Chris Finberg hired as Columbia Falls boys basketball coach

Christopher Finberg has accepted a job offer as the new Columbia Falls boys basketball coach. He replaces Whitefish attorney John Anderson, who resigned earlier this year after a single, dismal season.

Finberg is the nephew of longtime coach Cary Finberg and was an assistant under Cary for the past four years and was a volunteer assistant from 2005-06. He also was an assistant for two years at Butte Central in 2007 and 2008.

Finberg last coached the junior varsity team in 2015, when the boys went 16-3.

As an assistant with Cary, the boys won state championships in ‘05-’06 and in ‘11 and ‘14.

Finberg would also fill in as head coach on several occasions when Cary was coaching the girls team.

Contacted Monday, Finberg said he hopes to bring the program back into its old form. He learned from one of the best coaches in the state, after all.

“Hopefully we can get back to doing things the way we used to do them,” he said.

He noted the sophomores he coached are seniors now.

“They should be able to pick everything up pretty quickly,” he said.

Finberg currently teaches physical education at Cayuse Prairie School. He will teach physical education in a split between the high school and middle schools at Columbia Falls in the fall. He grew up in Columbia Falls and played basketball here. In his junior year, the Wildcats made it to the state tourney, but went 0-2. In 1998 — his senior year — the Cats were the favorite going into the divisional tourney, but took fourth and didn’t make it to state after a controversial loss to rival Whitefish. 

Finberg is a member of the school’s athletic hall of fame.

Finberg said he plans on hosting open gyms and camps as soon as his hiring is made official by the school board. 

He also plans on bring back some familiar faces to the program. He hopes to bring on Brandon Rice and Tyler Jones as assistants, pending school board approval as well. Jones and Rice both played here and were also assistants under Cary.

“I’d like to thank the Columbia Falls administration for believing in me as a teacher and coach,” Finberg said.

As for the team, Finberg has confidence in the boys.

“I think we’ll be all right,” he said. “I just want them to reach their potential.”