Boys go 1-2 on the week.
Dillon Shipp (24) of Columbia Falls takes a shot against Flathead. (Teresa Byrd photo)
Danny Henjum (21) of Columbia Falls takes the shot in a game against Flathead on Monday night. (Teresa Byrd photo)
Dillon Shipp, right, steals the ball from a Hamilton player.
Allec Knapton goes to the basket Saturday against Hamilton. (Chris Peterson photo)
The Columbia Falls boys basketball team showed a marked improvement in three games this week. The Wildcats lost to Flathead 60-55 Jan. 21 at home and to Hamilton 58-49 Saturday. On Tuesday, the boys came back to beat Ronan on the road, 52-49.
Against AA Flathead the Cats had four players in double figures. Danny Henjum had 16 points, William Dyon, 12, Cade Morgan 10 and Jack Price 10.
The Cats scored 20 points in the fourth after being down 31-22 at the half, but just couldn’t bridge the gap.
Against Hamilton the Cats started out strong with zero turnovers in the first quarter and a flurry of baskets to go up 14-7 after the first stanza.
But Hamilton chipped away at the Cats’ lead with 24 points in the second quarter, as they went on a 10-0 run to end the half and then scored the first three points in the third.
Still, Columbia Falls held their own against the Broncs, making it interesting late in the fourth as they cut the lead to 7 and had a steal that, if they had scored, would have cut the lead to 5 or 4.
But a turnover on the inbounds pass dashed the hopes of a last minute comeback.
The Cats were led by Dillon Shipp with 12. Henjum had a solid game with 11.
“I thought the team played well against a quality opponent,” coach Chris Finberg said.
The Cats moved the ball well and had some good looks against Hamilton.
“There were a lot of positives to take out of it,” Finberg added. “We’re starting to figure out what we need to do to play well.”
The boys actually won the turnover battle against the Broncs, 21-17. But they weren’t great at the free-throw line and they missed several bunnies near the basket.
They’re home Friday against Whitefish and on the road against Corvallis Saturday.