Baker girls lose to Ontario

Baker continued to suffer from a cold offense Tuesday at Ontario, losing a 51-34 Greater Oregon League girls basketball game to the Tigers.

Baker (0-3 in the GOL) battled the Tigers to an 8-8 draw through the middle of the first quarter, but that was the high point for the Bulldogs.

Ontario (3-1 in the GOL) then ran off 13 unanswered points to build a 19-8 advantage early in the second quarter.

"We came out and didn't execute in the first quarter," said Baker coach Tim Smith.

"We dug ourselves way too big of a hole in the first quarter. We were not ready for the speed of the game.

"Ontario's defense dictated our offense and we turned the ball over way too many times," Smith said. "We did not handle their pressure."

The Tigers went on to build their lead to as large as 21 points in the second half.

Marley Robb scored four points and Allison Kercheski and Stacy Duman two each as the Bulldogs knotted the game at 8-8 midway through the first period.

Ontario's Emilee Brockett then tallied six points, and Jessica Lang five as the Tigers took a 16-8 lead after one quarter.

Ontario then outscored the Bulldogs 13-5 in the second quarter to build its cushion to 29-13 at halftime.

Michelle Freese scored four of Baker's points in the second quarter.

Ontario's Molly Bond then almost equalled Baker's offensive output in the third quarter. Bond tallied seven points in the period, while Baker managed just eight as a team.

Robb led Baker with 10 points. Freese added eight points and seven rebounds. Michelle Birkmaier added six rebounds.

Riley Helmick led Ontario with 14 points. Lang added 12.

Baker hosts La Grande in another GOL contest Friday.

Baker's schedule has been changed in the coming days. Following the La Grande game, Baker travels to Nyssa Saturday. That game was originally scheduled Jan. 31. But, Baker's GOL game at Mac-Hi which was postponed by bad road conditions Jan. 21 has been rescheduled at Milton-Freewater Jan. 31.

BAKER (34)

  Robb 4 2-2 10, A. Smith, Freese 4 0-1 8, Voboril, Trees 0 2-2 2, Birkmaier 0 1-2 1, Bachman 1 0-0 2, Kercheski 2 1-4 5, E. Smith 1 0-2 2, Chaves, Duman 1 2-2 4. Totals 13 8-15 34.

ONTARIO (51) ­ 

  Martarano, Christiani, Yano 0 0-2 0, Helmick 5 1-2 14, Brockett 4 1-2 9, Wettstein 0 4-6 4, Bond 3 3-6 9, Almondovar, Salutegui 1 1-2 3, Bauer, Lang 5 2-3 12. Totals 18 12-23 51.

Baker     ­  8

   5
   8
 13 — 34
 13
 10
 12 — 51

Ontario  ­16

  Three-point baskets — Helmick 3. Fouled out —none. Total fouls —Baker 17, Ontario 13. Techincals —none.