Eli Long’s Last-Second Layup Lifts Baker to 77-75 Win Over Riverside

Eli Long streaked the length of the Baker gym and finished between two defenders for a game-winning layup with 0.7 seconds left, lifting Baker to a 77-75 victory over Riverside Tuesday night, Feb. 3. Long’s basket capped a dramatic finish after Riverside had tied the game with a banked 3 with nine seconds remaining.

Long finished with a career-high 37 points in the city gym, providing the kind of late-game heroics that turned a tense contest into a celebratory scene for home fans. “When I saw it go through the hoop I knew I had to sprint down the court and get to the rim,” Long said. “There was very little time.”

The decisive sequence began when Riverside’s Philippi banked in a 3-pointer with nine seconds left to knot the score at 75. Long pushed in the response, attracted contact on the finish and was fouled on the play. Baker coach Robert Barrington said he had instructed Long to intentionally miss the ensuing free throw, knowing that even if a Pirate grabbed the rebound there was no chance for a fullcourt shot.

The win did not come easily. Long’s basket gave Baker a 20-18 lead early in the second quarter, but Riverside answered with a 13-point run in less than three minutes to seize a 31-20 advantage and force a Baker timeout with 4:37 left in the half. Baker responded with a 9-2 spurt sparked by Ryder Nimmo’s rebound basket, two quick hoops from Long and a Nimmo 3 that cut Riverside’s lead to 33-29 with 1:55 left in the first half.

Long’s 3-pointer with 12 seconds remaining brought Baker within one at 37-36, but Riverside’s Jeremias Calvillo banked a 3 at the buzzer to make it 40-36 at intermission. The second half tightened into back-and-forth possessions and defensive stands, setting the stage for the late-game drama that closed out the night.

The win provided more than just a scoreboard boost for Baker. A career night from a senior leader in front of a hometown crowd gives the program momentum as it moves deeper into the February stretch of the high school season. For players such as Long and Nimmo, and for Baker supporters who turned out to the gym, the victory reinforced the value of late-game execution and in-game adjustments.

Baker coach Robert Barrington’s timeout calls and endgame plan were decisive factors, and Long’s finishing ability under pressure offered a clear example of individual development translating into team success. The result leaves Baker coming off a memorable home victory and gives the community something immediate to rally around as the Bulldogs move forward in league play and toward postseason possibilities.