Brandywine senior Emily Erwin tries to deny St. Francis’ Lauren Bramer the ball during the Class C semifinals Thursday. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

EAST LANSING — Brandywine was unable to overcome a bad shooting game and 6-4 St. Francis junior Juliana Phillips in the Class C state semifinals at the Breslin Center at Michigan State University Thursday.

Phillips scored 17 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, three blocked shots and four steals as the Gladiators defeated the Bobcats 53-40 to advance to the championship game at 4 p.m. Saturday against the winner of No. 1-ranked Ypsilanti Arbor Prep and No. 7-ranked Ithaca.

Brandywine (24-3) shot just 15-of-57 from the field (26.3 percent) and 3-of-21 from 3-point range against a pesky Gladiator’s defense.

“We knew we were going to have to shoot the three today,” said Brandywine coach Josh Hood. “When you have a 6-4 and 6-1 post player with that kind and with our size, you have to be able to knock them down from the perimeter.”

Brandywine surrounds St. Francis’ 6-4 center Juliana Phillips during the second half. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

Brandywine was able to stay with St. Francis for much of the first half and a 16-15 lead after one quarter.

But the Bobcats scored just one basket in the second quarter and was fortunate to find itself only down 22-18 at halftime.

The two teams picked it up offensively in the third quarter, but Brandywine was unable to cut into the Gladiator’s lead.

St. Francis led 37-31 heading into the final quarter.

Despite getting the Gladiators to turn the ball over nine times in the final eight minutes, Brandywine was unable to take advantage of those mistakes.

“I have been down here a few times as a coach and usually the team that shoots it a little better usually at this point wins the game,” said St. Francis coach Keith Haske. “Obviously they struggled from the 3-point line, which has been their game all year. It kind of went our way.”

Makenna Hartline scored 17 points to lead the Bobcats, who also got 11 points from Emily Erwin and nine from Jaleesa Garner.

Hartline also had eight rebounds.

Lauren McDonald finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds for St. Francis.

ST. FRANCIS 53, BRANDYWINE 40

At East Lansing

ST. FRANCIS 53

Lauren Bramer 4, Sarah Chouinard 13, Lauren McDonald 10, Annie Lyman 7, Juliana Phillips 17, Joyana Tarsa 2. TOTALS: 21 13-16 53

BRANDYWINE 40

Makenna Hartline 17, Jaleesa Garner 9, Michaela Hartline 3, Emily Erwin 11, Alyssa Bolen 0, Mia Stella 0, Makena Bowen 0, Rachael Szilagyi 0, Cassandra Luczkowski 0, Chelsie Luczkowski 0, Alexis Garcia 0. TOTALS: 18 7-13 40

St. Francis     15     22     37     53

Brandywine  16     18     31     40

3-point baskets: St. Francis 2 (Chouinard, Lyman), Brandywine 3 (Erwin 3). Shooting: St. Francis 19-49 (38.8 percent), Brandywine 15-of-57 (26.3 percent). Rebounds: St. Francis 43 (Phillips 12), Brandywine 32 (Ma. Hartline 8). Turnovers: St. Francis 25, Brandywine 19. Varsity records: St. Francis 26-1, Brandywine 24-3.