A key play in the final seconds: Dobie's Geo Ramirez (21) draws a charging foul from Trojan senior Maurice Ijeh, ending South Houston's last chance to tie the game.

  Senior Vance Leonard scored 27 points as the Dobie boys held off a furious second-half South Houston rally to beat the Trojans 72-69 at the Longhorns' gym on Friday night in a showdown game for the District 22-5A basketball title.
  The Longhorns closed to within one victory of securing their first outright district basketball championship in 23 years. Now 7-2 in district play, Dobie can claim sole possession of the title with a victory over Deer Park on Tuesday night.
  A loss by the Longhorns, combined with a South Houston victory over Memorial on Tuesday night, would leave the two teams locked in a co-championship. Dobie hasn't won so much as a co-title since 2002.
  Leonard scored 14 points in the first half as Dobie raced to a 41-29 lead at intermission. A 25-point explosion by the Longhorns in the second quarter seemed to seal the fate of the Trojans, the defending district champs.
  But South Houston fought back to within a point, at 70-69, with seven seconds left. Two free throws by Taylor Holland restored a three-point Dobie lead and the Trojans couldn't counter.
  Christian Sanders scored 16 points for the Longhorns and Devonte Banks 13.
  Sanders scored 10 of his points in Dobie's key second-quarter burst.
  Lacey Mose led the Trojans with 13. Victor Andino and Maurice Ijeh added 11 each.

Dobie senior Taylor Holland sinks the second of two free throws with seven seconds left to give his team a three-point lead.

Longhorn students celebrate at the final buzzer.

South Houston's Elton Dyer (23) fights a battle above the rim with Dobie's Geo Ramirez and gets the block.  

Dobie guard Devonte Banks works the ball in the backcourt.

(Left) Dobie's Christian Sanders (15) pushes into the lane for a first-quarter layup; (right) Lacey Mose brings the ball up for South Houston.

Dobie's Sanders works the ball down low as Bradley Deanda (3) defends for the Trojans.

South Houston's Maurice Ijeh eyes the bucket on a free throw.

South Houston's Calvin Mitchell (20) whips a pass inside for Maurice Ijeh.

Dobie's Devonte Banks shovels the ball from the top of the key.

(Left) South Houston's Victor Andino (14) tried to swipe the ball from Christian Sanders; (right) a Dobie cheerleader helps stir up the crowd.

Banks directs a pass to the wing as new Dobie Principal Franklin Moses calmly scrutinizes the action.

South Houston's Elton Dyer and Dobie's Taylor Holland vie for a critical loose ball in the closing minutes.

(Left) Dobie's Christian Sanders goes high to defend a shot; (right) Longhorns Coach Kevin Cross monitors the action on the court.

Franklin Moses, Dobie's new principal, soaks up the excitement.

Ariel Hebert, a Dobie senior, sings the national anthem before the game.

Senior night celebrants: Marcus Varron with his parents, Angelique and Marcus.

Taylor Holland, who later supplied the insurance points, poses with his mother, Michelle Holland and his brother, Reggie Wilson.