Dakota’s young basketball team took another growth step in the first round of the state tournament.

Meadow Cameron scored 24 points to lead the Cougars to a 62-29 victory over L’Anse Creuse in a Division 1 district quarterfinal at Anchor Bay on Monday.

Dakota improved to 9-14 and set up a semifinal game against Anchor Bay that starts at 5:30 p.m. today.

“She had a day,” Dakota coach Olivia Savage said of Cameron, who scored 11 points in the first quarter as the Cougars built a 15-5 lead.

“She was able to do whatever she wanted out there. She got herself open. They were in a 2-3 zone and whenever the ball went inside, she was an automatic cut and most of the time it was an easy layup for her.”

Cameron took a spill at center court late in the first quarter and missed a few minutes of the second.

The junior had 15 points at halftime. Her three-point play gave Dakota a 38-7 lead with 5:09 left in the third quarter, and her final basket of the night produced a 45-12 lead before she left the game for good with 2:35 left in the third.

“I really like the Euro step and shooting from outside, from 3,” Cameron said.

She gave credit for her scoring burst.

“My teammates helped me a lot,” Cameron said. “Our energy was really good.

“Our practices have been amazing, and that helped us get into the game. The energy is most important — our energy carries over to our game, and that’s what really helped us.”

Dakota went 4-6 in the Macomb Area Conference Red Division. In December, the Cougars lost a MAC crossover to Anchor Bay, which went on to win the White Division championship.

Dakota, 3-8 at one point this season, has gone 6-6 in its last 12 games.

“We’re very excited,” Savage said. “I’m excited to see what the girls can do (Wednesday).”

Anna Lezotte led L’Anse Creuse with nine points. The MAC Gold Lancers finished 6-17.

“We have three 10th graders that got major playing time,” coach Dave Kuznia said. “We’re looking forward to building and toward the future.”

Dakota held L’Anse Creuse to seven points in the first half.

“Our defense has gotten a lot better,” Cameron said. “We’re making the other team turn the ball over.”

Savage said the Cougars have improved their “intensity” and ability to play together.

“We track deflections,” Savage said. “We put an emphasis on making things hard for the other team.”

Dakota’s 33-point margin of victory was its largest of the season.

“Our team lost a lot of seniors off last year’s team,” Cameron said. “We had to re-form ourselves. There was a lot of rebuilding. We really came together.”

Nine Cougars, including Isabella Plumaj, who had 10 points, scored against L’Anse Creuse.

“We got to play a lot of girls who don’t normally see the floor,” Savage said. “I think that was awesome. It was nice to see everybody come together.”

Savage was told that Cameron said the Cougars have had “amazing” practices.

“I’m glad to hear that,” the coach said. “I try to find a balance, sprinkling in fun and being competitive, focused and getting done what needs to be done.

“I want these girls to have fun and have the best high school experience they can have.”

Port Huron Northern defeated L’Anse Creuse North, 59-39, in the other quarterfinal and will play Port Huron in the other semifinal, which starts after the conclusion of Dakota vs. Anchor Bay.

The championship game starts at 7 p.m. Friday.