SPORTS
BAKER CITY HERALD • THuRsDAY, FEBRuARY 3, 2022 A5
BAKER BOYS BASKETBALL
Third-quarter surge sends Baker past Nyssa
BY JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
In the span of about 2 min-
utes, everything that hadn’t
worked for the Baker boys bas-
ketball team in the first half
Tuesday, Feb. 1, at Nyssa began
to yield riches.
Steals.
Layins.
Points.
Lots of points.
Isaiah Jones scored the first 9
points of a 12-0 Baker run early
in the third quarter that rapidly
turned a close game into a rout.
Baker scored 20 of the last 22
points of the third quarter and
breezed to a 62-40 win.
It was the eighth straight win
for the Bulldogs, who are 14-3
overall and ranked sixth in the
Class 4A standings.
The key to the game-chang-
ing stretch in the third quarter
was defense, Baker coach Jeb-
ron Jones said.
Specifically, his decision to
switch from the fullcourt press
that Baker deployed, with little
effect, in the first half, to a half-
court trap.
Nyssa was perplexed by the
latter tactic.
After Zack Kausler hit a
3-pointer to cut Baker’s lead to
32-29 early in the third quarter,
the combination of Baker’s de-
fense and Isaiah Jones’ array of
offensive moves quickly shifted
all the momentum to Baker.
Jones hit a tough turnaround
jumper from 15 feet, and he
followed less than 30 seconds
and Grant Gambleton made
a free throw to push the lead
to 44-29.
Kayno Flores ended the 12-0
run with a 15-footer, but Baker
then scored the final eight
points, with four players scor-
ing two points each — Drake
Harper, Hudson Spike and
Hobson each had baskets, and
Jones capped the quarter with
a pair of free throws as Baker
led 52-31 after three quarters.
The final period was an-
ticlimactic as Nyssa never
mounted a comeback.
Jebron Jones said he
changed to the halfcourt trap
after Baker’s fullcourt press
“wasn’t doing anything pro-
ductive in the first half.”
Jaxon Logsdon had an
early steal on the press that
led to Hobson’s layin and
Baker’s 4-0 lead.
But for the rest of the first
half Nyssa handled the Baker
press with aplomb, although
there were multiple plays
when a Nyssa player barely
managed to grab a somewhat
errant pass.
“They beat us to all the 50-
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald, File 50 balls, and they outhustled
Baker’s Paul Hobson, shown here against Ontario on Jan. 21, 2022,
us,” Jebron Jones said. “That
scored 12 points in Baker’s 62-40 win over Nyssa on Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022. was a point of emphasis at
halftime. I challenged the guys
later with a layin to give Baker quarter, he twisted through the to step it up or we’ll lose.”
lane for a basket, drew a foul
a 36-29 lead, its largest of the
After Isaiah Jones’ inside
and made the free throw.
game to that point.
basket gave Baker a 10-8 lead
Baker led 41-29 with 5:41
Jones completed his per-
late in the first quarter, the
left in the quarter.
sonal 9-0 run with a layin off
lead changed hands nine times
Paul Hobson scored on a
a steal, and, after a Nyssa tim-
during the remainder of the
eout with 5:48 left in the third breakaway after another steal, first half.
The score was tied three
times as well, the last time on
Andrew Enders’ 3-pointer for
Nyssa with 1:33 left in the half.
Hayden Younger’s basket
in the lane gave Baker a 30-26
lead at halftime.
Jebron Jones said he had “no
complaints” about Baker’s per-
formance in the decisive third
quarter, outscoring Nyssa 22-5.
“I was just disappointed it
took so long for the kids to
want to play hard,” he said.
But he noted that despite the
first-half struggles, Baker still
had the lead at halftime.
“Even though we didn’t play
our best half, we still scored
more points than they did,
and at the end of the day that’s
what matters,” Jones said.
“Some games are pretty and
some games are ugly. This
game was ugly.”
Jones said the absence of
freshman guard Jaron Long,
who injured his knee in Bak-
er’s 67-41 win at La Grande on
Jan. 28, had a noticeable effect
against Nyssa.
Long might have the quick-
est hands on the team, and
he’s usually responsible for a
significant share of the team’s
steals. He’s also adept at driv-
ing into the lane and creating
his own shot.
“He’s a big part of the ma-
chine,” Jones said. “We defi-
nitely missed Jaron. It left a
hole on our team.”
Jones said Long will miss
Baker’s two upcoming home
BAKER (62)
Logsdon 0 0-0 0, Harper 1 0-0
2, Gambleton 2 1-2 5, Quin-
tela 0 0-2 0, Younger 1 1-2 3,
Molina 2 0-2 4, Spike 6 1-2
13, Jones 9 3-3 21, Hobson
6 0-0 12, Charbonneau 0 2-2
2, Mitchell 0 0-0 0. Totals 27
8-15 62.
