Columbia Falls boys basketball can't catch a break, lose two more

The good news is the Columbia Falls boys basketball team is playing its best defense of the season and getting some nice performances out of its younger players. But the boys continue to struggle offensively and as a result, lost their last two games of the regular season.

 The Wildcats were dropped by Corvallis, 49-42, at home last Thursday and lost on a buzzer-beater with 1.9 seconds left against Whitefish away Saturday, 48-45.

Against Corvallis, the Cats got to the line 12 times. but made just two free throws — which proved to be the difference. 

Against Whitefish, it was a tight game throughout. Tied at 45 apiece with 1.9 seconds left, the Bulldogs’ Jacob Henry hit a clutch trey from the corner to seal the win. The Cats shot better from two-point range, about 48 percent, but were just 1-for-12 from the three-point arc. They did out-rebound the Bulldogs, 29-19.

“It was the first time we out-rebounded a team this season,” coach John Anderson said.

Anderson has been playing his core of sophomores more and more as the season progresses — Austin Green at the point and forwards Mason Tucker and Matthew Morrison have shown significant progress. Senior Nathan Riley leads the team in scoring, but he needs more help. 

They’ll get one last shot Feb. 24 when they travel to Butte for the divisional tournament where they open play at 11 a.m. against Corvallis or Stevensville.

Anderson still has hope.

“The boys are playing hard and the effort is there,” he said. “If we can put a complete game together ... I wouldn’t want to be the team that has to play us.”

The boys finished the regular season at 3-15 and 0-6 in conference play.