Cats start out season 3-0, face Braves at home
It wasn't always pretty, but they'll take the Ws just the same.
The boys basketball team beat Stevensville 66-56 Friday and squeaked by Frenchtown 59-58 Saturday.
"We didn't play our best basketball the second day, but we played well enough to win," coach Cary Finberg said.
Finberg said that he thought Stevensville was actually a better team, it's just that the Cats didn't play very good defense against Frenchtown.
The Cats gave up eight offensive rebounds against the Broncs in the fourth quarter, letting them back into the game. Without the rebounds, the Cats' offense sputtered as well, and they only scored seven points to the Broncs 14.
The Broncs had a final shot with about two seconds left that could have won it. It was a good look, but it didn't go in, Finberg said.
Against Stevi, the Cats played much better defensively, holding Travis Browne to just nine points while creating a host of Yellowjacket turnovers with an effective press.
The Cats need to work on rebounds, rebounds, rebounds, Finberg noted.
Right now, Anthony Minson and Greg Macijunas are leading the squad in boards. But if Minson gets in foul trouble, they need other players to pick up the slack.
"Everybody has to do their part," Finberg said.
Boards set up the Cats' transition offense, Finberg said.
Against Frenchtown, Drew Perry lead the scoring with 21, J.D. Fields had 19, Minson had eight, Jace Ladenburg had five rebounds, and Fields and Kevin Boyer had five assists apiece.
Against Stevi, Perry had 15, Justin Heinrichs had 12, Minson had 11 and 10 boards, Guy Smith nine, Boyer eight, and Macijunas had three assists and seven boards.
Friday night they face AA Flathead here at 6:30 p.m. and then Hamilton away Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Flathead is looking for its first win of the year after losing a close one last week to Missoula Sentinel, 57-55.
"Anytime you play Flathead, you'd better come ready to play," Finberg said.
Hamilton also looks tough. They've got a couple of 6-5 transfers and they beat Libby at the tip-off tourney, Finberg said.
Columbia Falls 59, Frenchtown, 58
Wildcats 17 14 21 7 59
Frenchtown 19 12 13 14 58