“She’s just different,” the Jamestown girls basketball coach said.

Who can argue?

The 6-foot-1 freshman poured in 25 points, including 20 in the first half, to propel the top-seeded Legends to a 63-30 victory over the fourth-seeded Red Raiders in a Section VI Class AA semifinal. The win vaults Lancaster (20-0), the second-ranked team in the state, into the championship game at 3 p.m. Sunday at Buffalo State against No. 3 Clarence, which held off No. 2 Williamsville North 39-35 in the other semifinal.

It will be a tall order for anyone to stay close to this version of the Legends.

Jamestown’s Marley Drake attempts to drive by Lancaster’s Madison Francis during Thursday’s Section VI Class AA semifinal at Sweet Home High School. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

Francis scored 10 points in both the first and second quarters, showing off the athletic, shot-making and defensive skills that have already earned her a scholarship offer from the University of North Carolina.

Ricker is so impressed with her that the only high school player he can compare her to is former Rush-Henrietta star Shenise Johnson (Class of 2008), who was the cornerstone of the team that knocked off Jamestown in the Far West Regional in both 2007 and 2008. Johnson went on to play collegiately at the University of Miami and was drafted with the fifth overall pick of the 2012 WNBA Draft.

“(Johnson’s talents) were skill, strength and smarts,” Ricker said, “and Madison has all that, and she’s just different.”

Added Lancaster coach Jason Jaskier: “She’s just a phenomenal player and an even better person. Her teammates love her, her teachers love her. She’s the heart and soul of our team, which is wild as a freshman. But for impressive as she is on the court, she is even better in the classroom and at practice.”

By halftime, Lancaster led 36-13 and breezed the rest of the way to complete a three-game sweep against Jamestown this season. In addition to Francis’ 25 points, Casey Mahoney scored 14, Rachel Kamrowski added 12 and five other teammates found the scoring column.

“We try to teach the girls that with knowledge comes confidence and that allows you to play fast,” Laskier said. “So you treat every opponent the same and you scout every opponent the same, no matter what happened in the regular season. We throw the records out in the playoffs, because it’s a whole new ballgame.”

Added Ricker: “You don’t get to be number two in the state by hype, right? They’re that good.”

For Jamestown (13-9), Marley Drake led the way with 13 points, including three 3-pointers, and Kylie O’Brien scored 9 points and hauled down 19 rebounds, but the Red Raiders managed only nine field goals in the game.

“All year we talked about just building and I think we did,” Ricker said. “With only one senior and having all these guys coming back (in combination) with starting intramurals with fifth- and sixth-graders, we’re going to build it. … Were trying — in anything — not to keep score and know that it’s about work not score.

“We’ve laid the groundwork. We’ve got the basement in, but the house is still going to get wet if you don’t keep working. We’re going to get working. I couldn’t happier. The Lady Raiders used to be right at the top of Section VI and these girls will get them back there.”

NOTES: During the regular season, Lancaster defeated Jamestown 87-37 at home and 69-52 at McElrath Gymnasium.

JAMESTOWN (30)

Freeney 1 0 2, Drake 4 2 13, Tubbs 0 0 0, Leeper 0 0 0, Powers 0 1 1, Canfield 2 0 5, O’Brien 2 5 9. Totals 9 8 30.

LANCASTER (63)

Maciag 0 0 0, Kamrowski 4 1 12, Bauer 2 1 5, Mahony 5 0 14, Robinson 1 0 2, Wolf 0 0 0, Helenbrook 1 0 2, Harrington 1 0 2, Francis 12 0 25. Totals 26 3 63.

3-point goals — Drake 3, Canfield, Kamrwoski 3, Mahony 4.

Jamestown 4 9 10 7 — 30

Lancaster 18 18 17 10 — 63