Bulldogs edge Ontario in double OT

Baker outscored the Tigers 5-2 in the second extra period to pull out a 62-59 victory. The win improves Baker’s GOL record to 6-1. The Bulldogs entered the game tied with La Grande for first place. La Grande beat Mac-Hi 71-41 on Tuesday to also improve to 6-1.

“It’s hard to beat a team three times in the same season,” said Baker coach Craig Woods.

“Ontario played tough. We didn’t play a real good game, but played well enough to win.”

Baker opened the second overtime with a basket by Kennan Richards. Richards, who played most of the second half with a dislocated finger, hit a short jumper to give Baker a 59-57 lead.

Ontario tied the game on a pair of free throws with 1:52 left in the game when Dekker Smith was called for what almost everybody said was his fourth foul. However, the Ontario book — the official book — said it was Smith’s fifth foul.

“Everybody else had Dekker for four fouls,” Woods said. “He gets a lot of garbage baskets, and plays physical under the basket.”

Walker Kaseberg gave Baker the lead for good with 1:40 left when he hit 1-of-2 free throws for a 60-59 edge.

The teams traded miscues for a little more than a minute until Ontario’s Josh Mejia missed a shot with 30.9 seconds left. Trace Richardson grabbed the rebound for the Bulldogs.

Baker then worked the ball until Derek Blankenship was fouled with 6.8 seconds left. Blankenship hit both free throws for a 62-59 Bulldog lead. Mejia’s three-point try was off the mark at the final buzzer.

The teams battled back and fourth through regulation with Ontario gaining a 49-47 lead with 26 seconds left on a three-point basket by Robert Keyes. Keyes scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter.

“He got some open looks,” Woods said. “A couple of times we left him open and he was in the right place at the right time.”

Baker called timeout after Keyes’ three-pointer. Then Blankenship popped out at the free throw line off a pick and roll play and drilled a tying basket with 12 seconds left.

Smith came up big in the first overtime when he scored four of his 12 points to keep Baker alive. Trailing 54-52 with 2:16 left Smith scored on a rebound to tie the game at 54. Then, after Ontario regained a 57-55 lead, Smith scored off a feed from Jesse Brown with 4.3 seconds left to tie the game at 57 and set up the second overtime.

Brown, who scored all eight of his points after halftime, keyed Baker’s defense in the second half.

“Jesse had the game,” Woods said. “He did a little bit of everything.”

Kaseberg led Baker with 14 points. Smith added 12, Richards 11 and Blankenship 11.

Baker travels to winless Mac-Hi Thursday.

Baker    16    13    10    10    8    5     – 62

Ontario    16    13    7    13    8    2     – 59

Baker (62) — Kaseberg 5 2-3 14, Brown 3 2-2 8, Richards 4 2-4 11, Adams, Smith 5 2-2 12, Richardson, Quintana 2 2-2 6, Blankenship 2 7-8 11. Totals 21 17-21 62.

Ontario (59) — Anzaldua 2 0-0 5, Heninger 6 0-0 14, Keyes 5 0-0 13, Mejia 3 1-1 8, Turner 1 0-0 2, Christiani 3 2-3 8, Nicholson 1 2-2 4, Sanchez, Lang 2 0-0 4. Totals 23 5-6 59.

Three-point goals — Kaseberg 2, Richards, Anzaldua, Heninger 2, Keyes 3, Mejia, Lang. Fouled out — Smith. Total fouls — Baker 12, Ontario 20. Technicals — Turner.