Garrick Hodge/MDN Rugby's Trace Goven (24) tries to get out of a double team from DLB's Arron Grandy (20) and Joshua Knutson (21) during a Region 6 tournament semifinal game Thursday at the MSU Dome.

All season, the Rugby boys basketball team had never questioned its 1-3-1 defense.

Yet, there was a smidge of second guessing going around on Thursday.

Des Lacs-Burlington exposed some holes in Panthers’ zone by making its fair share of open looks beyond the arc, converting 16-of-37 3-pointers. Yet, Rugby made enough defensive stops down the stretch to escape with a 61-59 victory in the Region 6 tournament semifinals at the MSU Dome.

“The kids doubted (the defense) a little bit, but we have been doing it all year,” Rugby coach Mike Santjer said. “We knew they were going to stand outside and shoot threes. They only like to play five kids, so we knew if we increased the tempo, some of their legs would go a little bit. They went just enough for us to scrap out a two-point win.”

In the teams’ first matchup this season, DLB won a tightly contested affair on Jan. 4, 59-58. With the victory, the Panthers advance to play Bishop Ryan in the Region 6 championship at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Minot Auditorium.

The Lakers started the game on a 8-0 run that lasted for the first 4 minutes and 30 seconds, then Rugby reduced the DLB lead to 11-7 after one quarter.

Defensively, Rugby kept packing players in the paint and daring the Lakers to convert jump shots.

Fortunately for DLB, it didn’t miss many. The Lakers’ first half offense came nearly exclusively from the 3-point line, taking only two shots inside the arc. It was effective nonetheless, with DLB making 10 of 18 3-pointers and shooting 11-of-20 from the floor.

Heading into halftime, DLB led 32-28.

“It was a back-and-forth game,” DLB coach Tyler Ystaas said. “We hit some shots and they responded with some of their own. We just didn’t execute down the stretch tonight.”

Lakers guard Dante Gunville led the first half effort with a 5 of 6 shooting performance from beyond the arc in the first two quarters for 15 points and Arron Grandy made 4 of 7 3-pointers for 12 points at the break. Gunville and Grandy each finished with 23 points each. Only four players from DLB scored.

The Panthers opened the third quarter on a 12-3 run en route to taking a five-point lead, but the Lakers took back the lead heading into the fourth, 43-42.

With 1:30 remaining, DLB and Rugby were deadlocked at 57 apiece. Panthers guard Trace Goven sat atop of the 1-3-1 and picked Lakers point guard Eddie White Bear’s pocket, converting a breakaway go-ahead layup for a two-point lead.

“Our coaches always preach defense,” Goven said. “I just had it in my head I had to step up and make a play for my team. I can’t give my teammates enough credit. We got rolling and things just started to work for us in the second half.”

Down by two, DLB took one last timeout with 18 seconds remaining. The Lakers drew up a play for Gunville, but the sophomore lost control of the ball after attempting to drive to the lane on Rugby’s Kevin Vetsch. Vetsch stripped the ball and made two free throws to seal the victory with 4.7 seconds left.

“Kevin is a kid that if you told him to run through a brick wall, he’d do it,” Santjer said. “He just wants to please you and he works really hard. As for Trace, he’s so good at anticipating passing lanes and is quick enough to pester the point guard.”

Rugby shot 41 percent from the floor, 3-of-10 beyond the arc and made 18 of 21 free throws, while forcing 13 DLB turnovers. The Panthers outrebounded the Lakers 30-21.

DLB shot 48 percent from the floor and only made 1 of 6 free throws.

Garrick Hodge covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @Garrick_Hodge