A8 BAKER CITY HERALD • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022
SPORTS
BAKER GIRLS BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW
BAKER BOYS BASKETBALL SEASON PREVIEW
Bulldogs seeking
second state title
Bulldogs focusing
on improving defense
BY IAN CRAWFORD
icrawford@bakercityherald.com
The Baker girls basketball team
brought home a trophy from the
Class 4A state tournament in
March 2022.
But it wasn’t the trophy that
coach Jason Ramos’ squad
wanted.
This year, Ramos’ second as
head coach, the Bulldogs have as-
pirations to join the 2019 team as
state champions.
“Our goal is to make it back
this year and play for the title,”
Ramos said. “We had a successful
summer ball season, and the ex-
pectations for this group coming
into this season are high.”
There’s ample reason for opti-
mism.
Baker returns most of its ros-
ter from last season’s 22-6 team,
including the players who com-
bined to score all but one of the
Bulldogs’ points in their three
games at the state tournament.
That group, all of whom were
playing in their first state tourna-
ment, includes six seniors led by
6-foot post Jozie Ramos, reigning
Greater Oregon League player of
the year.
Ramos, who is the coach’s
daughter, led Baker in scoring, at
18 points per game, and rebound-
ing, with an average of seven per
contest as the Bulldogs went 6-0
in league play.
Jozie Ramos, who can also
shoot from 3-point range, has
worked to develop her overall
game, Jason Ramos said.
Fellow seniors Rylee Elms and
Macey Moore, who each averaged
nine points per game, were first
team all-league picks, while an-
other senior, Brooklyn Jaca, who
averaged six points per game, was
a second team selection.
Elms, Moore, Ramos and Jaca
combined to score 47 of Bak-
er’s 57 points in the Bulldogs’
win over Marist Catholic in the
fourth-place game at the 2022
state tournament.
Elms, who is 6-foot-1, is one of
Baker’s most versatile players, able
to play in the post and step out
and hit outside shots.
Moore, at 5-foot-8, is Baker’s
leading 3-point shooter and can
play multiple positions, Jason Ra-
mos said.
Jaca, 5-foot-11, who often
guards the other team’s best
player, has improved her offen-
sive game in the offseason, Ra-
mos said.
He’s also expecting major
contributions again from senior
Makenzie Flanagan and senior
point guard Sydnee Pierce.
Flanagan is an “athletic slasher
and solid defender” who “will be
a key player this season,” Ramos
said.
Pierce, who averaged seven
points per game last season, “will
have an increased role this year
at the point guard position,” Ra-
mos said.
Another senior, Makayla Ra-
bourne, rejoins the Bulldogs after
missing last season.
Ramos said sophomore Ashlyn
Dalton and junior Makea Robb,
who move up from JV, “look to be
valuable contributors.”
Rounding out the varsity roster
is Emma Llaurado, an exchange
student from Spain who plays
guard.
“She has a solid skill set and
will be able to contribute right
away, as she adapts her game to
our style of play,” Ramos said.
In last year’s state tournament,
Baker rebounded from a 61-46
quarterfinal loss to Corbett to
beat Cascade 50-39 in the conso-
Baker was the
top-scoring Class 4A
team last season
Baker Boys
Basketball Schedule
Friday, Dec. 2, vs. Crescent
Valley at Wilsonville
Invitational, 7 p.m.
BY IAN CRAWFORD
icrawford@bakercityherald.com
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald, File
Baker’s Jozie Ramos scores 2 of her
game-high 18 points in the Bull-
dogs’ 51-32 win over Pendleton
on Feb. 25, 2022, in the Baker gym.
Baker Girls
Basketball Schedule
Thursday, Dec. 1, at
Homedale, 6:30 p.m. PST
Friday, Dec. 2, vs. Mazama,
6 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 3, vs.
Klamath Union, 11 a.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 6, at Fruitland,
6:30 p.m. PST
Thursday, Dec. 8, vs.
Homedale, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 9, vs. Molalla,
7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10, vs.
Estacada, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 13, vs.
Fruitland, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 28-Friday,
Dec. 30, at SCTC Holiday
Classic, Stayton (TBD)
Friday, Jan. 6, vs. Madras,
6 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 7, vs. Crook
County, 11 a.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 11, vs. La
Grande, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 17, at Vale,
6 p.m. PST
Friday, Jan. 20, at Ontario,
2 p.m. PST
Tuesday, Jan. 24, vs.
Pendleton, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 26, at Nyssa,
5 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 27, at La Grande,
6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 31, vs. Vale,
7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 3, at Pendleton,
5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 7, vs. Burns,
5:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 10, vs. Ontario,
6 p.m.
lation bracket, then beat Marist
Catholic 57-48 in the fourth-place
game.
This year’s schedule includes
a trip to Stayton in late Decem-
ber for a three-day tournament.
Baker will open against Sweet
Home on Dec. 28.
“We do have some quality non-
league opponents on our sched-
ule which will help us prepare for
a strong finish,” Ramos said. “We
want to establish a high level of
play early, utilizing our athleticism
and experience to set the tone for
the season.”
Baker opens its season Thurs-
day, Dec. 1 at Homedale, Idaho.
