BRADENTON -- Wins are paramount now that the girls basketball season has begun its playoffs.

So while Jamaal Sanders was happy with the result of Tuesday's Class 5A-District 12 quarterfinal, which his Bayshore Bruins won handily over St. Petersburg Gibbs 52-29 to extend their season, he was excited about the future dividends.

Bayshore is a youth-laden team with two seniors on its roster.

Games like Tuesday can only help the Bruins develop.

"Winning is contagious, and once you get that taste of success, you salivate," Sanders said. "And you just want to continue doing it."

The Bruins (12-14) were

in control all night, taking a 14-0 lead during the game's first five minutes and never letting the fifth-seeded Gladiators get any closer than eight points.

Bayshore hit just one 3-pointer, choosing instead to rely on the inside game of sophomore Joy Norman. Good decision: Norman finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds.

"She's still learning the game. She's got all the physical attributes," Sanders said. "She can jump up and touch the rim. ... She's got to understand that she has that. Mentally, when she gets it, she's a pretty good player."

The Bruins exploited Gibbs' lack of size and controlled the boards, outrebounding the Gladiators 43-15.

Nora Bernard had 11 rebounds, and JoJo Muldoon grabbed 10 for Bayshore, the tournament's fourth seed.

Brooklyn Spearrin, Bayshore's lone senior in the starting lineup Tuesday, had seven points, and A.D. Sams added five.

The Bruins face a tall order Wednesday night when they head to St. Petersburg to take on the top-seeded Spartans, who reached the final four last season.

Lakewood defeated Bayshore 57-16 on Dec. 20 in Bradenton.

The winner advances to Friday's district championship game and next week's regional tournament.

"Hopefully, we can knock off one of the top teams in the state," Sanders said. "It's us against the world now. We haven't got anything to lose, that's for sure."