Baker High School was looking to continue a historic ride as its Girls Basketball team made it to the LHSAA Sweet 16 for the first time; and with a win over Madison in the Class 3A Semi-finals, Baker was one win away from capturing their first state title in the sport as well.
The season, with so much excitement, so much promise and so many big wins and dynamic plays, did not end the way Coach Michael Stephens and his team wanted it to as Baker lost to Carroll 70-58.
“I give Carroll a lot of credit, they were a very good team. They made some big shots all game long and we had trouble defending them,” Stephens said. Baker got off to a slow start as Carroll came out with a great start in the game.
Carroll started the game by going on a big 24-11 run forcing Baker to play from behind the entire first half of the game.  Baker came out in the second with the hopes of making a run to close the gap, but they were unable to shrink the Lady Bulldogs' lead.
Carroll closed the first half by outscoring Baker 15-14 to claim a big 39-25 lead at halftime over the Lady Buffalos. Brianna Whitfield had the hot hand for Baker as she paced her team with a high of 22 points.
Carroll then slowed things down in the third quarter with a 10-9 run and with a 49-34 lead, Baker needed a big run to get back into the game. 
“The players did not quit in the game. They played as hard as they could just like they have done all season long,” Stephens said.
Carroll was too hot and Baker was just too far behind to make a run as the Lady Bulldogs closed the game with a 21-14 run and they won the game convincingly 70-58. Ashante Brown chipped in eight points and Erika LeFlore finished her excellent career with five points.
Although the Lady Buffalos did not come home with the title, the season will be looked back on as the best in school history.  “We have only one senior and next year will be the first year since I’ve been here that we have more than one senior on the team. We have brought the program to a competitive level,” said Stephens.
Four starters are back next season for Baker and they will once again be considered a favorite to win the Class 3A title. “We have come a long way in a short amount of time and now we just have to keep working hard so we can take the next step," Stephens said.

DEKE BELLAVIA/SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
In life, relationships have a funny way of forming. For Baker High School's Girls Basketball Coach Michael Stephens, his relationship with his star player was one that almost never happened. 
“I was helping coach the junior high team and we cut her from the squad,” Stephens said of his lone senior player Erika LeFlore. LeFlore became the best player in the district and one of the best in the state of Louisiana over the past three seasons at Baker High School.
From being cut as a seventh grader to barely making the team as an eighth grader, Stephens has seen more progress from LeFlore than anyone else.  “No child has worked as hard as Erika.  She has a tremendous work ethic and her family support is great.”
LeFlore spent many hours in the gym other than the ones required by her coach. Erika would practice volleyball and then go to work on basketball.  Erika’s mother had a key to the gym, and along with her husband, Erika had two of the best rebounders she has ever had!
LeFlore’s mother and father would help rebound the basketball and get it back to Erika so she could work on her shots and overall game. 
“Her family has been by her side the entire time. They have traveled all over to AAU tournaments and they have given her all the support in the world. That is special,” Stephens said.
Erika finished the season averaging 15 points per game along with nine rebounds but the numbers that she put up on a game to game basis only tell part of the story. LeFlore has heart and determination and that is why she became a great player.
“She was not the most talented but she worked hard all the time. When we stepped on the floor we always knew that Erika would come up big.  I never worried about her playing well. Never,” said Stephens.
Coach Stephens said that LeFlore’s performance against Madison in the Class 3A Semi-finals was classic Erika.  LeFlore was matched up with much bigger players that were taller and outweighed her.
But as she has done so many times before in her career, Erika defied the odds and came up big. 
“She had 16 points and 19 rebounds in the game against Madison.  We would not have won and played for the title if it were not for her,” said Stephens.
LeFlore has options as several schools are looking to land her on their basketball or volleyball team when she enters college this fall. But for now, Stephens and the Baker Basketball program have to say 'goodbye' to a pioneer that helped lead Baker Girls Basketball to places that it had never been.
Baker’s season goal of playing for a state title happened, but the Lady Buffalos fell short as Carroll beat them last Saturday, March 6, for the Class 3A state title, leaving Baker one game short of their biggest goal of all.
You must look at the overall picture though, to fully understand how far Baker, Stephens and LeFlore have come in a very short period of time. Baker went from being a team that was laughed at to a program that dominated their area and their district, then found themselves the ones doing all the smiling and laughing.
Stephens said that saying goodbye to LeFlore last Saturday night as the Lady Buffalos played their final game of the season, and LeFlore played her final game of her Baker career, was very tough.
“I told her no matter what happens from this point on, she is Baker Basketball. She helped build our program and the success was because of her hard work and dedication to our program. We will miss her but she knows she is always welcome here with open arms.”

