Finberg will return to coach girls hoops again

Coach Cary Finberg said last week he will return to coach the Columbia Falls High School basketball program.

“I don’t think I’m ready to be done coaching,” he said. “We’ve got some kids coming back I want to work with some more.”

Finberg has coached the girls’ program for the past six seasons, with a stellar 116-24 record. That’s a winning percentage of just under 80 percent.

Last season the girls team went 23-1 en route to its first state championship in 34 years.

While the program loses a host of seniors, it still has a solid core of returning players, including standout guard Dani Douglas, Hannah Gedlaman, Ryley Kehr, and Trista Cowan to name a few.

The girls also had a solid freshman team last year — they went over .500 under coach Jim Peacock — and they’ll have an excellent freshman class coming in, including Lakia Hill, who has led the Deer Park school under coach Dan Block to several small school titles. Hill is the daughter of Beau and Keri Hill. Beau is a longtime professional bullrider. The couple were both standout athletes when they went to Columbia Falls High School.

Block was a longtime assistant under Finberg when Finberg coached the boys’ program.

Peacock is expected to assist Finberg again next season, but assistant coach Josh Burlage is not expected to return, Finberg said.

Burlage is the father of senior standout Kiara Burlage, who will play for Lewis-Clark College next season.