BAKER — It was only a matter of time before Baker School’s boys basketball team took control of Thursday’s District 3-1A game with Freeport.
The Gators were the quicker, more athletic team, but that didn’t stop a pesky Bulldog squad from keeping things interesting for the first half.
Baker led by a point at the end of the first quarter and two points at the half before pulling away to a 56-44 win.
Gator Coach Janavor Weatherspoon a simple explanation as to why his team was able to put the game away in the second half.
“We decided to play,” he said. “Sometimes we are a better team coming out at the half for some reason. I think we have to change our habits about how we play coming out in the first half.
“I think they like to hear the coach give them the half-time speech. I told them, ‘I don’t have that many speeches.’”
Case Woodard kept the Bulldogs in striking distance in the first half scoring all of his team-high 18 points in the first two quarters.
Not to be outdone Baker’s Austin Walters scored 15 of his game-high 24 points in the first half.
Walters did have a little help from his friends, or at least one friend as Hunter Newton scored five of his nine points in the first half.
The Gators (10-7, 1-1) put the game out of reach with 14-0 run that started with a Newton free throw with 25 seconds left in the third quarter and ended with a Matt Samuolis basket with 4:07 remaining in the game.
The run was sparked by a Derek Peoples rebound basket as the buzzer sounded ending the third quarter. The score put Baker up 41-34 and seemed to break the will of the Bulldogs.
Weatherspoon said the Gators were better able to get into their full-court press in the second half and apply pressure to the Freeport shooters, which helped swing things in Baker’s favor.
BAKER 56, FREEPORT 44
Freeport 14 13 7 10 – 44
Baker 15 15 11 15 – 56
FREEPORT (44)
Zack Seay 3, Lane Free 2, Caleb King-Williams 2, Andrew Ham 2, Wesley Canaday 10, Case Woodard 18, Noah Cole 6, Ethan McFerrin 6, Jarrod Carley 1, Anthony Rucker 3. Totals 10 4 12-23 44.
BAKER (56)
Logan Rickmon 2, Derek Peoples 7, Gabe Nelson 3, Jamaal Day 2, Hunter Newton 9, Kalee Ciurleo 6, Austin Walters 24, Matt Samuolis 3. Totals 14 6 10-14 56.
Baker-Freeport boys basketball box
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker pulls away from Freeport (PHOTOS)