14), Tarrance Williams (11) and Denis (10).

Lake Forest (16-6) got a big first half from senior guard Jackson Starkey, who netted 11 points in the opening two quarters after sinking three three-pointers. He finished with 14 points.

Junior Darius Miller, who scored 26 points in the Spartans’ win over Laurel on Tuesday, was limited to eight points — six of which came in the final three minutes.

Now only St. Georges stands between the Senators and a trip to the state Final Four next week.

Dover hasn’t faced St. Georges since 2016. The Hawks, with future NBA player Bones Hyland on the floor, downed the Senators 71-53, in that meeting.

While that game is ancient history to the current players, Dover knows it will have to be ready.

“It’s going to be a quality basketball game,” said Wilson. “They’re a quality team with history and tradition. There’s a lot on the line.

“Our guys will be ready to go, too. They want to keep playing.”

“Every game is exciting,” said Perkins. “It’s a beautiful journey.”

Free throws

Dover is now 12-5 in the state tournament since 2018. The Senators have won at least one tourney game in each of that seven-year stretch. ... The Spartans, who won their first state tourney game in six years by beating Laurel on Tuesday, were facing Dover in the tournament for the first time since 2021. The Senators won that game 57-45. ... After going just 6-14 two seasons ago, Lake Forest i2 now 28-15 over the last two years.

Sports editor Andy Walter can be reached at awalter@iniusa.org. Follow on X at @DSNsports.

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