BAKER – If Thursday’s season opener is any indication of things to come for Baker School’s girls basketball team fans should be in for a treat.
Defense, sharp shooting and rugged play in the paint were all on display as the Gators hosted Vernon. The Yellow Jackets were on the receiving end of an Okaloosa County beat down.
Three Baker players scored in double figures as the Gators rolled to a 75-37 win.
“I think we played real well on defense,” Baker Coach Jamie Kerrell said. “We’ve really been preaching if you play lock down defense it creates easy baskets.
“It also helps if you shoot the 3 very well and we were very hot (shooting the 3-point basket) tonight.”
To say the Gators were hot shooting the 3 might be an understatement as Baker made 14 shots from behind the arch.
Izzy Cain led the Gators in scoring with 21 points. Right behind her was Amanda Parisi, who hit six 3-pointers on the way to scoring 20 points. Ayjah Coleman was the final piece of Baker’s three-headed scoring monster with 19 points.
The Gators jumped to a quick 9-0 lead with Coleman leading the way scoring four quick points. Kaitlyn Watts added a 3-point basket and Parisi scored her only 2-point basket of the game in Baker’s opening.
Vernon withstood the outburst and come back to outscore the Gators 9-6 to close out the first quarter.
A Coleman 3-pointer put Baker up 18-9 seven seconds into the second quarter. Vernon then scored the next eight points to close the Gator lead to 18-17 on a basket by Gracie Whitener with 5:58 left in the half.
The rest of the game belonged to the Gators. Baker scored the next 17 points to turn a close game into a laugher. By the time Whitener scored again for Vernon with 2:05 left in the half the Gators were in control.
Baker led 40-21 at the half and continued to take the game to the Yellow Jackets in the third quarter. The Gators outscored Vernon 22-8 in the period to push their lead to 62-29.
A 3-point basket by Coleman 33 seconds into the fourth quarter put Baker up by 35 points and started the running clock. A short time later Kerrell emptied the bench as the Gators finished off an impressive win.
Cain had four assists to go with her 21 points and Coleman had five assists. Lindsey Stewart led the Gators with nine rebounds.
Vernon 9 12 8 8 – 37
Baker 15 25 22 13 – 75
VERNON (37)
Roche 7, Leavins 8, Whitener 6, Poppell 12, McClurely 2, Brock 2. Totals 5 9 3-17 37.
BAKER (75)
Alena Banks 2, Amanda Parisi 20, Izzi Cain 21, Ayajah Coleman 19, Kaitlyn Watts 9, Olivia Hurley 2, Cierra Carlan 2. Totals 14 14 5-11 75.
Baker-Vernon girls basketball box
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker plays long ball against Vernon (PHOTOS)