Among smiles and tears, three Dillard girls' basketball stars signed letters of intent before coaches, teammates and family members on Wednesday.

Emotions ran high inside the Dillard gymnasium as Dawnn Maye, the lefty point guard ranked No. 32 by ESPN HoopGurlz, signed with Georgia Tech, Kianna Conner, a prolific shooter, with Delaware State and 6-2 Candace Parson with Tennessee Tech.

The trio will lead a Panthers team that will enter the season ranked No. 20 in the ESPN HoopGurlz Top 25 and No. 7 in the South Region.

``Signing the paper made me realize what I was going to do after high school,'' said Maye, who will major in Music Technology. ``It was the reality of leaving for college and the rest of my life. I want to give my maximum effort the rest of the way with my GPA and start working toward winning a state championship.''

Each player sat at tables flanked by family members as four-time state champion coach Marcia Pinder lauded their work in the classroom and on the court. Pinder herself seemed to choke back tears describing what it meant to watch her seniors use basketball to pay for a college tuition.

``If you ask any parent, their biggest goal is to help their child get to that next level,'' said Pinder. ``For the ring or championship you only remember that for a moment and then it's gone. With a scholarship that is something that helps you prepare for life.''

Leroy and Pam Maye beamed as their daughter used the same left hand known for delivering flashy passes to sign and secure her college future.

``I am very proud of Dawnn,'' said Pam Maye. ``Dawnn has worked so hard and accomplished so much since she has been here at Dillard. It's good to see that all the hard work has paid off.''

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