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Syracuse guard Maylee Anderson, right, tries to make a move against Pleasant Grove's McCoy Larson during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Syracuse High's Aubri Stoker (5) fires a shot against Pleasant Grove during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Syracuse High's Grace Thomas (25) eyes the basket against Pleasant Grove during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Syracuse High girls basketball players celebrate on the bench during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Pleasant Grove's Tabi Clark (13) and Syracuse's Rachel McBride (12) contest the jump ball to start a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Syracuse High's Kyleigh Nelson (23) drives past Pleasant Grove's Ellie Adams during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Syracuse High's Rachel McBride looks to throw a pass during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Syracuse High's Maylee Anderson, center right, handles the basketball against Pleasant Grove during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Syracuse High's Olivia Sorenson, right, starts an inside pass during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Syracuse High's Rachel McBride (12) tries to get a shot up in the teeth of the Pleasant Grove defense during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Syracuse High's Aubri Stoker (5) drives against Pleasant Grove's MaKayla Boyer (0) during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Syracuse High girls basketball head coach Braden Hamblin, center, greets players to start a timeout during a 6A second-round playoff game Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Syracuse.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

❮ ❯

SYRACUSE — Pleasant Grove was in a girls basketball game against Syracuse for 2 minutes and 18 seconds, but it was over at the 2:19 mark.

Maylee Anderson drained a 3-pointer from the left angle, pushed home a floater shortly thereafter and the Titans were rolling with an early 9-0 lead.

Led by the Syracuse junior point guard, who wears No. 2, the No. 2 Titans advanced to the quarterfinals of the 6A state basketball tournament with a 54-21 trouncing of No. 15 Pleasant Grove on Thursday night.

Anderson had the two baskets, a rebound, an assist and a steal in the first 4 1/2 minutes for the Titans.

“It felt good; we had to start off strong,” Anderson said. “I knew I had to give it my all so we could get a lead in the beginning.”

Pleasant Grove did not get on the board until late in the first quarter and the Titans led 13-2 after one.

“Defensively we shut them down; they’re really good 3-point shooters,” Anderson said.

That showed as the Vikings had splashed home a trio of treys midway through the second stanza before Anderson checked another box on the stat sheet with a pair of free throws with three minutes remaining in the half, making it 21-11.

She finished with 20 points on eight field goals (two 3s) and 2 of 2 from the line.

Syracuse’s (20-3) edge shrunk to an uncomfortable six points at the half (21-15) after the fast start.

“They were hitting a few more shots than we would want them to. We were getting a little slower on the defensive end and needed to pick up the pace again,” Syracuse senior forward Aubri Stoker said. “At half, we talked about coming out stronger. We had a lead but wanted a better one. We opened in a press and guarded aggressive out top.”

So, after a 21-point first half, the Titans put up 19 points in the third quarter.

“We got some offensive runs off of our defense; got good tips … made our offense crisper and cleaner,” Stoker said. “We felt more confident in each other.”

Stoker scored five points in the third period and maybe had the signature play of the game when she drove to the bucket, took a hard foul and landed on her belly in a swim move before heading to the free-throw line for the and-one.

“In the first half my shots were short, my layups were weak. I decided I needed to be driving more and be stronger with the ball,” Stoker said.

The Titans led 40-21 after three and Stoker netted all seven of her points in the second half.

Defense ruled supreme in the fourth frame when Syracuse shut out the 14-0 Vikings (9-16) for the dominant win.

“We like our (2-1-2) defense a lot with our size. I’m in the middle and knew I had to battle with the high post, but still keep my hand up so they don’t shoot any 3s,” Stoker said. “Be all over the ball and play well together on the wings and up top.”

Syracuse moves on to the quarterfinals Monday at the University of Utah.

“We were looking to give everything we had tonight,” Anderson said. “We knew if we played harder we would get the “dub’.”