The Bulldogs then play on two
straight days in the Baker gym,
Friday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. against
Mazama, and Saturday, Dec. 3 at
11 a.m. against Klamath Union.
Baker boys basketball
coach Jebron Jones has the
Bulldogs practicing before
dawn with a goal of playing
after dusk three months from
now.
And potentially with a state
championship at stake.
With seven players, includ-
ing five regular starters, re-
turning from last year’s 19-8
squad, which advanced to the
eight-team state tournament,
Jones sees great potential
when the Bulldogs gather for
5:30 a.m. practices.
“We return seven players
— Diego Quintela, Paul Hob-
son, Hudson Spike, Grant
Gambleton, Jaron Long,
Jaxon Logsdon, Isaiah Jones,”
Jebron Jones said. “We have
high expectations this year as
we have emphasized compet-
ing for everything. The young
men are hungry.”
The returning players are
joined by juniors Nate Jensen
and Giacomo Rigueiro, senior
Michael Gentry, and fresh-
man Rasean Jones.
(Rasean and his older
brother, Isaiah, a sophomore,
are Jebron Jones’ sons.)
“I have many players who
will play important roles this
year,” Jebron Jones said. “All
11 players have a chance to
impact the game in some ca-
pacity so it’s hard to say who
is going to stand out. Isaiah
Jones, Paul Hobson and Hud-
son Spike received first team
all-league honors last year,
and Jaron Long and Jaxon
Logsdon received second
team all-league honors.”
Jones said he hasn’t set a
starting lineup yet.
“It changes almost on a
daily basis which is good
for competition purposes in
practice,” Jones said.
“Any of those players
along with other return-
ers and newcomers have a
chance to play significant
minutes this year. I’m ex-
cited.”
Returning players scored
all but one of Baker’s points
in the two games at the state
tournament last season.
Emphasizing defense
Jones said he’s focusing
on improving the Bulldogs’
defense this season.
Last year Baker was the
highest scoring team in the
Class 4A ranks, averaging
63.1 points per game.
But the Bulldogs gave up
almost 53 points per con-
test. Greater Oregon League
rival La Grande, which
won two of the three games
against Baker and claimed
the league title, surrendered
44.9 points per game.
“We have placed a bigger
emphasis on playing much
better defense, rebounding
and being more consistent
on both ends of the floor,”
Jones said, noting that just
a few more defensive stops
in some games could have
turned losses into wins.
After routing Sisters 61-
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Saturday, Dec. 3, at
Wilsonville Invitational (TBD)
Sunday, Dec. 4, at
Wilsonville Invitational (TBD)
Thursday, Dec. 8, at
Homedale, 6:30 p.m. PST
Friday, Dec. 9, vs. Molalla,
8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10, vs.
Estacada, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 13, at
Fruitland, 6:30 p.m. PST
Ian Crawford/Baker City Herald
Jebron Jones is beginning his fifth season as boys varsity basketball
coach at Baker High School.
“We have placed a bigger
emphasis on playing much
better defense, rebounding
and being more consistent
on both ends of the floor.”
— Jebron Jones, Baker boys
basketball coach
38 in a play-in game and
dominating Gladstone 80-
52 in a first-round playoff to
advance to the state tourna-
ment, the Bulldogs lost 58-47
to Junction City and lost 67-
60 to Philomath in the conso-
lation bracket.
Baker will see a change in
its league schedule this sea-
son, as Mac-Hi has dropped
out of the GOL, replaced by
former Class 5A school Pend-
leton.
The Bulldogs also have a
challenging nonleague slate,
including traveling to three
tournaments, starting this
weekend at Wilsonville.
Baker also will have a re-
match with Junction City on
Jan. 14 on a neutral court at
The Dalles.
“I love our schedule, ev-
erything about it,” Jones said.
“I love the fact we are play-
ing good teams and on the
road. It will give the players a
chance to be uncomfortable
playing in hostile environ-
ments, we need to learn how
to be comfortable with being
uncomfortable.
“Hopefully this schedule
will help get to where we want
to get — Forest Grove and the
final eight.”
The 2023 Class 4A state
tournament will take place in
March at Forest Grove.
After playing three games
this weekend at Wilsonville,
then traveling to Homedale,
Idaho, on Dec. 8, Baker will
open its home schedule Fri-
day, Dec. 9 against Estacada
at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs, again
playing three games in three
days, will also play host to
Molalla on Saturday, Dec. 10
at 12:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec.
15-Saturday, Dec. 17, at
Pro Image Sports Holiday
Classic, Meridian (TBD)
Wednesday, Dec.
28-Friday, Dec. 30, at SCTC
Holiday Classic, Stayton
(TBD)
Friday, Jan. 6, vs. Madras,
7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 7, vs. Crook
County, 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 11, vs.
La Grande, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 14, vs.
Junction City at The Dalles
(TBD)
Friday, Jan. 20, at Ontario,
6:30 p.m. PST
Tuesday, Jan. 24, vs.
Pendleton, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 26, at Nyssa,
6:30 p.m. PST
Friday, Jan. 27, at La
Grande, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 31, at Vale,
6 p.m. PST
Friday, Feb. 3, at Pendleton,
7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 10, vs. Ontario,
7:30 p.m.
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