BAKER BOYS BASKETBALL: Bulldogs repeat as state champs, make school history

Published 8:17 pm Saturday, March 15, 2025

By Jayson Jacoby, Baker City Herald

Making history is rarely easy, and it didn’t come that way for the Baker boys basketball team.

The Bulldogs, seeking to become the first Baker hoops team to win consecutive state championships, confronted a resilient foe in the Marshfield Pirates in the Class 4A state title game Saturday night, March 15, at Forest Grove High School.

For most of the game the Pirates from Coos Bay responded each time Baker appeared poised to seize control with one of its patented scoring runs.

But eventually the Bulldogs’ relentless defensive pressure and precise play on offense prevailed as they have so many times over the past four seasons as coach Jebron Jones has assembled a dynasty.

Baker dominated the final 10 minutes Saturday night, going on to 64-46 win and kicking off a celebration on Joe Moran Court that was a near replica of what happened a little more than a year ago, complete with dozens of Baker fans who had made the drive across the state.

Isaiah Jones, the reigning state player of the year and a unanimous choice by tournament coaches as a first-team all-tournament player, scored eight points during Baker’s 11-3 run to end the fourth quarter, boosting Baker’s lead to 46-36.

And in the final period Baker’s long-distance shooting, which had struggled at times against Marshfield’s extended 2-1-2 zone defense, found the range.

Jaxon Logsdon started the flurry of 3-pointers, Eli Long made two straight and Palmer Chandler one to give Baker a 60-41 lead with less than four minutes left and effectively seal the history-making win.

As the Bulldogs gathered for their turn climbing a ladder to snip a section of the net, Jebron Jones, who has been mentoring several of the players for more than a decade, said the back-to-back titles, and particularly the win over Marshfield, are a testament to the players.

“These guys refuse to quit,” Jones said. “I’m very, very proud of this group.”

Jones said the Bulldogs, who won 29 of 30 games last year, dealt with much more adversity during their bid for a repeat title. Isaiah Jones missed six straight games in December and early January recovering from an appendectomy, and his absence coincided with the Bulldogs playing in the prestigious Les Schwab Invitational tournament in Portland. The Bulldogs lost each of the four games in the event, and six straight at one point.

“The whole season there were a lot of obstacles,” Jebron Jones said. “But these guys just continued to work hard.”

Four seniors — Logsdon, Isaiah Jones, Chandler and Grant Gambleton — have been playing together since they were little boys.

As he weaved through the crowd, shaking hands and exchanging hugs, Logsdon said the second state title was a bit sweeter than the first.

“It feels like we had to earn this one, which is just a great way to end it,” Logsdon said. “We’ve just got a lot of heart.”

Baker dominated Junction City in the 2024 state title game, taking control much earlier than they did Saturday against Marshfield.

Chandler, who had one of his best games of the season with eight points against Marshfield, including a pair of key steals and layins, said he felt he was a bigger contributor to the team this season.

“It feels like I earned it,” he said. “It’s definitely a great feeling to know I played a good game in my last game.”

Isaiah Jones, who led all scorers with 25 points in the title game, said he was “a little nervous” before tipoff against Marshfield.

“But once you start playing that all goes away,” he said with a smile.

Jones said that although the Bulldogs aren’t accustomed to the 2-1-2 zone defense Marshfield deployed, Baker eventually figured out how to attack the defense, making the right passes that led to the open 3-point shots in the third and fourth quarters.

Gambleton was holding a large chunk of the net, with a state championship medal dangling from his neck.

But he said those are just items — what he called “lifeless” mementoes.

“This stuff doesn’t mean anything,” Gambleton said. “Trophies and medals, they’re not as special, what’s special is every morning practice, every teammate, every high-five, these people you connect with is what makes life special. This is about our team and playing for our entire community.”

Gambleton said he felt tears in his eyes as the final seconds ticked away.

“The emotional side for me is that I’m never going to get to play with my friends again, that I grew up with. It’s so special.”

First quarter

Baker started its title defense with style, as Logsdon passed to Rasean Jones for a thundering alley oop dunk just 24 seconds in.

The large and loud crowd of Bulldog fans roared to an easy crescendo.

Hayden Churchfield had consecutive offensive rebounds, the first leading to his basket and the second to his free throw.

But the Pirates used two early 3-pointers by Steel Carpenter and Jackson Ainsworth to lead 8-4.

Baker got a steal when Carpenter tried to split a double team, and it led to Isaiah Jones’ breakaway layin.

After Ainsworth’s layup gave Marshfield a 10-7 lead, Isaiah Jones tied it when he drove the baseline, scored despite a foul, and made the free throw for a 10-10 lead with 3:46 left in a fast-paced opening quarter.

Marshfield’s Keller Vinyard scored inside and Luke Jackson tipped in a miss to give the Pirates a 14-10 lead.

Baker closed the quarter with a 5-0 run on Long’s free throw, Isaiah Jones’ turnaround jumper from 14 feet, and Rasean Jones’ layin on a fast break. Baker led 15-14 at the break.

Second quarter

Marshfield immediately regained the lead at 16-15 on Carpenter’s driving layin.

Although Baker struggled at times with Marshfield’s zone defense, the Bulldogs made the right passes to get open looks for Isaiah Jones, and he made consecutive 3-pointers, one from NBA range, to give Baker its biggest lead at 23-18.

The Pirates responded immediately, though, as Jackson bounced in a 3-pointer, and Ainsworth scored off a rebound to tie it at 23 with 2:34 left in the half.

Palmer Chandler had a pair of steals and breakaway layins to keep Baker on top, 29-25, at halftime.

Isaiah Jones had 17 points to lead all scorers.

Baker was just 2 for 11 from 3-point range, Marshfield 3 for 11. The Bulldogs had a major advantage in rebounds, 21 to 11. Baker committed 12 turnovers, Marshfield 11.

Ainsworth led the Pirates with nine points. Vineyard and Carpenter had seven each.

Third quarter

Carpenter hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring and get the Pirates within 29-28.

But Logsdon answered with his first 3-pointer, and a free throw by Churchfield, on his third offensive rebound, boosted the lead to 33-28.

Jackson’s 3-pointer cut the Baker lead to 35-33, but then Baker went on one of its patented scoring runs, this one kickstarted by a bit of good fortune.

After a Baker miss, Marshfield appeared to grab the rebound but a Pirate lost control and the ball ended up in Isaiah Jones’ hands. His shot missed but he tipped it in. He followed with a layin off a steal, and Long made a tough shot in traffic in the lane to give Baker its biggest lead at 41-33.

Chandler completed the 7-0 scoring run with a free throw.

Isaiah Jones scored two straight baskets, sandwiched around Carpenter’s putback, and Baker led 46-35.

Carpenter’s free throw with 5.2 seconds left got the Pirates to within 46-36 at the break.

Fourth quarter

Baker’s crisp passing against the zone gave Logsdon a good look at a 3-pointer, and he swished it with 6:52 left to boost Baker’s lead to 49-36, and the rout, late though it was in getting started, was on.

Jayson has worked at the Baker City Herald since November 1992, starting as a reporter. He has been editor since December 2007. He graduated from the University of Oregon Journalism School in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in news-editorial journalism.

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