Baker overcame both Cascade and an injury to its starting point guard to blow past the Cougars with a 12-0 run to start the third quarter, winning 53-35 to claim the third-place trophy at the Class 4A state girls basketball tournament Saturday afternoon, March 15, at Forest Grove High School.

Trailing 28-27 late in the third quarter, Baker went on a 16-2 scoring run, which continued into the fourth period, to take control.

Baker made three 3-pointers in the first 3:30 of the final quarter, two by Emy Myer, to push the lead to 15 points at 46-31.

The Bulldogs showed their pose and resiliency after sophomore guard Lily Logsdon injured her knee while going in for a layup after a steal with 4:12 left in the second quarter and Baker leading 18-13.

The Cougars closed the first half with an 8-0 run to lead 21-18 at halftime.

Baker coach Jason Ramos said Logsdon’s injury, and her teammates’ response to it, was a focus of their conversation in the locker room at halftime.

“Our kids were emotional, feeling really bad for Lily,” Ramos said. “It was an emotional hurdle we were going to have to get over, to play for her. They did a great job of persevering.”

Myer, a senior who had 13 points in her final high school game, said the Bulldogs rallied behind Logsdon, who also was injured last season and missed part of the season as a freshman.

“It’s hard to see your teammate go through that again,” Myer said. “We had to honor her.”

Another senior, Ashlyn Dalton, who was a member of Baker’s 2023 state championship team, said the Bulldogs were resolved to play their best in the second half despite their anxiety about Logsdon’s injury.

“We couldn’t let it defeat us,” said Dalton, who scored four points and grabbed a game-high eight offensive rebounds.

Ramos called Baker’s third-place finish an “amazing accomplishment.”

“We talked at the start of the season about being at the state tournament and giving ourselves a chance,” he said. “We weren’t satisfied with just being here. We were playing really good basketball at the end of the season, and that’s what you hope to do.”

Dalton said she was confident that the Bulldogs could compete with any team at the state tournament.

“It feels really rewarding, and in our hearts we knew we could do it,” she said.

Myer, who made four 3-pointers, including two during the 16-2 run that turned the game around, said Baker has improved tremendously as a team since last season.

“I think we’ve grown so much as a team,” she said. “We play together, we move the ball so much better.”

Myer said her stellar shooting at the state tournament reflected her own growing confidence.

“I knew I just had to go out and shoot when I had to, and not overthink,” she said.

Myer, who ran off the court through a gantlet of Baker cheerleaders after the game, clutching the third-place trophy, said the win was a wonderful conclusion to her high school career.

“It’s a really great feeling,” she said.

Junior Gracie Spike matched Myer with four 3-pointers and led Baker with 14 points.

Baker freshman Molly Rasmussen was named to the all tournament second team.

First quarter

Cascade led 6-3 early before Logsdon scored four straight points on two free throws and a layin that gave Baker its first lead at 7-6 with 2:23 left.

After Cascade missed two free throws, Mary Schwartz passed to Kathryn Gentry cutting down the lane for a basket that boosted Baker’s lead to 9-6.

Myer, who made two long 3-pointers against Stayton on Friday, swished her first attempt, giving Baker a 12-8 lead after the first quarter.

Second quarter

Baker extended its scoring run to 12-2 when Gracie Spike hit a 3-pointer 15 seconds into the second quarter and Baker led 15-8.

Cascade responded with a 4-0 run to get within 15-12 with 5:20 left.

After Baker forced a shot clock violation, Logsdon made a long pass to Myer, who was open in the left corner and swished another 3-pointer to give Baker an 18-12 lead with 4:36 left.

Logsdon stole and ball and was on her way to a layin when she went to the floor with a leg injury with 4:12 left.

Cascade scored seven straight points, regaining the lead at 19-18 on Bella Dobrkovsky’s basket with 2:25 left. The scoring run reached 9-0 on Rozalyn Schmunk’s basket. Cascade led 21-18 at halftime.

Third quarter

Baker regained the lead at 24-23 on Ashlyn Dalton’s two free throws. She made four straight to start the half.

The teams then swapped the lead three times. Schwartz and Spike made consecutive 3-pointers, with Spike’s shot giving Baker a 30-28 lead with 1:45 left. Myer made a free throw, and Schmunk scored in the final three seconds to cut Baker’s lead to 31-30 entering the final period.

Fourth quarter

After Baker’s offensive rebound, Myer swished a 3-pointer from the left corner and Baker led 34-30.

And the Bulldogs were just getting started.

Schwartz hit a 17-footer, Spike made a 3-pointer and Molly Rasmussen bounced in a shot from the key to give Baker a 41-30 lead. Cascade called timeout with 5:28 left after Baker opened the quarter on a 10-0 run.

After the timeout, Baker extended the run to 12-0, and the lead to 43-30, on Spike’s basket.

Lexi Newton ended the run with a free throw with 4:57 left, but Myer answered immediately with yet another 3-pointer, her second in the quarter and Baker’s third overall, to boost the lead to 46-31.