Baker too much for Outlaws in play-in game

The Outlaws basketball squad traveled five long hours to Baker on Saturday, February 26, and faced the Bulldogs in a play-in game that ended in a 61-38 loss for the Outlaws. The loss brought the Outlaws’ season to a close.

No. 7-ranked Baker plays an aggressive, pressure-packed type of defense that the Outlaws knew would be difficult to figure out. Although they’d simulated the style in practice, the live game play proved to be different, and the Outlaws committed nine turnovers in the first period, giving up 11 transition points to the Bulldogs. In addition to the transition points, the Bulldogs hit three shots from behind the three-point arc. The odds were against the Outlaws, but they continued to battle and ended the quarter on a 5-0 run behind a Max Palanuk lay-up and a three-pointer

from Mehkye Froehlich.

It was a rough second quarter for the Outlaws. After trading baskets for the first three minutes of the period, the Bulldogs went on a 12-2 run to close out the quarter with an 8-21 advantage. Baker scored 10 points off turnovers, and once again hit three three-pointers in the period.

The Outlaws did a much better job against the Bulldogs’ pressure in the third quarter. Unfortunately for the Outlaws, the Bulldogs continued their hot shooting from behind the arc. The Outlaws switched to a 1-3-1 zone late in the quarter and were able to slow the Bulldogs’ attack a bit and reduce the Bulldogs’ scoring run.

As was the case with the Outlaws all season, they never stopped in the fourth quarter, but buckled down and gave their all. Sisters won the quarter 7-6. AJ Scholl hit the final bucket of the season for the Outlaws with a rebound and put-back.

Palanuk led the Outlaws with 18 points and Ricky Huffman followed with eight. Jessey Murillo tallied four points, Froehlich and Noah Pittman contributed three points each, and AJ Scholl added two.

“Despite the loss, I am so proud of this team for working hard all season and getting an opportunity to play in the postseason,” said Coach Chad Rush. “This team should not be defined by the score of this game, but rather for earning the opportunity to play in this game. We hope this will be the first of many postseason appearances for the Outlaws.”