NYSSA (40)
C. Ramirez 0 0-2 0, Fales 1
0-0 2, Zuniga 1 0-0 2, Enders
5 2-2 15, Flores 1 0-0 2, E.
Ramirez 0 0-0 0, Iniguez 1 0-0
2, Kausler 4 0-0 11, Bueno 1
0-0 2, Sanders 1 0-1 2, Vela 1
0-0 2. Totals 16 2-5 40.
Baker 14 16 22 10 — 62
Nyssa 13 13 5 9 — 40
games — Friday, Feb. 4,
against Mac-Hi (7:30 p.m.)
and Saturday, Feb. 5, against
Powder Valley (5:30 p.m.).
Long could return next
week. Baker plays host to La
Grande in a game that could
decide the Greater Oregon
League title on Tuesday, Feb.
8, at 7:30 p.m.
Isaiah Jones led all scorers
with 21 points at Nyssa. Spike
added 13 points and Hobson
12. Eight Bulldogs scored.
In a curious statistical
anomaly, Baker didn’t make
any 3-pointers, while Nyssa
had six. Baker’s 27 to 10 ad-
vantage in two-point shots
more than made up the dif-
ference.
BAKER GIRLS BASKETBALL
Nyssa snaps Baker’s
win streak at 6 games
Nyssa’s 6-foot-5
Gracie Johnson
has key rebound
basket late
Dirk Shadd-TNS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady waves to fans while walking off the field after the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated Philadelphia Eagles 31-15 Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Tampa.
BY JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
Nyssa’s Gracie Johnson
didn’t dominate the game
against the Baker girls basket-
ball team on Tuesday, Feb. 1,
at Nyssa, but at a key juncture
late, the junior used every bit
of her 6-foot-5 frame to make
the decisive play.
After Baker, which never
led, had cut the lead to 45-42
with 2:12 left in the game, Nys-
sa’s Laney Hartley went to the
free throw line for a one-and-
one. Hartley missed the shot,
but Johnson reached above the
Baker rebounders, grabbed the
ball and banked it in to push
the lead back to 47-42 with
1:55 left.
Nyssa then made 9 of 11
free throws to hold off Baker
for a 58-48 win that ended the
Bulldogs’ winning streak at six
games.
Nyssa, ranked third in the
Class 3A standings, improved
to 18-2.
Baker, which hadn’t lost
since Jan. 8 at Crook County,
fell to 14-5 and dropped to
fifth in the Class 4A rankings.
Baker coach Jason Ramos
said Johnson’s rebound basket
was the last in a series of cru-
cial plays that Baker failed to
make.
“There were a lot of little
things,” Ramos said.
And it started from the
opening minute.
Nyssa scored the first 5
points of the game and ex-
tended its lead to as much
as 11, at 19-8, on Hartley’s
3-pointer late in the first
quarter.
Baker narrowed the lead to
25-22 on Macey Moore’s two
free throws with 11.1 seconds
left in the first half. That was as
close as Baker had been since
early in the game.
But this was followed by the
first of the sequences in which
Baker seemed poised to seize
the momentum, only to have
Nyssa respond almost imme-
diately.
Nyssa’s Clarita Arizmendi
banked in a 3-pointer with 5.5
seconds left to boost the lead
back to six, 28-22, at halftime.
“I thought the key early on
was they hit some key shots
and got a cushion,” Ramos
said of Nyssa. “We played
hard to come back but we
couldn’t overcome that early
deficit. We came close a cou-
ple times.”
The first time was in the
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald, File
Baker’s Rylee Elms, seen here in a December 2021 game, had 13 points
in Baker’s 58-48 loss at Nyssa on Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022.
opening minute of the second
half.
Moore and Taylor Gyllen-
berg each scored to cut the lead
to 28-26.
But Nyssa scored 4 straight
points — on two buckets by
Johnson — to get back to a
6-point edge. Nyssa led 36-31
after three quarters.
After Nyssa took a 39-32
lead early in the fourth quarter,
Baker rallied again.
Brooklyn Jaca swished a
3-pointer from the corner to
get Baker to within 41-38 with
5:18 left.
But Nyssa went on another
quick 4-0 run to push the lead
back to five, at 43-38.
Baker’s final rally, led by
Jozie Ramos’ four free throws,
cut the lead to 45-42, but
Johnson followed with the
back-breaking rebound basket
off the missed free throw.
Jason Ramos said Johnson
influences games in multiple
ways.
Her presence in the key on
defense forced Baker out of
its normal offensive rhythm,
he said.
“We struggled a little bit
offensively,” he said. “She’s a
factor.”
Baker squandered multi-
ple chances to keep the game
closer with free throws, making
just 18 of 34. Nyssa was 14 of
22 from the line.
Nyssa also had an advantage
from longer range, with five
3-pointers to Baker’s two.
“We need to have better
free throw shooting down the
stretch,” Ramos said.
