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Dobie guard Taylor Holland races by his coach, Kevin Cross, and his teammates after stealing the ball against Houston Chavez.
Sophomore guard Christian Sanders scored 20 points in each game on Friday, leading the Dobie boys team to victories over Flower Mound and Houston Chavez and a spot in the Division 2 Silver championship game of the McDonald's Texas Invitational.
The Longhorns will face Atascocita for the championship at 6 p.m. on Saturday in the Sam Rayburn High gym.
Dobie's advance marks the second year in a row for a Pasadena ISD boys team to reach the title game in Division 2 Silver. South Houston got as far last year before falling to Manvel.
No Pasadena ISD team -- boys or girls -- has won a title higher than the Bronze level since 2004, when Dobie won the girls championship in a 16-team girls format. This year's tournament features 48 boys teams and 32 on the girls side.
Another Pasadena ISD team - the South Houston girls squad - also has a chance on Saturday to bid for a Division 2 Silver title, but the Lady Trojans will need to win twice. South Houston earned a spot in Saturday's semifinals with a 55-52 victory over Houston Yates.
The Lady Trojans will take on La Porte in semifinal action on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the South Houston gym. A victory would send South Houston to the title game against either Cy-Creek or Pearland Dawson. That game is set for 3 p.m. at Deer Park's Auxiliary Gym.
Sanders was one of five Dobie players in double figures in the Longhorns' victory over Flower Mound, played at the Longhorns' gym. Dobie survived on a flurry of free throws, 11 of which came from Sanders on 15 trips to the line.
Darnell McCall added 14 points to the Longhorn cause and Taylor Hollard scored 13.
Playing in Deer Park, the Longhorns jumped to a 20-point lead over Chavez in the first half. Holland backed Sanders' 20 points with 12 of his own. Devonte Banks added 10.
The Memorial boys will play for the Division 2 Bronze title on Saturday against Sharyland. Game time is 6 p.m. at the South Houston gym.
On the girls side, Memorial and Sam Rayburn will play semifinal games in Division 2 Bronze. With victories, the two will meet in the 1:30 p.m. title game at South Houston.
Left: Taylor Holland tries to regain his balance as he battles for a rebound with Demun Mercer. Right: Dobie's Donte Morris goes high for a rebound.
Longhorns guard Darnell McCall motors past Chavez's Ryan Otis on his way to an easy layup.
Waiting out a flood of free throws: Dobie's Gee Ramirez fights for position with Flower Mound's Jacob VanNattan.
Dobie's Chris Mendoza (13) tangles with a pair of Houston Chavez players for a rebound.
Stephanie Gale, a junior for the Memorial girls team, presses Brazoswood's Gabrielle Millan during the Lady Mavs' final pool play game on Friday.
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