‘The biggest shot in Dillard history’ leads Panthers to BCAA girls basketball title

It’s a shot Genovea Johnson will never forget.

And it was her birthday, too.

Johnson sank a game-winning 3-pointer from just inside half court with no time left on the clock to lift Dillard to a 60-58 thriller in the girls BCAA Big 8 championship game at South Plantation on Saturday.

The win was the Panthers’ eighth Big 8 title and first since 2015.

“That was the biggest shot in my career,” said an emotional Johnson, who finished with a team-high 20 points. “We talked about this all season that we weren’t going to lose this game. I couldn’t let my team down.”

St. Thomas (18-6) trailed by a point with junior guard Bella LaChance at the line. She made both free throws for a 58-57 lead and three seconds left in regulation. LaChance finished with a game-high 25 points.

After a Dillard (20-5) timeout, the inbound pass went to Johnson at half court. She heaved the ball toward the basket, off the backboard and through the hoop.

“That was the biggest shot in Dillard history,” said Panthers coach Marcia Pinder as she fought back tears. “The plan was to make one pass, get Johnson the ball and shoot.”

Pinder said the defensive play in the second half helped Dillard overcome a 13-point halftime deficit.

Sophomore Kintaeja Ling keyed the rally with three fourth quarter three-pointers, the last giving Dillard a 57-54 lead.

“Give credit to Dillard hitting a 3-pointer at the end,” said Aquinas coach Oliver Berens. “We made them shoot a hard-contested shot, but she made it.”

Following a slow start by both teams, Aquinas accelerated the pace in the second quarter.

Led by LaChance and Abby Hsu, the Raiders built an 18-point lead and it could have been much worse for the Panthers is not for a pair of 3-pointers from Dillard’s Chynna Mattair late in the second quarter.

The only time the Raiders trailed in the opening half was 1-0 on a Raven White free throw in the first minute of regulation.

Dillard ended the third quarter on a 6-0 run, cutting the deficit to seven points at 47-40 Aquinas.

St. Thomas connected on 10 three-point shots in its victory over Dillard on Jan. 29. That win snapped an 11-game losing streak against Dillard.

Mattair finished with 12 points and Hsu with 13 points.