AUSTIN, Texas -- The Duncanville girls basketball team lived up to its coach’s expectations Saturday in the 5A state championship.

Duncanville jumped to a huge lead early and routed Spring Dekaney 69-31 for its seventh state title.

“This team doesn’t worry me,” Duncanville coach Cathy Self-Morgan said. “They make the right choices and they’ll celebrate with character tonight and do right.”

Duncanville (40-1) began the game on a 19-1 run and ended the first quarter with a 24-3 lead over Dekaney (39-2), which was held without a field goal in the opening frame.

The second was no better for Dekaney, which saw its shooting percentage sit at 5.9 percent while Duncanville shot just over .500.

Dekaney simply couldn’t find an open shot against Duncanville’s inspired full-court man defense, which forced 14 turnovers in the first quarter, including seven off steals. For the game, Duncanville converted 22 Dekaney turnovers into 22 points.

“We played as a team from start to finish and we played with heart and didn’t want to give up, and we got it,” Duncanville guard Empress Davenport said.

Davenport was quick to say the final score surprised her, but she’ll definitely take the win and the state championship on the floor of her future home as a Texas Longhorn.

Davenport had 17 points, three rebounds and three assists and was named MVP, but the award could have gone to any number of Duncanville players.

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Tasia Foman scored a game-high 21 points -- 18 of which came from 3-pointers -- and pulled down six rebounds. Morgan Bolton added 12 points, but she did most of her damage flying into the paint for seven rebounds despite her 5-foot-6 frame. Bolton also initiated the highlight of the game when she dished a behind-the-back pass to Davenport, who finished the layup and drew a foul.

“I think my whole team deserves a trophy because we played as a team and got it done,” Davenport said.

Duncanville increased its record for most 5A state titles with No. 7. However, this team did it differently than most of Self-Morgan’s past teams, which relied on tall post players to dominate the paint.

When the buzzer sounded at the Erwin Center on Saturday, this group of guards that turned into a coach’s dream completed a magical season in what amounted to an extraordinary way.

“I love this team," Self-Morgan said.