State 1B girls: Korin Baker leads Curlew past Naselle in first round

Having the best player offers no guarantee of success on the basketball court.

But it sure doesn’t hurt.

Curlew’s do-it-all senior Korin Baker filled up the stat sheet and led the Cougars to a 53-26 victory over Naselle in the opening round of the State 1B girls basketball tournament Wednesday at the Arena.

Curlew (20-7) will face top-seeded Pomeroy (24-1) in the quarterfinals Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Baker, who will play at Whitman University next year, finished the game with 25 points, 22 rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots and two steals.

Baker’s multifaceted game – she is as likely to bring the ball up the floor as she is to use her 6-foot-2 frame to great effect in the post – posed numerous matchup problems for Naselle. The Comets alternated between man and zone defenses, but Baker found ways to be effective either as a primary scoring threat or as a distributor.

“She’s our everything,” Cougars coach Brittany Swank said. “She’s the core of our team, and everyone responds to her. She’s a great captain and a great leader.”

Baker attributed part of her all-around game to being told she wasn’t proficient enough as a ball-handler in junior high.

“I was always pretty tall, but I was a little … pudgy,” she said. “The coach told me he didn’t want me dribbling. I was like, ‘What? That’s not fair.’ That kind of kicked off me working on my ball handling. Being told I can’t do something, well, I want to show them.”

The Cougars jumped ahead early with Baker scoring nine points in the opening quarter to give Curlew a 14-8 lead. Naselle briefly cut the lead to 14-11, but a Baker putback and Olivia Kjolseth’s 3-pointer sparked a 9-0 spurt that pushed the Cougars’ lead to 23-11 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half.

Baker equaled Naselle’s team output in the first half with 15 points, and she compiled 13 rebounds to help Curlew carry a 27-15 lead into the locker room.

The Comets, who entered as winners of seven of their previous eight games, never got closer than 10 points in the second half. Lauren Katyryniuk scored a team-high eight points for Naselle, which ended its season 12-10.

Hannah McIrvin contributed eight points and six rebounds for Curlew, and eighth-grader Emma Lena Baker – Korin’s sister – added seven points, four rebounds and three steals.

Curlew did not play Pomeroy during the regular season, but the teams shared a few opponents, including state qualifiers Wellpinit and Oakesdale.

“I’m excited to play the No. 1 team,” Swank said. “I haven’t gotten to watch them play, but I think we’ll match up fairly well.”

“I’m expecting a good game,” Baker said. “They’re No. 1, and we have to throw it all out there. We’ve got everything to gain going in. We’re the No. 7 (seed). Who doesn’t like a good underdog?”

Oakesdale 62, Lummi Nation 28: Julie Baljo scored 15 points and the third-seeded Nighthawks (17-7) eliminated the 11th-seeded Blackhawks (17-10).

Raven Solomon and Ashtin McElderry led Lummi Nation with six points apiece.

Mount Vernon Christian 49, Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian 41: Josie Droog scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the fifth-seeded Hurricanes (21-6) ousted the No. 12 seed Lions (16-7).

Kali Kast led Moses Lake Christian/Covenant Christian with 15 points.

Wellpinit 68, Clallam Bay 57: Ashlynn Hill scored 22 points and the eighth-seeded Redskins (18-7) eliminated the No. 9 Bruins (18-8).