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Northwestern A Divisionals: Columbia Falls Conference Champions

By Beacon Staff

Columbia Falls is as well-oiled of a machine as you’ll find in Montana high school basketball and it was on display again in the Wildcats’ 64-45 victory over Polson in the Northwestern A boys divisional basketball championship game on Saturday night.

Year in and year out, Columbia Falls is a state championship-caliber team and the many reasons why were evident in the title game. The Wildcats swarm on defense, trapping on the sidelines and playing the passing lanes at the right times. They don’t give up second-chance points and they secure their rebounds with two hands.

On offense they pick apart defenses with passing until an opening shows itself. Then they put down two to three dribbles and get to the basket. If an opening doesn’t appear, then the ball doesn’t touch the floor – dribbles aren’t wasted. The Cats knock down mid-range jump shots, move swiftly to the open spots on the floor and keep the ball above their waists in the lane.

It’s clinical basketball and it begins with head coach Cary Finberg, then filters down through senior point guard Mackey Nolan and permeates through the rest of the deep squad. Not only is it efficient, it’s generally fast-paced and enthralling.

Columbia Falls came out of the gates running in the championship contest and Polson was never able to keep pace for any extended length of period. Well-timed three-pointers and takeaways kept the game within reach for Polson, but barely. Columbia Falls led 21-12 after the first quarter, 33-21 at half and 49-30 going into the final period.

Near the end of the third quarter, the Columbia Falls student section chanted “Why so quiet?” The rhetorical question was met with silence from the Polson students.

The Wildcats, who have won three state championships since 2003 under coach Finberg, failed to make the state tournament last year after they lost 68-66 in a hard-fought challenge game to arch rival Whitefish. This year, they are peaking at just the perfect time.

Despite a mediocre 5-5 conference record during the regular season, Columbia Falls is firing on all cylinders with the state tournament around the corner. State is held in Great Falls on March 12-14.

Polson played valiantly, trying to match a Columbia Falls pace that isn’t the typical game plan for the Pirates. Polson likes to slow it down and wear you down. Columbia Falls wants to get out and run. The Wildcats score in bunches and they score often.

Junior Tim Rausch led the Pirates with 15 points, including nine in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Kyle Bagnell and senior Waylon Michel each contributed 11 points.

Nolan led Columbia Falls with 17 points and junior forward Mitchell Wassam scored 13. Senior Grant Getts added 12.

Polson will now play in a challenge game against Whitefish on Monday night at 6 p.m. at Glacier High School to determine which of the two teams will join Columbia Falls as Northwestern A’s representatives at the state tournament. Both Polson and Whitefish lost only one game in the divisional tournament and each of those losses was to Columbia Falls, so a challenge game is used to determine the conference’s No. 2 team.