Baker’s bid for a second straight state basketball title was teetering.

But before Crook County could push the Bulldogs over the precipice, the shots that refused to fall for the Bulldogs for the first 25 minutes started to go through the hoop.

Trailing the Cowboys 42-34 early in the fourth quarter of a quarterfinal game in the Class 4A state tournament Thursday afternoon, March 13, at Forest Grove High School, Baker finished with a flourish, using an 18-6 scoring run to claim a 54-48 win and a rematch with rival Cascade in the semifinals Friday evening.

Isaiah Jones, who scored 10 points in the first quarter but just two in the next two periods, started the rally with a tip-in on a possession where Baker missed five shots.

In what turned out to be one of the game’s key sequences, the Bulldogs prolonged the possession by grabbing four offensive rebounds and getting yet another chance when a missed shot caromed off a Cowboy.

Baker had 21 points on second-chance baskets (and one sixth-chance), Crook County just five.

After his tip-in, Isaiah Jones made two straight 3-pointers, in a 52-second span, the second of which tied the score at 42 with 5:17 left.

Crook County regained the lead when Garrett Stefanek cut back door for a layin.

Eli Long answered with a driving layin to tie it at 44.

On Baker’s next possession, Jaxon Logsdon whipped a pass to a wide open Rasean Jones, who swished a 3-pointer to give Baker a 47-44 lead with 3:18 left.

Baker, after making just one 3-pointer in the first three quarters, had made three in less than four minutes of the final quarter.

But the Cowboys, who beat Baker 62-52 on Baker’s home court on Jan. 3, didn’t wilt.

Bryce Lowenbach, the 6-foot-7 Cowboy who led Crook County with 23 points, scored two straight baskets, the second regaining the lead for Crook County at 48-47 with 2:26 left.

But Baker didn’t allow another point.

Isaiah Jones’ inside basket, after a loose ball bounced back to him, gave Baker the lead for good at 49-48 with 1:50 left.

After both teams exchanged empty possessions — Baker forcing a shot clock violation with 1:10 left — Logsdon, with the shot clock nearing zero, muscled his way into the lane for a difficult, heavily contested shot with 32 seconds left that boosted Baker’s lead to 51-48.

Lowenbach’s potential tying 3-pointer rattled around but off, and the Cowboys were forced to foul.

Isaiah Jones, who led all scorers with 24 points, made a pair of free throws with 5 seconds left, and Long added one with 2 second remaining for the final margin.

Logsdon had 13 points, and Long and Rasean Jones had eight each.

Baker was 16 for 20 from the free throw line. Crook County was 10 for 11.

The Bulldogs earned a rematch with Cascade, which beat Seaside 56-34 in the first quarterfinal game Thursday afternoon, in a semifinal Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Cascade beat Baker 65-58 on Jan. 17 at Cascade. The Cougars were the only team to beat Baker in its 29-1 state title season. Baker avenged that loss with a 20-point win in a semifinal game at the state tournament.

First quarter

After making a season-high 16 3-pointers in the rout of The Dalles, Baker started strong again as Logsdon swished a 3-pointer from the top of the key for the game’s first points.

Lowenbach, who had 18 points in the Cowboys’ win at Baker, scored two straight baskets to get Crook County within 5-4.

But Isaiah Jones scored eight straight points for Baker, including a rebound basket, a patented turnaround jumper from 14-feet, and two free throws to give Baker an 11-4 lead.

Baker’s aggressive man-to-man defense kept Crook County off balance, holding the Cowboys scoreless for more than four minutes until Jace Jonas made a 3-pointer in the final minute.

Isaiah Jones had another rebound basket to give Baker a 13-7 lead after the first quarter.

Jones had 10 of Baker’s 13 points.

Second quarter

Jones hit a free throw line jumper to boost Baker’s lead to 15-9, and lead was still six, 19-13, after Rasean Jones’ two free throws with 4:07 left.

But Lowenbach scored five straight and the Cowboys were within 19-18.

After  Long’s driving layin, Lowenbach made a pair of free throws, and Gabriel Lopez stole a pass and went the length of the floor for a twisting layin at the buzzer to give the Cowboys their first lead, 22-21.

Lowenbach had 13 points in the half.

Isaiah Jones had 12 to lead Baker.

The Bulldogs, after making 10 3-pointers and scoring 49 points in the first half against The Dalles, had only one long ball — Logsdon’s in the first minute.

Third quarter

Baker had consecutive turnovers early and the Cowboys took advantage, going ahead 29-24 on Jonas’ two free throws with 4:47 left.

Logsdon had consecutive baskets to cut the lead to 33-31, but Lowenbach answered with a rebound basket, and Ke’nan Twigg made a pair of free throws to give the Cowboys a 37-31 lead with 1:57 left.

Lowenbach then swished a 12-footer and Crook County had its biggest lead, 39-31.

Logsdon made two free throws and Long one to cut the lead to 39-34 after three quarters. Logsdon had six of Baker’s last seven points in the period.