Rough finish for Wildcats

BUTTE — There was no run this time.

The Columbia Falls boys fell in the Class A state basketball championship game Saturday night, losing 54-39 to Dillon.

The Wildcats trailed the entire way, and when they needed their customary fourth quarter push, it wasn’t there.

“The better team won tonight,” Columbia Falls coach Cary Finberg said.

“They shot the ball very well. They deserve it.”

Dillon was on fire all night, shooting 64 percent in the first half and 57 percent for the contest. The Beavers opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, and after Columbia Falls’ Luke Kazlauskas answered with a 3, they hit one more.

The Beavers athletic frontline was able to get inside the Wildcats’ zone 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. When Dillon hit another 3-pointer to open the quarter, Columbia Falls got tough baskets from seniors Austin Barth and Anthony Correa to cut the deficit back to four.

Then, as would happen all game, Dillon answered, pitching the ball out to Troy Scott, who nailed a 3 from the corner to give the Beavers an 18-11 advantage. Dillon closed the quarter with a 7-0 run and took control of the game with a 27-14 lead.

“They came out a lot more aggressive than we did in the first half,” Finberg said. “They kinda got on a roll there a little bit.”

Columbia Falls struggled to get the deficit back below double digits in the second half. Parker Johnson hit a 3-pointer to open the third quarter, but the Beavers’ Wes Knox answered the next trip down the floor by cutting through a wide open lane and hitting a layup while getting fouled. The ensuing free throw brought the lead back to 13 and the Beavers spread it open again by answering a basket from Correa with another 3-pointer.

Every run the Wildcats made, Dillon had an answer for. Dillon ended the third quarter with a bang when Ben Folsom hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Beavers a 48-31 lead going into the fourth.

The Beavers shot 53 percent from 3-point range, making 3 of 5 in the second half, all ending rallies by Columbia Falls.

“When you’re battling back and you come down and get a couple shots, and you can’t get a stop on the other end, it’s hard,” Finberg said. “Defensively I thought we played all right. We didn’t play great, but they hit some tough shots and some big baskets.”

The teams traded baskets in the fourth and Dillon was able to bleed the clock with each possession.

Columbia Falls 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.

Folsom and Wes Knox each scored 15 to lead the Beavers.

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.

“I’m very proud of that group,” Finberg said.

“The four years they had were unbelievable. A lot of teams would trade places with those guys.”

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.

Consolation Final

LAUREL (18-6) — Brett Thompson 2-9 3-6 9, Matt Heidinger 0-1 0-1 0, Shawn Nardella 4-6 0-0 9, Bryce Herman 4-6 4-6 13, Bobby Anderson 5-13 2-3 13, Zac Allen 1-1 1-4 3, Matt Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Dylan Meccage 0-0 0-0 0, Tyler Ward 0-0 0-1 0, Evan Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Jace Cassidy 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-37 10-21 47.

BILLINGS CENTRAL (15-8) — Ryan Burke 5-12 3-4 13, Dylan Hanser 5-7 4-4 14, Daniel Meyer 8-10 3-4 19, Jacob Stanton 0-6 0-0 0, Bobby Keil 0-3 3-4 3, Garrett Flaming 0-2 0-0 0, Conner Cerkovnik 0-0 0-0 0, Ian Byorth 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-42 13-18 49.

Laurel 5 13 11 13 5 — 47

Billings Central 7 7 12 16 7 — 49

3-pointers – Laurel 5-11 (Thompson 2-6, Nardella 1-1, Herman 1-1, Anderson 1-2, Heidinger 0-1), BC 0-9 (Burke 0-5, Keil 0-2, Hanser 0-1, Stanton 0-1). Rebounds – Laurel 20 (Thompson 5, Nardella 5), BC 35 (Meyer 10, Burke 8). Assists – Laurel 7 (Thompson 3), BC 4 (Keil 2). Fouls – Laurel 18, BC 22. Fouled out – none. Technicals – none. Steals – Laurel 7 (Anderson 3), BC 6 (Hanser 2). Blocks – Laurel 3 (Allen 3), BC 0. Turnovers – Laurel 11, BC 19.