BAKER BOYS BASKETBALL: Bulldogs roll past Mountain View for second straight win

Published 12:53 pm Saturday, January 11, 2025

The Baker boys basketball team dominated defensively for the second straight day, and the result was another easy win over a Class 5A team, as the Bulldogs routed Mountain View 68-45 on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, at Bend.

Playing less than a day after beating Redmond 54-39 on Friday night, the Bulldogs again stifled their opponents, yielding few easy baskets.

With leading scorer Isaiah Jones back in the starting lineup after missing five of Baker’s six straight losses, the Bulldogs again looked much like the squad that went 28-1 last season and won the Class 4A state championship.

After giving up an average of 61.3 points per game in the six losses — three of those to Class 6A schools — Baker gave up just 39 to Redmond and 45 to Mountain View.

Offensively, Isaiah Jones’ return added a missing element to the Bulldogs’ arsenal. He scored 17 points in the first half to lead Baker and finished with a game-high 24.

Baker, ranked fourth in Class 4A, improved to 8-6 on the season. The Bulldogs open the Greater Oregon League schedule at home against Pendleton (6-8, ranked ninth) on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m.

“Our team played really hard this weekend on both ends of the floor,” Baker coach Jebron Jones said. “They took pride in playing solid, smart defense along with taking care of the ball and limiting turnovers. Both teams (Redmond and Mountain View) were extremely well coached and played different styles, which forced us to adjust. We look forward to league starting this upcoming week and will do our best to prepare for Pendleton as they play hard as well.”

First quarter

The quick turnaround had no effect on Baker, as the Bulldogs started fast, scoring the first eight points, including an alley-oop pass from Jaxon Logsdon to Rasean Jones, a four-point play by Isaiah Jones and another 3-pointer from Isaiah Jones as Baker led 21-6.

Second quarter

Mountain View didn’t score its first two-point basket until three minutes were gone in the second quarter. By then Baker led 27-11, as the Cougars’ first three baskets were all 3-pointers.

Isaiah Jones scored eight more points, for a game-high 17, and the Bulldogs led 35-19 at halftime.

Third quarter

After Baker went up 44-25 on Eli Long’s inside basket, Mountain View scored eight straight points, including five free throws, to get within 44-33.

But Baker closed the quarter with a 5-0 run, as Logsdon whipped a pass to Jack Joseph for a basket, then hit a 3-pointer to push Baker’s lead back to 16, at 51-35, after three quarters.

Fourth quarter

Logsdon opened the fourth quarter the same way he ended the third — with a 3-pointer — and the Cougars couldn’t mount any serious comeback.

They got within 54-40, but Long scored five straight, including a 3-pointer, to boost Baker’s lead back to 59-40.

Baker was 14 for 14 from the free throw line.

BAKER (68)

Churchfield 1 0-0 2, Clark 0 0-0 0, R. Jones 2 2-2 6, Heriza 0 0-0 0, Wellman 0 0-0 0, I. Jones 8 6-6 24, Long 4 4-4 13, Logsdon 4 2-2 12, Holden 4 0-0 9, Joseph 1 0-0 2. Totals 24 14-14 68.

MOUNTAIN VIEW (45)

Kennedy 1 2-4 4, Goewey, 4 1-2 10, Brewer 0 0-0 0, Chambers 6 0-0 18, Wray 0 0-0 0, O’Connell 2 7-8 11. Totals 11 3-6 45.

Baker               21   14  16  17 — 68

Mountain View    6   13  16  10 — 45

Saturday, Jan. 11

GIRLS

Union 52, Pine Eagle 15

Griswold 38, Huntington 31

BOYS

Union 70, Pine Eagle 42

Griswold 56, Huntington 38