Dobson has played in four girls basketball state championship games in its four-decade history. On Tuesday night the Mustangs punched a ticket to No. 5.

Third-seeded Dobson turned back seventh-seeded Gilbert's fourth-quarter rally in the final three minutes to advance to the 6A title game with a 37-34 win at Dobson High. It will be Dobson's fifth appearance in a girls hoops title game in school history. The Mustangs won titles in 2010 and 2015 and took runner-up honors in 1990 and 2001.

Dobson (23-8) faces three-time defending 6A champion and fifth-seeded Valley Vista on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Valley Vista (22-9) earned a berth in the final with a decisive 61-39 victory over top-seed Hamilton.

Guard Jaziah Billey came up huge in helping Dobson prevail. The 5-foot-4-inch sophomore scored 11 of her 13 points in the third quarter. Billey's points in the third came on two driving layups, two perimeter jumpers of 12-15 feet and the final shot of the quarter. That final shot was a banked-in three from half court. The Mustangs, who won the East Valley Region title this season, increased a three-point halftime lead to 32-25 to begin the fourth quarter.

"(Billey) cranked it up for us in the third quarter," Dobson coach Henry Bribiescas said. "She's a voice for us, and a leader. Her scoring was huge." Billey's 13 points was a bonus - it was double her season average of 6.6 ppg. 

Gilbert (16-13) was paced by junior guard Meisha Caserio with a game-high 15 points. Caserio scored 11 of her 15 points after intermission. Her long-range three with 27 seconds left to play pulled the Tigers within 36-34. Gilbert fouled Dobson's Aaliyah Garcia with 21 seconds left and Garcia converted the front-end of a one-and-one. Gilbert got the rebound of the missed free throw and called time with 15.6 seconds to go.

Caserio got the call to put up a potential tying shot, but it was off the mark. Gilbert still had a chance after Dobson missed three free throws, the last two with 3.5 seconds left. 

Gilbert's last possession failed to produce a shot. A three-quarters-court inbound pass was picked off by Dobson's Isabella Jensen, who dribbled away the final ticks.