La Grande spoils boys bid

Baker’s Kennan Richards goes up for a shot against a La Grande defender Tuesday. Richards led the Bulldogs with 17 points, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Tigers from winning, 64-47, and claiming a share of the league title with the Bulldogs. (Baker City Herald/Kathy Orr)

The Tigers defeated Baker 64-47 in the Baker gym to share the GOL crown with the Bulldogs. The win also gave La Grande the GOL’s No. 1 seed into next week’s Class 4A state playoffs. The Tigers will host a second-round game March 6. Baker will host a first-round game March 3.

La Grande shot 44 percent from the field, 23-of-52, while limiting Baker to just 29 percent, 17-of-58.

Kevin Attila scored four points to help La Grande build a 13-9 lead after one quarter.

Then, after Baker pulled within 17-14 in the second quarter, Brad Townsend scored five points in a 7-0 La Grande run to build the deficit back to 24-14 with 5:26 left in the half.

Six points from Kennan Richards, three from Jesse Brown and a basket from Derek Blankenship pulled Baker back to within 26-25. La Grande then scored the final five points of the half to lead 31-25 at halftime.

La Grande then opened the second half on an 8-2 run and never looked back.

Richards led Baker with 17 points. Blankenship added 13.

La Grande          13    18    13    20    — 64

Baker                   9    16    6    16    — 47

La Grande (64) — Johnson, Yundt 3 2-2 8, Attila 5 5-5 17, Nice 1 0-0 2, Tooke 6 0-0 13, Boyd 1 0-0 3, Chandler 1 0- 02, Tishmark 0 2-2 2, Townsend 6 4-4 17. Totals 23 13-13 64.

Baker (47) — Kaseberg 3 1-1 7, Brown 2 0-2 5, Richards 5 6-6 17, Adams, Smith 2 1-4 5, Richardson, Quintana, Blankenship 5 3-3 13. Totals 17 11-16 47.

Three-point goals — Attila 2, Tooke, Boyd, Townsend, Brown, Richards. Fouled out — Smith. Total fouls — La Grande 20, Baker 18. Technicals — none.