Baker girls close to title

Bulldogs run win streak to 11 games; move one win away from crown

Dallas Defrees went up for a shot against a Mac-Hi defender Friday in Baker’s GOL win at BHS. Baker is one win away (or one Ontario loss) from clinching the GOL championship. (Baker City Herald/Kathy Orr)

That’s the number of Baker wins or Ontario losses it will take for Baker to claim the Greater Oregon League girls championship. And, ironically, it could happen Feb. 17 at Ontario when Baker visits the Tigers.

“Our magic number is one,” said Baker coach Tim Smith. “But this team’s goal is to go undefeated in league and prep for the playoffs.”

Baker picked up its first win at Ontario in nine years back in January to start the GOL campaign. That win was also Smith’s first win ever at Ontario, and only the second time a Smith-coached team had defeated the Tigers. Baker since has beaten Ontario a second time, at BHS.

Baker enters the game at Ontario on an 11-game winning streak, and winners of 13 of its past 14 games, after defeating Mac-Hi 71-30 Friday at BHS.

In that game Baker finished 24-of-27 from the free throw line. Mac-Hi finished 3-of-8.

“I was highly pleased with our effort at the free throw line,” Smith said.

“Finishing plus-21 at the free throw line is going to win quite a few ball games.”

Tara Talbott led Baker with 17 points and 12 rebounds, nine on the offensive boards.

“Tara had a great game,” Smith said. “I thought we crashed the offensive boards hard. We wanted to be plus-18 rebounding, and we were plus-19. We did a lot of things right. I was pleased with the effort.”

Baker left little doubt against Mac-Hi, bolting to an 11-0 lead in the first five minutes of the game.

Mackenzie Warner and Savannah Daly each scored four points, and Talbott three in the initial run.

Talbott finished the first quarter with seven points. Baker led 17-5 at the break.

Talbott and Ashley Shively each added four points in the second period and Baker increased its lead to 31-9 at halftime.

Shively then added seven of her 11 points in the third quarter, including a long three-point basket at the buzzer, to help the Bulldogs build their margin to 50-18 at the break.

The Bulldogs then outscored Mac-Hi 21-12 in the fourth quarter.

Daly added 15 points to leave a trio of Bulldogs in double figures.

Mac-Hi    5    4    9               12 — 30

Baker    17    14    19               21 — 71

Mac-Hi (30) — Wright, Odman, Granger, Roeder 2 0-0 5, Harrington 2 0-0 5, Betancourt 4 -0 8, Clark, Burchell 3 2-4 9, Hernandez, Shannon 1 1-4 3. Totals 12 3-8 30.

Baker (71) — Warner 3 0- 06, Defrees 3 0-0 6, Ward, Adams, Shively 4 2-2 11, Phillips 2 2-2 6, Daly 3 9-10 15, Hoopes 1 2-3 4, Brown, Talbott 5 7-8 17, Ogan 2 2-2 6. Totals 23 24-27 71.

Three-point goals — Roeder, Harrington, Burchell, Shively. Fouled out — Burchell. Total fouls — Mac-Hi 17, Baker 12. Technicals — Baker coach Smith.