Baker outlasted Cottage Grove in a Class 4A state boys basketball play-in game Saturday at Baker High School.

The teams battled through six ties and nine lead changes before Baker came away with a 77-68 win.

“We had one of our best weeks of practice,” said Baker coach Brent Gyllenberg.

“Like I’ve said all season we want to be peaking right now. To play like we did was special tonight.”

Five quick points by Cayn Osborn gave Baker an early 5-2 lead.

The teams then traded baskets the rest of the first quarter that ended with Baker clinging to an 18-16 edge.

Then, with Baker leading 28-27 midway through the second quarter, Cottage Grove went on an 11-0 run to build a 38-28 lead with 1:10 left in the first half.

Two baskets by Kaden Sand, and a three-pointer by Gabe Gambleton with 5 seconds left in the half cut the deficit to 38-25 at halftime.

The game remained close in the third quarter, including a 47-47 tie with 2:30 left in the quarter.

Four points from Sand, and two each from Caden Long and Gambelton then lifted Baker to a 55-49 advantage entering the fourth quarter.

Cottage Grove cut Baker’s lead to two points twice early in the fourth quarter, but each time Baker answered.

The Bulldogs were held without a field goal in the final three minutes of the game, but hit 12-of-14 free throws during that stretch to keep Cottage Grove at bay.

Gambleton led five Bulldogs in double figures with 20 points.

Sand added 19, Osborn 18, Long 10 and Riley Flanagan 10.

Baker (12-13) travels to Coos Bay Saturday to play Marshfield (18-6) in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs. Marshfield is the Far West League No. 1 seed.

COTTAGE GROVE (68)

Julian 4 0-0 8, Ellingworth 11 4-4 30, Griffen 5 0-1 10, Glenn 1 1-5 3, Alonzo 0 1-7 1, Ferguson 1 0-0 2, Claflin 1 0-0 2, Haguewood 5 0-0 10, Grover 0 2-2 2. Totals 28 8-19 68.

BAKER (77) –

Osborn 6 4-6 18, Linscott, Flanagan 3 4-6 10, Nelson, Sand 7 4-5 19, Gambleton 6 5-6 20, Long 4 2-2 10, Mastrude. Totals 26 19-25 77.

Cottage Grove -16 22 11 19 — 68

Baker -18 17 20 22 — 77

Three-point baskets — Ellingworth 4, Osborn 2, Sand, Gambleton 3. Fouled out — Alonzo, Long. Total fouls — Cottage Grove 23, Baker 18. Technicals — none.