Sarah Baker knows it’s go time.
With any defeat here on out, her high school basketball career is over that started in the seventh grade.
Baker’s urgency led to 20 points and 11 rebounds as Ryle took down Highlands 49-43 in Friday’s 9th Region semifinal at Northern Kentucky University’s Truist Arena.
“I’ve been thinking about this so much in my day-to-day it just hits me that this is my last go-around,” Baker said. “It feels really cool we’re able to make such an impact again this season but it’s super cool to see how this team is meshing right now. It’s do-or-die time, this is our last chance to do what we want to do.”
The win gets them yet another rematch with Cooper in Saturday’s 9th Region championship. It’s the third straight year the two have met for a region title.
Baker’s physicality along the interior and her ability to see things on the perimeter has made her a more well-rounded player.
“Sarah did a wonderful job defensively on Marissa (Green), Sarah looks forward to those challenges and that’s what you get tonight,” Raiders coach Katie Haitz said. “She did a great job offensively knowing what she could do and what she was capable of.”
With Highlands content on packing in the paint and not letting Jaelyn Jones see any looks on the perimeter, Baker and Quinn Eubank were going to have to be dependent on the perimeter shot. With Eubank struggling to find a rhythm and finishing with 11 points on 2-of-11 shooting, she contributed elsewhere with 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals.
With Ryle’s recent boost of playing time to seventh grader Jayden McClain, it creates a defensive nightmare for the opponent. McClain blocked three shots and contributed offensively with nine points. The 6-foot-5 prodigy even knocked down her second 3-pointer of the season.
The trio provided just enough offense against a Highlands team that kept clawing their way back into this one. After a Kaylee Mills 3-pointer 23 seconds into the game, another lengthy first quarter drought left Highlands with just three points after the frame, but only found themselves down 4-3.
Once Ryle got going from the perimeter with all three of their made 3-pointers in the second quarter, they jumped out to a 17-9 lead and took a 21-12 lead into halftime.
“That second quarter just killed us,” Bluebirds coach Jaime Richey said. “We were just very timid and that hurt us a lot. But outside of that the girls did a great job with our gameplan. Hats off to Sarah Baker, she came out and had a great game and hit a lot of mid-range jumpers. I thought defensively outside of that we did a great job.”
Ryle stayed up anywhere from nine to 14 in the third, a McClain layup making it 35-21 before Highlands closed out with the final five points, including a half court buzzer beater from Saylor Macke.
Macke got going with all 12 of her points in the second half, the last of her three triples making it a 41-36 game with 3:57 to play. Marissa Green shook off a first half in which she missed all six shots to hit 6-of-8 attempts in the second half, a layup making it 43-38 with a little more than two minutes to play.
“I challenged the girls at halftime. At halftime of the first game of the season I challenged them at halftime and they folded,” Richey said. ” I challenged them at halftime tonight and they responded. As a coaching staff, that’s what we want is to see growth individually and as a team.”
After a forced turnover, Macke hit 1-of-2 free throws to get them within 43-39. Trailing by six, the Bluebirds got a good look at a three with just a tic under a minute to play, but were unable to get any closer than there.
The loss ends their season at 22-9, a promising future ahead with only two seniors on the roster in Amaya Barton and Kasey Gross.
“Teams are made October 15 until now, individuals are made from now until October 15,” Richey said. “We challenge the girls to get in the gym and get better, get better on their weaknesses and we can come back next year. It’s going to take all of us.”
After Green’s 15 point effort and Macke’s 12, Kaylee Mills added nine as Mills and Macke combined for six of the Highlands seven 3-pointers on the night.
Ryle won the rebounding battle 32-22 and move on to the title game to face their nemesis Cooper.
“Very blessed to be there,” Haitz said. “The girls understand how hard they work to get to this spot and we’re excited to have the opportunity and be prepared.”
The Jaguars have won seven straight meetings over them, the Raiders the last 9th Region team to beat Cooper on Feb. 1, 2022.
Saturday’s matchup will tip at 7 p.m.
RAIDERS 49, BLUEBIRDS 43
RYLE — 4-17-14-14 — 49
HIGHLANDS — 3-9-14-17 — 43
Scoring
Ryle (49) — Baker 20, Eubank 11, McClain 9, Jones 4, Peters 3, Carrigan 2
Highlands (43) — Green 15, Macke 12, Mills 9, Barber 3, Bucher 2, Orme 2
Game Stats
Field Goals: Ryle 18/41, Highlands 14/42
3-Pointers: Ryle 3/13, Highlands 7/17
Free Throws: Ryle 10/10, Highlands 8/12
Rebounds: Ryle 32, Highlands 22
Assists: Ryle 12, Highlands 11
Turnovers: Ryle 10, Highlands 10
Steals: Ryle 5, Highlands 4
Blocked Shots: Ryle 6, Highlands 3
Fouls: Ryle 11, Highlands 10
Records: Ryle 21-11, Highlands 22-9
