Wildcats spoil Bigfork's Senior Night
BIGFORK - Don't forget about the Wildcats.
Columbia Falls senior Grant Getts drained a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer just after tipoff that jump-started a monster first quarter and the Wildcats made up some ground in Northwestern A with a 71-42 basketball victory over conference-foe Bigfork on Thursday night.
Getts had seven of the Wildcats' 20 first-quarter points while Bigfork managed only five in period. The 6-foot-3 forward finished with 11, Austin Barth had a game-high 15 and Mitchell Wassam netted nine for Columbia Falls (4-5 in conference).
The Wildcats are playing catch-up in the final week of the regular season and move into fourth-place alongside Ronan (4-5), who lost to regular-season champ Whitefish (8-2) on Thursday. With one week until the divisional tournament, Libby (6-3) sits in second place and Polson (5-4) holds third.
"I think we're making strides in the right direction," Columbia Falls coach Cary Finberg said. "We're peaking at the right time, hopefully."
The Wildcats' skyrocketing first quarter came down to Earth in the second after a number of turnovers that Bigfork turned into baskets.
The Vikings went on a 12-5 run in the second thanks to the aggressive play of senior Jake Milner, who finished with eight points, and Bigfork got within 12 to end the half.
Senior Scott Taylor had 10 points on Senior Night and fellow classmate Brock Boll, third in the conference in scoring at 13.6 points-per-game, was held to eight for Bigfork (1-9).
After the intermission, the 'Cats took the court smiling and ran away with it.
"We got straightened out there and played pretty good basketball for the most part," Finberg said. "I was happy with the effort."
The Wildcats flexed their muscles less than a week after narrowly losing to top-dog Whitefish, 61-58. Finberg said the players are showing a consistent effort night after night, which is a good sign this time of year.
"Sometimes kids think they're playing hard and they think they don't have any more to give, but they dig a little deeper and it's always in there," the 14th-year-coach said. "We're starting to see that from some kids right now."
The Wildcats finish the regular season on Saturday against Ronan.
For Bigfork, the regular season is over, but that doesn't mean Lyle Whiteman's squad is throwing in the towel.
"For a good share of if it I think we competed pretty well. The kids played hard but just had a real tough time getting the ball in the hole," Whiteman said.
"I wish we could of gotten a victory for (the seniors)," he added, "but we got a new season starting next week."
Columbia Falls 20 9 16 26 - 71
Bigfork 5 12 11 14 - 42
COLUMBIA FALLS - Kyle Howell 2 2-3 6, Tanner Barth 1 4-4 6, Matt Triplett 1 1-2 3, Mackey Nolan 3 2-7 8, Austin Robbins 1 4-6 6, Austin Barth 5 4-5 15, Mitchell Wassam 4 1-2 9, Kaleb Johnson 2 0-0 4, Grant Getts 5 0-0 11, Michael Williams 1 1-2 3. Total 25 19-31 71.
BIGFORK - Garrett Pewe 1 2-7 5, Zac Hansen 2 3-4 7, Brock Boll 1 6-6 8, Jake Milner 1 6-9 8, Scott Taylor 4 2-3 10, Keenan Evans 1 0-0 2, Donny Tudahl 0 2-2 2. Total 10 21-31 42.
3-point goals - Columbia Falls 2 (A. Barth, Getts), Bigfork 1 (Pewe); Total fouls - Columbia Falls 22, Bigfork 21; Fouled out - Bigfork (Taylor)