By Gerry Steele

gsteele@bakercityherald.com

Baker’s girls basketball team split a pair of nonleague games against Class 5A opponents Friday and Saturday at BHS.

The Bulldogs defeated Redmond 39-24 Friday, but lost 39-27 to Ridgeview Saturday.

Friday, the Bulldogs limited Redmond to just three second-half points in the come-from-behind win.

“Defense is always first,” said Baker coach Jenny Mowe-Joseph.

“The officials told us there is a new rule about no open-handed checking on defense. For my girls that could be an advantage because I’ve preached that idea for years. I wasn’t aware of the rule change, but it didn’t make that much difference for us.”

Against Redmond, Baker trailed 21-20 at halftime.

Neither team mounted much offense in the third period, which ended with the score tied at 22-22.

Baker then scored the first nine points in the fourth quarter -five by Brie Sand and four by Michelle Freese – to take a 31-22 advantage.

Baker outscored the Panthers 17-2 in the fourth quarter.

Freese led the Bulldogs with 14 points.

Against Ridgeview, Baker had no answer for the Ravens’ 6-foot-3 post Chloe Ross.

Ross effectively shut down the inside except for Baker’s Whitney Lemmon.

Lemmon led the Bulldogs with 11 points, but nine of those points came before halftime.

Baker managed just eight field goals – five by Lemmon and three by Sand.

“Whit did a great job against Ross,” Mowe-Joseph said.

“We got good shots, but they just didn’t drop. We were rushing them a little bit.”

Baker (1-1) travels to Emmett Tuesday.

Friday game

REDMOND (24)

Edwards 0 1-4 1, Toledo 0 1-2 1, Hendricks, Hamilton 4 5-5 15, B. Dannis 0 0-1 0, Joyce 0 2-2 2, Jackson, C. Dannis 2 1-3 5. Totals 6 10-17 24.

BAKER (39) –

Huggins 1 0-0 2, Sand 3 1-1 7, Lemmon, M. Lehman 1 0-1 3, Tatlock 1 3-5 5, Phillips 2 0-3 4, Freese 5 3-7 14, Severson 2 0-0 4, K. Lehman 0 0-1 0. Totals 15 7-18 39.

Redmond -8 1312 – 24

Baker -5 152 17 – 39

Three-point baskets -Hamilton 2, M. Lehman, Freese.Fouled out -Edwards, Joyce.Total fouls -Redmond 21, Baker 18.Technicals -none.

Saturday game

RIDGEVIEW (39)

Whitney 1 0-0 2, Wilder 2 1-2 5, Wilcox 5 1-3 11, Epps 1 4-6 6, McFetridge 1 0-0 2, Ross 3 1-2 7, Woodward 1 4-7 6. Totals 14 11-20 39.

BAKER (27) –

Huggins, Sand 3 1-2 9, Lemmon 5 1-1 11, M. Lehman, Tatlock 0 1-2 1, Phillips, Freese 0 6-6 6, Severson, K. Lehman. Totals 8 9-11 27.

Ridgeview -13 1358 – 39

Baker -7 1136 – 27

Three-point baskets -Sand 2.Fouled out -none.Total fouls -Ridgeview 15, Baker 14.Technicals -none.