Baker turns back Nyssa, 61-47

Baker pulled ahead late in the first quarter then held Nyssa off the rest of the way.

Nyssa jumped out to a 10-4 lead before Baker battled back.

Derek Blankenship hit a three-pointer to pull Baker within 10-7. Then, after Nyssa scored again, Baker ran off 10 unanswered points to take the lead.

Blankenship led the way with five points. Jesse Brown added three and Dekker Smith two as Baker built a 17-12 lead. The Bulldogs led 17-14 at the break.

Four more points by Blankenship, two by B.J. Quintana, and one by Smith  opened the second period with a 7-0 Baker run to increase the lead to 24-14 with 4:55 left in the half.

Nyssa remained close the rest of the half, pulling to within 28-24 at the break.

Nyssa continued to hang around until 5:42 remained in the third period. That’s when Seth Glenn injured his ankle making a jumper from the corner that pulled Nyssa to within 34-28. Glenn was helped to the locker room, and did not return.

Baker struggled at times on offense, but not often enough.

“We were having a hard time finding the open guys,” said Baker coach Craig Woods.

“B.J. had some big (offensive) rebounds late in the game for us.”

Woods said Nyssa battled  the Bulldogs on the boards, particularly 6-foot-5 Cole Froerer.

“Number 44 did a good job for them,” Woods said. “He gave us a hard time all night.”

Froerer led Nyssa with 20 points.

Blankenship topped Baker with 25 points.

Nyssa    14    10    10    13    — 47

Baker    17    11    12    11    — 61

Nyssa (47) _ Shimer 0 0-2 0, Thornley, Fiscareli, Leos 6 1-3 13, Glenn 3 0-0 6, Martinez, Trinidad, Jensen 3 24 8, Froerer 9 2-7 20. Totals 21 5-16 47.

Baker (61) _ Brown 3 1-1 7, Everson 1 0-0 2, McEnroe 1 0-0 2, Richardson 3 0-0 9, Blankenship 11 0-0 25, Quintana 3 0-0 7, Lay, Smith 4 1-2 9. Totals 26 2-3 61.

Three-point goals — Richardson 3, Blankenship 3, Quintana. Fouled out — none. Total fouls — Nyssa 10, Baker 13. Technicals — none.