HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Baker girls fall to Vale in overtime, boys rout Fruitland

Published 9:00 am Tuesday, December 10, 2024

The Baker girls basketball team thrilled the home crowd with one comeback, but the Bulldogs couldn’t quite pull off a second against Vale on Tuesday night, Dec. 10.

Baker rallied from a 10-point deficit in the third quarter to lead briefly by two points late in the fourth, but the Vikings tied it to force overtime and then pulled away during the four-minute extra period to take a 54-48 win.

Baker fell to 2-3 on the season.

The Bulldogs led 21-16 at halftime, but the Vikings dominated the third quarter, 22-8. Vale twice led by 10 points, the last time with 42 seconds left in the quarter.

But with freshman Molly Rasmussen dominating inside, the Bulldogs quickly eroded the Viking lead in the fourth.

Rasmussen scored eight straight points for the Bulldogs, part of a 13-4 scoring run, to get Baker within 42-41 with 4 minutes left.

After Vale went up 44-41, Gracie Spike made a free throw and Mary Schwartz hit a 15-footer from the corner, on an assist from Kathryn Gentry, to tie the score at 44 with 2:38 left.

After a defensive stop, Lily Logsdon lofted a perfect entry pass to Molly Rasmussen in the key, and she banked in a shot to give Baker a 46-44 lead with 1:42 left. It was Baker’s first lead since early in the third quarter, and the Baker crowd reached a crescendo.

Vale’s Kesley Stepleton scored inside with 1:14 left to tie it.

After a missed Baker shot, Schwartz stole an entry pass with 32 seconds left but again Baker couldn’t convert on the other end with a chance to regain the lead.

Stepleton’s 3-point try at the buzzer bounced out, and it was on to overtime.

Vale’s Izzy Maag made two free throws to give the Vikings a 48-46 lead, but Gentry swished a 15-footer to tie the game with 3:16 left in the extra period.

Baker didn’t score again, though, and Maag and Stepleton had consecutive baskets inside. Maag’s two free throws — she was six for six for the game — were the final margin.

The Vikings had a major advantage at the free throw line, making 17 of 25 shots. Baker was 5 for 14. Baker was whistled for 24 fouls, Vale 16.

Baker coach Jason Ramos said he was happy with his team’s response after falling behind by 10 points.

Unlike in a loss to Crook County in a tournament on Dec. 6 in Prineville, when Baker had a similar lull in the third quarter, this time the Bulldogs rallied.

“We said let’s not let this happen again,” Ramos said. “We started getting to the hoop, and we were getting some defensive stops. We showed that we’re capable of coming back.”

Ultimately, though, the Bulldogs committed a few too many turnovers during key moments, Ramos said.

Baker had four straight scoreless possessions during overtime.

Baker led 21-16 at halftime, but in the third quarter Vale started to take advantages of Baker’s interior defense, as Vikings repeatedly drove the lane for baskets or to draw fouls. Vale made six of seven free throws in the third quarter.

Vale shot 17 free throws in the second half and overtime, Baker seven.

Molly Rasmussen led Baker with 14 points, 12 in the second half. Gentry added eight points, Gwen Rasmussen and Ashlyn Dalton had seven each, and Schwartz six.

Hartley and Stepleton had 12 points each to lead the Vikings.

First quarter

The Bulldogs shrugged off a sluggish start, going scoreless for almost half the first quarter, including four missed free throws, and falling behind 4-0.

But then Logsdon whipped a pass to Dalton for an inside basket with 4:27 left, and the Bulldogs were off and running.

Baker scored the next 11 points, a run that ended when Brynlee Hartley made a free throw with 22.1 seconds left. Hartley added a 3-pointer in the final seconds to cut Baker’s lead to 10-8 after the first quarter.

Second quarter

The Vikings quickly tied it at 10, and after a tie at 12, Dalton made one of two free throws to give Baker the lead back at 13-12. That started a 7-0 Bulldog run capped by Gentry’s basket on an inbounds pass from Schwartz. Hartley had a free throw and a layin to get the Vikings to within 19-16 before Gentry banked in a tough turnaround 10-footer from the key to make it 21-16 at the break.

Third quarter

Baker led 23-20 after Dalton scored on an assist from Molly Rasmussen, but Baker wouldn’t score again for more than three minutes.

The Vikings, meanwhile, scored 13 straight points, mainly on inside baskets and driving layins, to take a 10-point lead.

Baker responded with a 5-0 run in 25 seconds, capped by Schwartz’s 3-pointer. 

But Vale finished the quarter on a 5-1 run to boost the lead back to nine, at 38-29. The Vikings outscored Baker 22-8 in the quarter.

Baker is off until Dec. 17, when the Bulldogs travel to Fruitland, Idaho, for a 6:30 p.m. PST tipoff.

VALE (54)

Jacobs 4 0-2 8, B. Johnson 1 4-6 6, Hartley 3 5-7 12, C. Johnson 3 0-0 6, Blake 0 0-0 0, Stepleton 5 2-4 12, Bates 0 0-0 0, Crane 0 0-0 0, B. Maag 0 0-0 0, I. Maag 2 6-6 10. Totals 18 17-25 54.

BAKER (48)

Gentry 4 0-0 8, Logsdon 0 0-0 0, Schwartz 2 1-5 6, Spike 1 1-2 3, Dalton 3 1-2 7, Whitford 1 0-2 2, Myer 0 0-0 0, G. Rasmussen 3 0-0 6, M. Rasmussen 6 2-2 14, Ramos 1 0-1 2, Morgan 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 5-14 48.

Vale      8     8   22  8   8  —  54

Baker   10   11   8  17  2  —  48

Boys at Fruitland

Baker dominated the Grizzlies from the start, going on to a 65-32 win to improve to 4-0 on the season.

