A6 BAKER CITY HERALD • TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022
SPORTS
POWDER VALLEY BOYS BASKETBALL
Badgers clinch state tourney berth with thriller
BY JEFF BUDLONG
For EO Media Group
NORTH POWDER — De-
spite trailing most of the game,
and being down five points
with three minutes to go Friday
night, Feb. 25, Powder Valley
showed its veteran poise and
used a late charge to secure vic-
tory and clinch a berth in this
week’s Class 1A state tourna-
ment at Baker High School.
The second-seeded Powder
Valley boys rallied for a 68-63
win over Trinity Lutheran in a
second-round playoff game in
the North Powder gym.
After Kaden Krieger made
a pair of free throws with 14.5
seconds left to give Powder
Valley a 64-63 lead, teammate
Reece Dixon took a charge
from Trinity Lutheran’s Scooty
Gilbert with 7.8 seconds left.
After Krieger missed two
free throws with 6.4 seconds
left, Trinity Lutheran had one
last chance.
Again, Gilbert drove in for
a potential game-winning la-
yin. And again, Dixon took a
charge. This episode was even
more crucial, as Gilbert’s shot,
unlike the previous one, actu-
ally went in, the points negated
by the foul.
“It was a one-point game
with eight seconds and Reece
Dixon took a charge that kind
of sealed the deal,” Powder
Valley coach Kyle Dixon said.
“Then their coach got a techni-
cal and we were able to hit the
free throws.”
Class 1A state girls and boys basketball
tournaments this week at Baker High School
Alex Wittwer/The (La Grande) Observer
Cole Martin (23) battles for pos-
session of the ball after a rebound
during a match between Powder
Valley and Condon at Powder Val-
ley High School on Tuesday, Feb.
22, 2022. Powder plays at 8:15
p.m. Wednesday, March 2, in the
state tournament.
Alex Wittwer/The (La Grande) Observer
Reece Dixon was fouled af-
ter drawing the final charge,
and Trinity Lutheran coach
Kyle Gilbert was called for a
technical foul. Dixon made
four straight free throws with
less than a second left for the
final margin.
Dixon led the way for the
Badgers with 17 points, Kaden
BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, March 5
6:30 p.m.
GIRLS QUARTERFINALS
Thursday, March 3
Jordan Valley vs. Crane, 1:30 p.m.
Nixyaawii vs. Country Christian,
3:15 p.m.
Trout Lake vs. Damascus Chris-
tian, 6:30 p.m.
Echo vs. North Douglas,
8:15 p.m.
GIRLS SEMIFINALS
Friday, March 4
6:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, March 5
8:45 p.m.
The OSAA/OnPoint Community
Credit Union Class 1A state girls
and boys basketball tourna-
ments are set this week at Baker
High School. The schedule for
the quarterfinal round:
BOYS QUARTERFINALS
Wednesday, March 2
North Douglas vs. Crane,
1:30 p.m.
Riddle vs. Crosshill Christian,
3:15 p.m.
Rogue Valley Adventist Acad-
emy vs. South Wasco County,
6:30 p.m.
Nixyaawii vs. Powder Valley,
8:15 p.m.
BOYS SEMIFINALS
Friday, March 4
1:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.
Reece Dixon (13) sinks a fast break layup during a match between
Powder Valley and Condon at Powder Valley High School on Tuesday,
Feb. 22, 2022. The Powder Valley Badgers clinched a berth in the Class
1A state tournament with a 68-63 win over Trinity Lutheran Feb. 25.
Krieger added 13, Kaiden
Dalke chipped in 12 and Clay
Martin had 11. All four players
are seniors.
Powder Valley hit just two
three-pointers in the game,
but did go 14 of 19 at the free
throw line.
“We didn’t play great and
we missed shots, but we were
able to hit some shots at the
end,” Kyle Dixon said. “We just
couldn’t get our run game go-
ing really.”
The Badgers (23-2) will open
play at the state tournament
with a rematch against league
rival Nixyaawii on Wednesday,
March 2, at 8:15 p.m. in a quar-
terfinal game.
“We are thrilled with the
win,” coach Dixon said. “I
think the loss to Nixyaawii
late in the year helped us. It
was an eye-opener that we can
be beat.”
Nixyaawii beat Powder Val-
ley 59-51 in the Old Oregon
League district tournament on
Feb. 19 to earn the league’s top
seed and force Powder Valley
to win two games to reach the
state tournament.
Nixyaawii advanced to the
state tournament with a 68-54
win over Ione/Arlington on
Saturday, Feb. 26.
During the regular season,
Powder Valley beat Nixyaawii
76-64 on Jan. 29, at North
Powder.
Jayson Jacoby contributed to
this story.
OREGON STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL
No. 12 UCLA routs Oregon State, 94-55
BY GARY HOROWITZ
Associated Press
CORVALLIS — Tyger
Campbell scored a game-
high 20 points to lead No. 12
UCLA to a 94-55 rout Satur-
day, Feb. 26, at Oregon State.
