A6 — BAKER CITY HERALD
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2021
SPORTS
BAKER GIRLS BASKETBALL
Fruitland Grizzlies hold off Baker, 41-40
Both of Baker’s
two losses this
season were by a
single point
By JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
On a night when Baker’s
shots seemed magnetically
repelled from the basket, even
one that went through the
hoop still fell short.
And so, ultimately, did the
Bulldogs in a 41-40 loss to
Fruitland in a nonleague girls
game Wednesday, Dec. 15 in
the Baker gym.
Rylee Elms banked in a
shot with about 34 seconds left
that provoked a burst of ap-
plause from the fans who had
braved the snowy evening to
watch the Bulldogs’ last home
game until after Christmas.
But one of her feet was just
past the three-point line.
Elms’ dramatic shot,
instead of tying the score at 41,
cut the Grizzlies’ lead to 41-40.
Baker coach Buell Gonza-
les Jr. said Elms told him she
thought her feet were behind
that all-important stripe of
paint.
The Bulldogs had no choice
but to foul Fruitland to stop
the clock.
Unfortunately, Baker had
just three fouls in the second
half, which meant the Bulldogs
had to commit four fouls to
force Fruitland to the free
throw line and have a chance
to get the ball back.
Baker tried to get a steal in
the process, but while chasing
Fruitland players around the
court, most of seconds ticked
off the clock.
There was less than eight
seconds left when Fruitland’s
Payton Fritts went to the line
for a one-and-one.
Fritts missed the fi rst free
throw.
clock to boost the lead to
41-38.
Then, after a Baker miss,
Ramos and Elms combined
to block Huff’s shot with 52
seconds left. On the ensuing
possession Elms banked in
the long two-pointer for what
turned out to be the fi nal
points of the game.
Gonzales said he was
pleased by Baker’s resilience,
especially in the fourth quar-
ter, when the lead changed
hands four times.
“They’re gritty kids, and
they like to play the game,”
he said.
Elms had 10 points for
Baker. Flanagan added seven,
and Macey Moore had four.
Baker won the JV game,
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald 30-25. The JV team traveled
to Prairie City on Thursday,
Baker’s Jozie Ramos is swarmed by Fruitland defend-
Baker’s Makenzie Flanagan drives the lane against
Dec. 16 and lost 24-18 to the
ers Wednesday, Dec. 15 in the Baker gym.
Fruitland on Wednesday, Dec. 15 in the Baker gym.
Prairie City varsity.
ers, one from Fritts and one onds left in the quarter that
“We had our opportuni-
Baker grabbed the
With both of Baker’s losses
tied the score at 30.
from Halle Drollinger.
rebound but just 3.6 seconds ties, and the kids played
by a single point — the Bull-
Roubidoux, who led
Baker extended its lead to
hard,” Gonzales said. “I was
were left when Gonzales
dogs lost 48-47 at Pendleton
impressed with their effort.” 21-15 on Ramos’ basket with Fruitland with 14 points, had on Dec. 7 — Gonzales said
called timeout.
the fi rst basket of the fourth the players are “starting to
He was generally pleased 1:08 left in the fi rst half, but
The referees initially
with how Baker executed its Fruitland scored the last fi ve quarter to give Fruitland a
had Baker inbounding near
understand the value of each
32-30 lead.
midcourt, which would have offense, and with the quality points, capped by Abbigail
possession.”
Elms, who had several
Roubidoux’s 3-pointer at the
of the shots the Bulldogs
made it feasible to get a de-
Baker embarked on its
key offensive rebounds and
buzzer, to cut the lead to 21-
cent shot in such a short time. had.
second long trip Friday, Dec.
defensive plays, stole a pass 17, traveling to Klamath Falls
The simple fact, Gonzales 20 at halftime.
But Fruitland coach
and raced downcourt for a
Roubidoux then scored
Amber Drollinger pointed out said, is that most of those
to play Mazama. The Bull-
shots, including at least half the fi rst basket of the second layin that tied the score at 32 dogs played Klamath Union
that the timeout was called
half to give the Grizzlies’ their with 6:32 left.
before Baker had passed the a dozen that the Bulldogs
Saturday morning.
After Fritts scored inside
fi rst lead, at 22-21, just 30
normally make at a high
ball to midcourt.
Baker then will take an
seconds into the second half. to regain the lead for Fruit-
percentage, didn’t fall.
The referees agreed, and
extended Christmas break,
land at 34-32, Ramos scored returning to the Baker gym
Baker responded with a
Baker also committed too
Baker instead had to inbound
two baskets in 27 seconds,
7-0 run.
many turnovers, he said.
the ball from the far end of
to take on Crane Tuesday,
the second on an assist from Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. in a tourna-
Ramos had four points,
“We missed a lot of layups,
the court, under the Fruit-
Makenzie Flanagan scored on Jaca, and Baker led 36-34
a lot of shots, and we had
land basket.
ment.
a breakaway layin off a nifty with 4:28 left.
The Bulldogs weren’t able turnovers,” Gonzales said.
Powder Valley’s girls and
Again the Grizzlies ral-
“Usually that’s a recipe for a pass from Taylor Gyllenberg,
to get a shot off before the
boys teams will also play.
and Brooklyn Jaca made one lied, scoring six straight
loss against a good team.”
fi nal buzzer.
The Badger boys will play
of two free throws in the run. points. Graycie Huff’s inside Mac-Hi on Monday, Dec. 27 at
Despite its shooting
Despite the disappoint-
basket with 2:30 left gave
The Bulldogs also held
ment of a loss, Gonzales said struggles, Baker led most of
2 p.m., with the Powder Val-
Fruitland scoreless for almost Fruitland its biggest lead,
the game.
he thinks Baker, in many
ley girls playing Mac-Hi the
40-36.
four minutes.
Jozie Ramos had six of
respects, played its best game
same day at 3:30 p.m.
Ramos swished a 14-foot-
But after Baker took a 28-
her game-high 18 points in
of the young season.
On Tuesday, Dec. 28, the
er with 1:53 left to cut the
22 lead, the Grizzlies scored
the fi rst quarter and Baker
And he’s convinced that
Powder boys will play Burns
lead to 40-38.
eight of the last 10 points of
Fruitland is the best of the six led 12-8.
at 11 a.m., followed by the
Fritts made one of two
the quarter. Roubidoux had
Fruitland stayed close
teams Baker has played in
Badger girls against Burns at
a steal and layin with 43 sec- free throws with 1:38 on the 12:30 p.m.
thanks to a pair of 3-point-
amassing a 4-2 record.
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