Friday, March 5, is the deadline to enter the Senior Spring Golf Classic to be held March 8 and 9 at BREC’s Dumas Memorial Golf Course.
Dumas is located at 2400 Lavey Lane (Greenwood Park).
This tournament is open to all golfers ages 50 and older and will begin each day with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. The entry fee for this tournament is $40 per player or $160 per team. This fee includes two tournament rounds with cart, tournament prizes and lunch served after Tuesday’s final round.
Contestants may register at any BREC golf course. The Senior Spring Classic will be a four-person team, 36-hole stroke play event using a scramble format.
The field will be flighted after Monday’s first round based on the number of participants.
Certain age groups will be allowed to play from different tee markers. The tee assignments are as follows: 50-59 years of age - blue tees; 60-69 years of age - white tees; 70 and older - green tees.
BREC golf gift cards will be awarded to the top finishers in each flight.
The number of places and amounts to be paid will be based on the size of the field.
For more information, please call the Dumas Memorial pro shop at 775-9166.

Player evaluations for Zachary Youth Softball will be held Thursday, March 11 from 6 - 8 p.m. and Saturday, March 13 from 9 - 11 a.m. at Zachary Youth Park. Players should attend only one.
All girls ages 8U, 10U, 12U and 16U who sign up will be picked for a team. There will be no cuts!
To register and sign up, visit Zachary Youth Softball online at www.zysoftball.org or sign up at Zachary City Hall prior to or day of tryouts.
Girls, please bring a glove and parents should send a copy of the player's birth certificate if they are a first-time player with the Zachary Youth League.
For more information, please visit www.zysoftball.org or contact Danny at 933-6041 or Lea Waxley by calling 978-8571 or emailing lwaxley@cox.net.
Anyone interested in coaching, should also email Lea Waxley with contact information and desired age group.

2009 - 2010 Season Awards

Madeline Pipkin - 1st Team All District
Hilary Baird - 1st team All District, District 5, Defensive MVP
Kendell Knight - 2nd Team All District
Breanna Hinton - 2nd Team All District
Caitlin Kimball - 2nd Team All District
Paul Owen - District Coach of the Year

When Michael Stephens took over the Baker Girls Basketball program, he had a vision of playing for a state title. Well, his vision is on track as the Baker Lady Buffalos basketball team made history last week with their 54-47 win over the Loranger Lady Wolves.
With the win, the Lady Buffalos have advanced to the LHSAA State Tournament for the first time in school history. Baker is hoping that their winning ways over in Tangipahoa Parish keep going. This year’s Sweet 16 will be held on the Southeastern Louisiana University Campus in Hammond. 
The Lady Buffalos fell behind in the game early, and trailed by two points at halftime with the home team holding a 31-29 edge over Baker. But Lady Buffs would not be denied on this night as they came back with a fury in the second half to win the game.
Brianna Whitfield drained three 3-point field goals to lead the Lady Buffalos with a team high of 17 points. Baker started their comeback bid in the third quarter when they embarked on a 13-6 run to take a 42-37 lead over Loranger.
Brittany Hollins had another solid outing for Baker as well, when she added 12 points while Brittany Allen chipped in 10. Up by five points with eight minutes left in the game, Baker’s Defense did not allow Loranger to get on track as the Buffalos closed the game with a 12-10 run.
Baker closed the second half with a 25-16 run that proved to be too much for the Lady Wolves.
Erika LeFlore scored eight points, Ashante Brown poured in four, and Anitria Whitfield added three to Baker’s total.
Baker advanced to the Sweet 16 where they faced Madison on Monday night, March 1, in a class 3A semi-final match-up. Madison was the No. 2 seed while Baker is seeded third. 
The Lady Buffalos defeated Madison 48-41 and will play Carroll for the 3A title on Saturday, March 6 at 5 p.m.