The Target Center’s lights were brighter and its rims less forgiving than Melrose guard Dillon Haider expected. No matter.

Haider fueled the fourth-seed Dutchmen’s 81-66 rout of No. 5 seed Redwood Valley on Wednesday in the Class 2A quarterfinals, thanks to hot first-half shooting. Haider, a sophomore, led the charge with 12 points before halftime – nine of them on a trio of three-pointers.

“Once I make my first shot I get into the flow really easily,” Haider said. “I love big games.”

The Dutchmen (27-5), making their first return to state since winning the 1974 title, went 7-for-12 from the three-point arc in the first half.

Tyler Braegelmann led the team with 17 points, followed by Drake Meyer (15), Haider (14), Cesar Cervantes (13) and Blake Gerads (12).

Redwood Valley (23-7) got 31 points from Sam Pendleton.