Baker, the defending Class 4A state champions, are the top-ranked team in that division.

The Bulldogs made four of their eight 3-pointers in the first quarter — two from Isaiah Jones and one each by Eli Long and Jaxon Logsdon — as Baker took a 26-14 lead.

Baker made three more long balls — by Isaiah Jones, Long and Grant Gambleton — and the Bulldogs pushed the lead to 20 points, 45-25, at halftime.

Baker’s offensive pace slowed in the second half, but the Bulldogs’ defense tightened. Fruitland scored just seven points in the second half, including just two in the fourth quarter.

Long led Baker with 18 points. Isaiah Jones had 15 and Rasean Jones 10.

Baker starts a three-day run at the Owyhee Tournament at Rocky Mountain High School in Meridian, Idaho, by taking on Eagle, Idaho, Thursday, Dec. 12, at 2:30 p.m. PST. Baker will also play Friday and Saturday, the times and opponents to be determined.

BAKER (65)

Gambleton 2 0-0 6, Chandler 1 0-0 2, Churchfield 2 1-2 5, Clark 0 0-0 0, R. Jones 4 2-4 10, Wellman 1 0-0 2, I. Jones 6 0-0 15, Long 8 0-0 18, Logsdon 2 0-0 5, Holden 1 0-0 2, Joseph 0 0-2 0. Totals 27 3-8 65.

FRUITLAND (32)

Philpot 1 0-0 2, Van Hofwegen 1 0-2 3, Fitch 2 0-0 4, Vidak 3 6-10 12, Thayer 1 0-0 2, Walker 1 0-0 2, Grosvenor 0 0-0 0, Chadwell 0 1-2 1, Howard 0 0-0 0, Clarich 3 0-2 6. Totals 12 7-16 32.

Baker      26 19  13   7  —  65

Fruitland 14  11   5   2  —  32

Halftime $10,000 contest

For the second time this season, a spectator at the Baker home game had a chance to win $10,000 during halftime.

As during the Dec. 4 game, the competitor, a student from Vale, was still trying to make a 3-pointer when the 30 seconds ran out.

Baker City Gold is sponsoring the promotion.

Here’s how it works:

For each game, people can enter their names in a drawing at the BHS gym. One name will be picked for each game.

That person will have a chance to make a layup, free throw, 3-pointer and halfcourt shot within 30 seconds, rebounding their own shots. If anyone accomplishes the feat they would win $10,000.

The contest will happen during each home game. On nights when both the boys and girls are playing, the contest will take place during halftime of the boys game.

Garry McLin, owner of Baker City Gold, said he has been working to offer the promotion for the past couple years. He hopes it will encourage people to attend games.

“We do like to support our local students at Baker High,” McLin said. “We’re excited to be doing this.”

McLin said he saw a similar promotion during a televised basketball game.

He said he bought an insurance policy that would pay the $10,000 prize, rather than putting up all that money himself.

There are a few restrictions on the contest, most notably that anyone who has played or coached basketball in college, semi-professional, professional or Olympics is not eligible to compete.

McLin said competitors must start at halfcourt, and they can either carry or dribble the ball to the basket for the layup. Also, if a competitor makes the layup, free throw and 3-pointer, they can take only one halfcourt shot.

If someone accomplishes the feat and wins the $10,000, that person would not be eligible to compete again, he said.

Jan. 4: Boys and girls vs. Crook County (boys game at 11 a.m.)

Jan. 7: Girls vs. Fruitland, Idaho, 7 p.m.

Jan. 14: Boys and girls vs. Pendleton (boys game at 7:30 p.m.)

Jan. 21: Girls vs. Melba, Idaho, 7 p.m.

Jan. 24: Boys and girls vs. La Grande (boys game at 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 14: Boys and girls vs. Ontario (boys game at 7:30 p.m.)

Feb. 15: Boys vs. Churchill (time TBD)

Also on the local high school basketball schedule later this week:

Pine Eagle girls (2-1)

Thursday, Dec. 12, vs. Open Door Christian Academy, 7 p.m., Calvin Hiatt Invitational at Powder Valley High School

Friday, Dec. 13, vs. Imbler, 5:30 p.m., Calvin Hiatt Invitational

Saturday, Dec. 14, vs. Prairie City/Burnt River, 4 p.m., Calvin Hiatt Invitational

Pine Eagle boys (0-3)

Thursday, Dec. 12, vs. Open Door Christian Academy, 8:30 p.m., Calvin Hiatt Invitational at Powder Valley High School

Friday, Dec. 13: TBD at Calvin Hiatt Invitational

Saturday, Dec. 14: vs. Prairie City/Burnt River, 5:30 p.m., Calvin Hiatt Invitational

Powder Valley girls (0-2)

Thursday, Dec. 12, vs. Jordan Valley, 7 p.m., Calvin Hiatt Invitational at Powder Valley High School

Friday, Dec. 13, vs. Vale, 6 p.m. Calvin Hiatt Invitational

Saturday, Dec. 14, vs. Adrian, 3:30 p.m., Calvin Hiatt Invitational

Powder Valley boys (0-2)

Thursday, Dec. 12, vs. Jordan Valley, 8:30 p.m., Calvin Hiatt Invitational at Powder Valley High School

Friday, Dec. 13, vs. Vale, 7:30 p.m., Calvin Hiatt Invitational

Saturday, Dec. 14, vs. Adrian, 5 p.m. Calvin Hiatt Invitational

Huntington girls (1-1)

Friday, Dec. 13, vs. Harper, 5 p.m., Harper tournament

Saturday, Dec. 14, TBD, Harper tournament

Huntington boys (0-2)

Friday, Dec. 13, TBD, Harper tournament

Saturday, Dec. 14, TBD, Harper tournament