The Baker boys basketball team hasn’t deployed its fullcourt press quite as often this season as last, when the Bulldogs won the Class 4A state title, but the La Grande Tigers weren’t fortunate enough to be deprived of the experience Saturday night, Feb. 22, in the Baker gym.

The Bulldogs pressed from the start of the Greater Oregon League championship game, and the Tigers couldn’t deal with the swarming defense.

Baker had turnovers on La Grande’s first three possessions, raced to an 11-0 lead and later forced two 10-second violations as the Tigers struggled to advance the ball to midcourt.

Baker led 27-9 after the first quarter and breezed to an 80-44 win to clinch a berth in the state playoffs. Baker will host a playoff game, against an opponent to be determined, March 8. The eight playoff winners advance to the state tournament March 13-15 at Forest Grove High School, the site of the Bulldogs’ championship in 2024.

Baker coach Jebron Jones said he put on the press immediately to try to prevent La Grande from getting any sort of momentum.

It worked.

“We just wanted to set the tone, and I think we did a pretty good job,” Jones said. “We wanted to make them uncomfortable from the beginning.”

Saturday’s rout over La Grande, Baker’s third against the Tigers this season, was also the Bulldogs’ 21st straight league win, including playoffs, a streak dating back more than three years.

“We take league games very, very seriously,” Jones said.

Baker’s last loss to a GOL foe was to La Grande in the league championship game on Feb. 19, 2022.

Although Baker is on a hot streak, its six straight wins matching its 6-0 start to the season, Jones said he’s happy that the Bulldogs have two weeks off before the playoff game.

“We need a break, to heal up from injuries and sickness,” Jones said. “These two weeks will be beneficial to us, to get better as a team.”

He said he’s confident that the Bulldogs, with many players back from last year’s state championship team and with experience in multiple state tournaments, are prepared to deal with the high expectations.

“There is pressure because if we don’t win the next game our season is done,” Jones said. “But I think we’re prepared for that.”

Isaiah Jones led four Bulldogs in double figures with a game-high 18 points. Eli Long had 17, Rasean Jones 13 and Jaxon Logsdon 10.

Landon Hood led La Grande with 16 points.

First quarter

La Grande didn’t score until almost halfway through the quarter. The Tigers then scored six of eight points to get within 13-6.

But Baker, led by Long’s seven points, scored 14 straight to lead 27-6.

Hood swished a three-quarter-court heave at the buzzer to make it 27-9.

Second quarter

Baker didn’t slow down to start the second period, going on a 10-3 run to extend the lead to 37-12.

Baker continued to score in bunches and to play swarming defense. Baker had a 12-2 run late in the half and led 54-19 at the break, as La Grande had another buzzer-beater, this one a rebound basket by Blake Hildebrandt.

Long had 13 points to lead Baker. Rasean Jones scored 10 points and Isaiah Jones nine.

Second half

It was an anti-climactic half, as the halftime score would suggest. Baker continued to score nearly at will, pushing the lead to 74-33 and setting up a running clock in the fourth quarter.

LA GRANDE (44)

Hutchins 1 0-0 3, Hood 7 1-2 16, Azure 0 0-0 0, Hildebrandt 5 1-2 13, Kimball 0 2-2 2, Fields 3 0-0 6, Tucker 0 0-0 0, Weaver 1 0-0 2, McIlmoil 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 4-6 44.

BAKER (80)

Gambleton 1 2-2 5, Chandler 1 1-2 4, Churchfield 2 0-0 4, Clark 0 0-0 0, R. Jones 6 1-3 13, Wellman 0 0-0 0, I. Jones 7 3-3 18, Long 8 0-0 17, Logsdon 5 0-0 10, Holden 1 0-0 2, Joseph 3 0-0 6. Totals 34 7-10 80.

La Grande 9   8 16 11 — 44

Baker      27 27 20  6 —  80