BAKER (48)
Elms 5 3-6 13, Flanagan 2 1-6
5, Gyllenberg 1 1-2 3, Pierce
0 1-2 1, Ramos 3 7-9 14, Roy
1 0-0 2, Jaca 1 0-0 3, Moore 1
5-9 7. Totals 14 18-34 48.
NYSSA (58)
Hartley 2 2-3 8, Johnson 8 6-9
22, B. Johns 3 0-0 6, Trinidad
0 0-0 0, Clarita Arizmendi 4
0-0 11, M. Johns 0 0-0 0, Long
2 5-6 10, Vineyard 0 0-2 0,
Torres 0 1-2 1, Medrano 0 0-0
0. Totals 19 14-22 58.
Baker 11 11 9 17 — 48
Nyssa 19 9 8 22 — 58
Despite the disappointment
of a loss, the nonleague setback
has no effect on Baker’s playoff
prospects, as the Bulldogs re-
main atop the Greater Oregon
League at 3-0.
“We talked about it in the
locker room, that we have to
have some takeaways from
this, and we will,” Ramos said.
“Having games like this down
the stretch is always good
preparation for what’s coming.”
Jozie Ramos led Baker with
14 points, although Johnson’s
presence inside contributed to
Ramos having just three field
goals, including a 3-pointer.
Rylee Elms had 13 points,
Moore added seven and Mak-
enzie Flanagan five.
Johnson led all scorers with
22 points.
Baker returns to GOL play
Friday, Feb. 4, when the Bull-
dogs play host to Mac-Hi at
6 p.m.
Tom Brady retires after 22
seasons, 7 Super Bowl titles
“Right now, it’s best I leave reer leader in yards passing
the field of play to the next
(84,520) and TDs (624). He’s
TAMPA, Fla. — Tom
generation of dedicated and the only player to win more
Brady walked away from the committed athletes,” Brady
than five Super Bowls and
NFL on his own terms, still at said.
was MVP of the game five
the top of his game.
Brady thanked the Bucca- times.
Brady, the most successful neers organization, his team-
Brady won three NFL
quarterback in league his-
MVP awards, was a first-team
mates, ownership, general
tory and one of the greatest
All-Pro three times and was
manager Jason Licht, coach
champions in professional
selected to the Pro Bowl 15
Bruce Arians, his trainer
sports, has retired after win- Alex Guerrero, agents Don
times. He was 243-73 in his
ning seven Super Bowls and Yee and Steve Dubin and his career in the regular season
setting numerous passing re- family in his nine-page post. and 35-12 in the playoffs.
cords in an unprecedented
“To finish a 22-year career
He didn’t mention the New
22-year career.
while still performing at his
England Patriots, where he
“This is difficult for me
spent his first 20 seasons and peak was nothing short of
to write, but here it goes: I
won six Super Bowls playing extraordinary,” Licht said. “I
am not going to make that
for Bill Belichick. But Brady wish we had more time with
competitive commitment
Tom, but I understand and
thanked the Patriots and
anymore,” Brady wrote in a their fans on Twitter, saying: respect his decision to leave
lengthy post on Instagram.
the game in order to spend
“I’m beyond grateful. Love
“I have loved my NFL ca-
more time with his family.”
you all.”
reer, and now it is time to
Brady went from 199th
Brady said he’s still figuring
focus my time and energy
out how he’ll spend his time, pick in the 2000 draft to re-
on other things that require but he plans to be involved in placing an injured Drew
my attention.”
his TB12 health and wellness Bledsoe in 2001 and leading
The 44-year-old Brady has company, Brady clothing line New England to a Super Bowl
long stated his desire to spend and NFT company.
victory over the heavily fa-
more time with his wife, su-
“I know for sure I want to vored Rams that season.
permodel Gisele Bundchen,
He led the Patriots to con-
spend a lot of time giving to
and three children despite
secutive Super Bowl titles fol-
others and trying to enrich
his unique ability to perform other people’s lives, just as
lowing the 2003-04 seasons.
exceptionally well at an age
No team has since repeated
so many have done for me,”
as champions.
when most athletes are way
he said.
But New England wouldn’t
past their prime.
Brady led the NFL in yards
Brady goes out after lead-
passing (5,316), touchdowns win another one for a decade,
twice losing to the New York
ing the Tampa Bay Bucca-
(43), completions (485) and
Giants in the Super Bowl, in-
neers to a Super Bowl title
attempts (719) in 2021, but
cluding a 17-14 defeat on Feb.
last season and NFC South
the Buccaneers lost at home
3, 2008, that prevented the
championship this season.
to the Los Angeles Rams in
Patriots from completing a
News of Brady’s pending
the divisional round.
perfect season.
retirement leaked Satur-
Brady leaves as the ca-
day, Jan. 29, but he said
Monday night, Jan. 31, on
his SiriusXM podcast he
wasn’t ready to finalize his
2192 Court Avenue, Baker City • 541-523-5357
plans.
That came Tuesday
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BY ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer
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