Dillon’s Yolanda Campbell scored five points in the last minute of action on Tuesday night to lift the Dillon Wildcats to a 50-49 win over the Kingstree Jaguars in the third round of the Class AA girls basketball playoffs.

Kingstree took a 10-8 lead in the first quarter, but Dillon was ahead 27-26 at the half. But the Jaguars outscored the Wildcats in the third for a 38-36 lead, and were ahead 49-42 with 1:13 left in the game. Dillon’s Tyshanna Lester sank a two-pointer and was fouled by Kingstree’s Dashanique Peterson to allow Lester to sink a free throw, leaving the Wildcats trailing 49-45. Peterson went out on the foul, and Lester followed shortly after, but the Panthers missed the free throws.

With 21 seconds left in the game, Campbell scored two to put the Wildcats two points behind at 49-47. The Lady Wildcats attempted a steal, but the Jaguars kept the ball and a foul sent Dijonae Chandler to the free throw line, where she missed both attempts. Dillon’s Tejah Breeden grabbed the rebound and passed to Brianna Lee, and Lee passed to Campbell, who was fouled as she sank the shot to tie the game 49-49 with one second on the clock. Campbell then stepped up and sank the free throw for the win.

Lester led the Wildcats with a game-high 18 points and Campbell finished with 15 points and 18 rebounds. Brianna lee scored five; Khamele Manning and Tejah Breeden each earned four; Shar’Asia Samuel added three; and Da’Kerhia Samuel earned one point in the win.

Campbell admitted that she was worried when Lester fouled out, but she knew it wasn’t over. “We aren’t just a one-dimensional team,” she said. “I had to go for it, I had to.”

Head Coach Shawn Johnson said he was proud of the girls’ effort and thankful to God that they didn’t give up. “They followed through,” he said. “It was a great team win.”

Kingstree was led by Brittany Williams with 17 points and Dashanique Peterson with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and six blocks. Dijonae Chandler earned 12 and Laniesha McRea added four in the effort.

The Jaguars struggled at the free throw line, hitting just one of eight in the fourth quarter, but Kingstree coach Theodis Faison said he was proud of the team. “We had a great season and having nothing to hold our head down about,” he said. “Dillon knew the Jaguars were here. We just lost it by inches.”

Kingstree finished with a school-best record of 26-4, while the Lady Wildcats improved to 26-0 and will play in their first lower state title game, facing 2013 state runner-up Bishop England this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. at the Florence Civic Center.

Bishop England has a 24-1 record this season and has defeated every playoff opponent by a margin of more than 30 points. The Battling Bishops defeated Battery Creek 76-38 on Tuesday to earn the trip to the lower state championship.

In the upper state, Newberry defeated Pendleton 46-36 and Andrew Jackson defeated Keenan 50-44 to advance to the upper state title game on Saturday.

Photos by Johnnie Daniels/THE DILLON HERALD. Click the images below to view at full size!