Bulldogs scrap Lions' title hope.

Byline: Adam Jude The Register-Guard

CORVALLIS - For a team that prides itself on its blue-collar work ethic, Cottage Grove was out-hustled and out-muscled Friday.

No. 5 Baker beat the Lions at their own game, owning a decisive edge in rebounds, layups and floor burns in a 62-47 semifinal victory that never really was close at the OSAA Class 4A boys basketball tournament.

The victory sends the Greater Oregon League champion Bulldogs (21-4) to the title game against Stayton at 8:30 p.m. today at Gill Coliseum.

"Tough one," Cottage Grove senior Bryant Sentman said. "It's something that hurts, and it should hurt."

The Lions (18-8), the Sky-Em League champions, hope to forget this one in time for a 3:15 p.m. tipoff today in the third-place trophy game. Cottage Grove won its only state trophy after its 1991 championship run.

"We're looking forward to winning a trophy," Sentman said. "We're disappointed not to be playing in the (championship) game, but we do have something to play for."

From the opening tip, Baker seemed to be playing for - and with - more on Friday.

The bruising play of 6-foot-4 senior posts Matt Duman and Grant Johnson helped the Bulldogs to a 9-0 lead midway through the opening quarter. Cottage Grove could never get back in it after that.

"We just came out and felt like everything was going against us," Sentman said. "They're just a scrappy team, and we didn't respond to that at the beginning."

The Bulldogs used a half-court trap and a matchup zone to slow the Lions, and Johnson scored back-to-back baskets in the final 2:20 of the first half to help Baker build a 28-12 halftime lead.

Baker had a 21-12 first-half edge in rebounds, one of two key factors in its hot start.

"We didn't defensive rebound, and we didn't get to the rim, which has been our focus all year," Cottage Grove coach Bart Pollard said. "We had to rely on outside shots, and they weren't falling for us."

The Lions were 4-for-20 from the field in the first half and shot 27.8 percent overall, connecting on just 5-for-23 three-point attempts.

Derek Shildknecht's basket with 2:09 left in the third quarter gave Baker its largest lead at 43-19.

Reserve guard Jesse Westbrook hit a three-pointer with 7:01 remaining to bring Cottage Grove within 47-30, and Sentman followed with a rebound basket to cut the deficit to 15.

That's as close as the Lions would get.

"We tried to give an effort and get back into it, but we just weren't able to overcome that initial stretch," Pollard said.

Sentman finished with 12 points on 3-for-16 shooting. Westbrook, Chris Robbins and Seth Hutchison added nine each for the Lions.

Duman had a game-high 16 points and Johnson, who came within one assist of a triple-double in Baker's quarterfinal win over La Salle, finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

"(Johnson) is just so athletic, and he has the best set of hands we've had for a post player," Baker coach Craig Woods said.

The Lions now turn their attention to today's trophy game, where they hope to rediscover the hard-nosed style that got them here.

"At this point, we're frustrated and disappointed with the way we played, but we have to regroup," Pollard said. `We get a chance to play for a trophy, and that's exciting for us."