Wildcats beat Browning, earn berth in state title game

Columbia Falls earned a berth in the championship game in the Class A  Boys State Basketball Tournament in Great Falls on Friday, rallying for a 64-55 victory over Browning in the semifinals at Four Seasons Arena. The Wildcats will face Dillon in Saturday's 8 p.m. title game. Dillon knocked off Billings Central 51-48 in the other semifinal game Friday night. While C-Falls went into state as the Northwestern A Divisional champion, Dillon (Beaverhead County) was the Southwestern Divisional champ.

In their first state tourney appearance since 2006, the Wildcats are shooting for their fourth state championship in this decade. C-Falls won state crowns in 2002, 2003 and 2006 under current head coach Cary Finberg. Browning also took three state championships since 2000, and was state runner-up once.

The Wildcats opened state tourney play with a 61-44 win over Corvallis. In other first-round action, Billings Central slipped by Butte Central 48-42 in overtime, and Whitefish lost to Dillon, 48-42.

In a loser-out game Friday afternoon, Whitefish lost to Butte Central, 67-52. Whitefish went into the state tournament having won 15 of their previous 16 games, including their last three in the divisional tournament after a semifinal loss to C-Falls. It was reported that colds and the flu were factors on the Bulldog team at the state tourney.

Suffering 11 turnovers in the first half, C-Falls trailed Browning by four, 27-23, at halftime. The Wildcats outscored the Running Indians 22-12 in the third period — closing the quarter with two free throws by Grant Getts. C-Falls was 8-for-8 from the foul line in the quarter, and finished 23-for-31 for the game. Browning got within two points midway through the fourth period, but a putback by Kyle Howell pushed the margin to 60-53. C-Falls had only five turnovers in the second half.

Senior point guard Mackey Nolan again sparked the Wildcats, scoring 23 points to go along with 13 rebounds for a double double. He had four assists. Howell added 12 points. Off the bench, Tanner Barth had nine points, Mitchell Wassam had eight and Getts seven. Getts grabbed nine rebounds.

Trailing early 12-6, the Wildcats used their transition game for an 18-3 run to take a 24-15 lead over Corvallis. The margin grew to 39-20 at halftime as C-Falls outscored the Blue Devils 23-6 in the second period.

The Wildcats suffered from turnovers in the second half, but stayed comfortably in front. They converted their first 11 free throws, and finished 15-for-18 from the foul line. Teamwise, the Wildcats outrebounded Corvallis, 40-21. C-Falls unofficially had 25 turnovers — 21 in the second half.

Nolan scored 17 points during the middle two quarters combined and led the Wildcats with 19. He also had seven assists. Wassam added 14 points and three assists. Austin Barth, just a freshman, pulled down eight rebounds.