Cats take second at state tournament

The Columbia Falls boys basketball team trailed Dillon for the entire Class A state basketball championship game Saturday night in Butte. The final score was 54-39.

“The better team won tonight,” Columbia Falls coach Cary Finberg said. “They shot the ball very well. They deserve it.”

Dillon had the hot hand throughout the game, shooting 64 percent in the first half and 57 percent for the game. The Beavers opened the game with a 3-pointer, and after Wildcat Luke Kazlauskas answered with a three, they hit one more.

The Beavers athletic front line also was able to get inside the Wildcats’ zone defense and slowly spread the lead to 12-7 after the first quarter.

The Wildcats made a small push to come back at the start of the second. Columbia Falls got tough baskets from seniors Austin Barth and Anthony Correa to cut the deficit to four.

But Dillon answered, closing the quarter with a 7-0 run and taking control of the game with a 27-14 lead.

In the second half, Columbia Falls struggled to close the deficit below double digits. Parker Johnson hit a 3-pointer to open the third quarter, but the Beavers’ Wes Knox answered with a lay-in and a free throw to bring the lead back to 13.

The Beavers shot 53 percent from 3-point range, making 3 of 5 in the second half, all ending rallies by Columbia Falls. And when the Wildcats needed their customary fourth quarter push, it just wasn’t there.

The teams traded baskets in the fourth, and Dillon ran down the clock with each possession. The Wildcats cut the lead to 13 when Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 4:58 to play, but the team mustered just two free throws for the rest of the game.

“I’m proud of my guys ... we battled throughout,” Finberg said. “We just didn’t play as well tonight.”

Barth led the Wildcats with 10 points and seven rebounds. Columbia Falls finishes the season 19-4, with its five seniors having one of the most successful runs in the state in recent years — scoring a state championship, two seconds and a third-place finish in four years.

COLUMBIA FALLS (19-4) — Anthony Correa 2-10 2-2 6, Brian Marcille 1-3 0-0 2, Austin Barth 5-11 0-0 10, Ronny Gallegos 1-2 1-1 3, Parker Johnson 2-5 1-1 7, Alex Presnell 0-3 0-0 0, Ty Morgan 0-0 0-0 0, Austin Martin 0-0 0-0 0, Colin King 0-0 0-1 0, Luke Kazlauskas 2-5 2-2 8, Jared Trinastitch 1-2 0-0 2, Austin Kimmet 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-41 7-10 39.

DILLON (21-2) — Chevy Reed 1-2 5-5 7, Wes Knox 7-9 1-1 15, Austin Williams 0-1 2-2 2, J.T. Linder 4-6 1-2 12, Ben Folsom 6-11 0-2 15, Austin Carver 0-0 0-0 0, Austin Schurg 0-0 0-0 0, Todd Southam 0-0 0-0 0, Troy Scott 1-3 0-0 3, Boyd Jenne 0-1 0-0 0, Wyatt Holland 0-0 0-0 0, Caleb Gillis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-33 9-12 54.

Columbia Falls 7 7 17 8 – 39

Dillon 12 15 21 6 – 54

3-pointers – CF 4-15 (Johnson 2-4, Kazlauskas 2-4, Correa 0-2, Barth 0-2, Presnell 0-2, Marcille 0-1), Dillon 7-13 (Linder 3-3, Folsom 3-4, Scott 1-3, Reed 0-1, Williams 0-1, Jenne 0-1). Rebounds – CF 19 (Barth 7), Dillon 24 (Linder 8, Knox 8). Assists – CF 4 (Johnson 2), Dillon 11 (Williams 5). Fouls – CF 11, Dillon 13. Fouled out – none. Technicals – none. Steals – CF 7 (Barth 2, Kazlauskas 2), Dillon 4 (Folsom 2). Blocks – CF 2 (Barth 2), Dillon 3 (Linder 2, Knox). Turnovers – CF 10, Dillon 13.