The battle for first place in the girls 6A East Valley Region is going to be tight to the finish. Dobson, which shared the lead with Westwood heading to games Monday, did its part to keep at leaste a piece of the top spot.

Dobson lost the lead it held the entire first half in the third quarter, but responded with its best period in the fourth to turn back visiting Mesa High, 46-36.

Dobson's win kept it no worse than even with Westwood in the East Valley Region and avenged its lone region loss to Mesa. The Mustangs are 16-6 overall, 6-1 region in a season that's affected them more than most teams in terms of COVID. Westwood played at Mountain View on Monday.

Dobson played eight games in a tournament hosted by Queen Creek Thanksgiving week, but ended up shut down from games the entire month of December - COVID the issue. Dobson got back in action with the start of the new year and is 8-1 in January. Its victory Monday was its seventh in a row. Mesa fell to 16-6 overall, 4-2 in region. 

Only four players scored for Dobson - three in double figures and the other a basket shy of double digits. Sophomore Ahdiayh Chee was high scorer with 16 points. Thirteen of those came in the second half. Chee made 7 of 10 free throws all in the fourth quarter. Her other points were a trio of threes. Aaliyah Garcia and Nataly Cruz-Esparragoza each chipped in with 11 points. Siarra Beck led Dobson at haltime with eight points. Beck did not score in the second half.

Dobson blanked Mesa in the first quarter, leading 9-0 after the first eight minutes. Mesa cut Dobson's lead to three at halftime and took a 26-25 advantage to the fourth.

Mesa's lead didn't last long. Cruz-Esparragoza put Dobson ahead to stay with 40 seconds gone in the final period with a driving layup. A three by Aaliyah Garcia with 6:32 to go kept Mesa at a small distance much of the quarter. Mesa pulled within 32-30 on a fastbreak bucket by Aliyah Owens-Parsons, but Garcia's three-point play with 3:19 to go put the Jackrabbits down five. 

Mesa opted to foul often the final three minutes - trailing only 35-32. Dobson made 14 of 20 free throws for an 11-4 closing run.

Junior Micayla Silas led Mesa with 13 points, nine in the first half. Mesa's leading scorer Ashiian Hunter, averaging better than 19 points a game, was held scoreless in the first half. She finished with nine points.

Dobson plays three more games this week - all on the road. Wednesday at Alhambra, Thursday at Maryvale and Friday at Red Mountain. Mesa's next game is Friday at home against Westwood, which handed the Jackrabbits their other region loss.