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Boys hoops should be fun to watch

| November 30, 2022 7:30 AM

Hungry Horse News

The Columbia Falls boys basketball team has only has one senior on its roster. But they don’t lack for experience or talent.

The Wildcats come into the season with three players that have three years of varsity experience — juniors Alihn Anderson, Jace Hill and Cody Schweikert.

Last year as sophomores they made their mark on valleys hoops with entertaining games, even if the score didn’t always go their way. Hill led the squad, averaging nearly 18 points a game; Schweikert was a force at the post and Anderson was excellent from outside.

The trio also all played football together, with Schweikert as quarterback and Hill and Anderson wide receivers.

The Cats will also look for good things from Bryce Dunham, their lone starting senior, and guard Mark Robison, as well as Hunter Goodman and Reggie Sapa coming off the bench.

Coach Chris Finberg in his seventh year coaching has his best team yet.

“They’ll be pretty fun to watch,” he said.

Finberg said the team will use its athleticism to its advantage and run in transition off turnovers from solid defensive play.

“We’ve got good athletes in the open court,” he noted.

The teams to beat in Northwest A are Browning and Ronan. Butte Central, last year’s state champ, lost almost no one to graduation, so they should be the favorite again.

The Cats look to place in the top three in conference, to avoid any play-in games like they had last year.

The top four in division go to state. The team has an intersquad scrimmage Saturday at 2:45 p.m. Like the girls, it plays in the tip-off tourney next week in Frenchtown.