Since junior national team standout Kayla Alexander first stepped onto the court last month, it’s been almost a foregone conclusion that the senior Mustangs would contend for this year’s Halton Richardson Division (Tier 2) title.

Monday’s 63-37 semifinal win over Lester B. Pearson just made it official.

In a final hurdle to the championship that was more of a formality than anything else, MD drained three baskets before the game was a minute old and from there pretty much had its way with the spunky but clearly overmatched Patriots.

Even with relegating herself to play-maker through the entire final frame, Alexander amassed 22 points — a dozen of which came in the second quarter.

The six-foot-four-inch star, joining capable kid sister Kesia and a fairly solid supporting cast after spending last year as part of the National Elite Development Academy in Hamilton, was just as much a source of frustration for the visitors on the defensive side of things with countless blocks and rebounds.

Pearson did pull to within a half-dozen points on three separate occasions — thanks to key perimeter shooting — but were never really in a position to threaten the Mustangs’ advancement to the final.

Kesia and Vickie Kiriakopoulos contributed 11 points each to the convincing victory, while Brittany Tilstra — who’s looking quite promising as Kayla’s understudy — chipped in 10 and was even more impressive defensively.

Meghan Greaves and Tori Pickering also delivered quality minutes against the Patriots, who could take solace in breaking the 35-point barrier — something that was managed just once during MD’s 12-0 regular season tear.

Doing so was the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, who’ll provide the opposition tomorrow afternoon at Sheridan College in Oakville after upsetting Burlington Central 42-39 Tuesday. Aquinas gave MD its only true test this season, in a 46-38 decision.

Meanwhile, the junior Mustangs were toppled 43-25 by the first-year Corpus Christi Longhorns in their own semifinals Monday.

Rose Serafini led with nine points, while Tori Adamson and Courtney Germain had six apiece.