MESA - Everything was lining up for Dobson to return to the 6A girls basketball final Tuesday night.
The home crowd roared as junior guard Jaziah Billey drove for a layup and 32-25 lead with a bit more than six minutes left. Little did they know there was only one more bucket to cheer.
Visiting #3 seed O'Connor beat the Mustangs at their own game, closing the semifinal on a 17-3 run thanks to defense, offensive rebounding and a skill at drawing shooting fouls. The Eagles left Mesa with a 42-35 win and the first trip to a state girls basketball final in program history.
