Senior has 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as Panthers outlast ElyBy Christy Cabrera Chirinos, Sun Sentinel
9:22 p.m. EST, February 16, 2010
All season long, Dillard has relied on a balanced scoring attack.
But with the season in the balance, the ball wound up in the hands of the Panthers' emotional leader.
Dawnn Maye capitalized, sinking a crucial shot with 27 seconds left that helped lift Dillard to a hard-fought 47-42 victory over rival Ely in a Class 5A regional semifinal Tuesday.
Dillard (23-4) is now one win away from a return to the state tournament.
A victory on the road at Sebastian River in Saturday's regional championship will send the Panthers back to Lakeland for the first time since they won a state title in 2005.
"I saw the lane and I just drove," said Maye, who had a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. "We weren't panicked or rushing. You have to play mental basketball at this."
For much of the second half, Dillard found itself fighting off one spirited Ely run after another.
The Tigers (23-4) cut into Dillard's 27-18 halftime lead with a 7-0 run in the opening minutes of the third quarter.
Ely started the fourth in similar fashion, going on a 5-0 run to tie the game at 35.
But it wasn't enough.
Dillard's Kianna Conner led all scorers with 15 points and Ely's Alicia DeVaughn had 14 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks.
"We didn't match them in the beginning and we started too late," DeVaughn said