Despite the absence of lead-
ing scorer Johnny Juzang,
who missed the game with an
ankle injury, the Bruins (21-
6, 13-5 Pac-12) had plenty of
firepower on offense and in-
tensity on the defensive end.
“You have to play the game
with passion,” UCLA coach
Mick Cronin said. “You have
to play for your teammates.”
Campbell was 8 of 10 from
the field, made four 3-point-
ers, and had five assists.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 14 of
his 17 points in the first half,
Jules Bernard had 16 points,
and Cody Riley added 13.
After reaching the Final
Four last year, UCLA has dealt
with heightened expectations
this season.
“It’s a long season. We’ve
just got to remind ourselves
why we play basketball,”
Jaquez said. “Honestly, for the
love of the game and the want
to compete, and to win with
a group of guys that you’re
so bought in with. It’s easy to
forget that through a long sea-
son.”
Oregon State (3-24, 1-16
Pac-12) has lost 14 games in
a row since beating Utah on
Dec. 30. Oregon State coach
Wayne Tinkle was especially
disappointed in Saturday’s
performance because it came
on Senior Day at Gill Coli-
seum.
“Shame on us. Very, very
disheartening,” Tinkle said.
“And give (UCLA) a ton of
credit. They played with a lot
of fire and togetherness and
selflessness, and we didn’t.”
Oregon State guard
Dashawn Davis, who scored
a career-high 31 points in
Thursday’s double-overtime
loss to No. 16 USC, managed
just six points against the
Bruins.
Maurice Calloo led the
Beavers with 13 points in
their most lopsided defeat of
the season. Glenn Taylor Jr.
and Roman Silva scored 10
points apiece.
After making just 4 of 24
3-pointers in Thursday’s loss
at Oregon, the Bruins were
much improved from behind
the arc, converting 13 of 20
(65%). Cronin said being able
to establish an inside pres-
ence was a factor in UCLA’s
excellent long-range shoot-
ing.
“We’ve got to shoot the
ball well for us to be an elite
team,” Cronin said. “It’s just
the way it works. It’s the way
we’re configured as a team.
We’re not one of the biggest,
strongest, most powerful
teams in the country.”
Campbell’s 3-pointer cul-
minated a 10-0 run and ex-
tended the Bruins lead to 41-
24 late in the first half.
UCLA shot 57.1% from the
field in the opening half and
led 43-28 at the break.
Oregon State closed to
within 11 points early in the
second half, but the Bruins
dominated the rest of the way.
Bernard’s four-point play
said he is doubtful for Mon-
day’s game at Washington. Ju-
zang is third in the Pac-12 in
scoring at 17 points per game.
UCLA is currently projected
as a No. 4 seed in the NCAA
Tournament. A key game
down the stretch will be the
regular season finale at home
Big picture
March 5 against USC.
UCLA: Juzang suffered a
Oregon State: Mired in a
sprained ankle in the first half
losing streak that has reached
of Thursday’s loss at Oregon
14 games, the Beavers are
and did not return. Cronin
was part of a 22-0 run that ex-
tended the lead to 75-39 mid-
way through the second half.
UCLA made 58.6% of its
field goal attempts and domi-
nated the boards with a 36-18
advantage.
having their worst season
since going 5-27 overall and
1-17 in the Pac-12 in the
2016-17 campaign, a season
after reaching the NCAA
tournament for the first time
in 26 years. The Beavers have
struggled with injuries and
chemistry this season af-
ter winning the 2021 Pac-12
tournament and advancing to
the Elite Eight in the NCAA
tournament.
Prepare for unexpected
power outages with a
Generac home standby
generator
Careers that make a difference
Work with people with disabilities!
SCHEDULE YOUR FREE IN-HOME
ASSESSMENT TODAY!
877-557-1912
FREE
www.ImpactOregon.careers
7-Year Extended Warranty*
A $695 Value!
Off er valid March 16, 2020 - June 30, 2020
Special Financing Available
Subject to Credit Approval
Blazing Fast
Internet!
ADD TO YOUR PACKAGE FOR ONLY
19 . 99
$
/mo.
where available
2-YEAR
TV PRICE
GUARANTEE
69
$
99 190 CHANNELS
MO.
Local Channels!
for 12 Mos.
A Smarter
Way to Power
Your Home.
America’s Top 120 Package
Including
REQUEST A FREE QUOTE!
ACT NOW TO RECEIVE
A $300 SPECIAL OFFER!*
(844) 989-2328
CALL TODAY - For $100 Gift Card Promo Code: DISH100
1-866-373-9175
*Terms & Conditions Apply
Offer ends 4/13/22.
All offers require credit qualification, 24-month commitment with early termination fee and eAutoPay. Prices include Hopper Duo for qualifying customers. Hopper, Hopper w/Sling or Hopper 3 $5/mo. more.
Upfront fees may apply based on credit qualification.
*Off er value when purchased at retail.
Solar panels sold separately.
IT’S IN YOUR INBOX
before your
mailbox
Subscribers can
receive daily
email updates
and uninterrupted
digital delivery on
a computer, tablet
and smartphone
Sign up for free digital access
Call 800-781-3214
BakerCityHerald.com