Baker helps LC team get strong start

After winning two straight 4A state high school basketball titles, many in the Greater Spokane League were hoping the Lewis and Clark girls would go into a rebuilding mode instead of a reloading one.

With the graduations of Katie Redmon to the University of Washington and Lyndi Seidensticker to Montana State, it may have appeared GSL foes were getting their wish.

Unfortunately for Tiger opponents, LC has reloaded, getting out to an unbeaten start to the 2007-08 campaign. A big reason for that is senior post Kelsey Baker, who after filling the role of supporting player the past three seasons is helping lead the Tigers back to the top of the GSL.

“We’ve been very fortunate,” said Tiger coach Jim Redmon. “We’ve got two or three kids like that this year, and their legacy has been to continue that, and show the younger groups what they have to do. She’s one of those kids. What Kelsey does more than anything else is that she’s our glue player. … When she’s not on the floor, we’re not always in sync. She’s always the one making sure everything’s working. She’s doing all the dirty work. She’s defending the best post, getting the rebound when we needed it.”

The 5-foot-11 Baker plays primarily inside for the Tigers but has the ability to play anywhere on the floor.

“As a freshman, she played on our JV and she actually played the point guard for the JV,” Redmon said. “It really helped her with her ball-handling and those types of things. She was a pass-first, shoot-second type. She’s also been very selfless. Whatever needs to be done, she’s done it. She’s always been that way. She didn’t necessarily want to play the one (point guard), but that’s what that team needed that year.”

“I was a little nervous to carry the ball so much,” Baker said of switching to point guard, “but on my AAU team, I had played the point guard, so it wasn’t as scary as it could have been. It was a lot of fun and I think it definitely helped me with my ball-handling in playing the post and on the wing. It’s helped with crossovers and not having it stolen every time I dribble. I feel more confident when I drive.”

Baker follows a family tradition of basketball excellence at LC, as her cousin Katy, who is now a guard at Eastern Washington, was an all-GSL performer under Redmon.

“We never got to play together a lot,” Baker said. “We did some one-on-one in the driveway every once in a while, but she was always pretty busy with her own team, especially now in college, so we don’t get to talk a lot. She always helped me when I was working on things.”

Maybe Kelsey can give her older cousin some pointers. While known as a defensive specialist, this season Baker is hoping to upgrade her offensive game, while also leading the Tigers back to the Tacoma Dome in March.

“This year I’ve been working on being more offensive because I really like to play defense. Jim wants everyone to be defensive. We’re all supposed to bring our own offensive skills to the team, and I think it would be good if I bring a little more offense. My confidence has definitely improved, so it’s helped me to be more of a shooter.”