Charlie Baker blending in with Bellingham hoops team

Making the jump from high school sports to college athletics is a long shot at best.

Good thing, then, that Charles Baker of Swinomish is often at his best when taking long shots. Which is just what the 2021 La Conner High grad, who turned 19 over the Halloween weekend, is doing these days.

Baker, who was a top perimeter scorer on the Braves basketball team, is now a freshman at Northwest Indian College in Bellingham, where he has earned a spot on the men’s hoops roster.

Standing 5’-10” and possessing nearly unlimited shooting range, Baker joins an Eagles program that draws players from tribal...