The Columbia Falls girls basketball team managed to advance to Saturday loser-out action last year at the Class A state tournament in Hamilton.

The Wildkats this year would like to improve on that and be on the court Saturday evening - playing for a trophy.

"If we do the things we need to do, we have a chance of winning a couple games," Columbia Falls coach Dan Fairbank said.

Two wins right off the bat would put the Wildkats in the championship game. Fairbank is not predicting anything like that, but he does like this team's potential.

"I think there is still some room for improvement," he said.

"Last year I felt like we peaked 3-4 games before divisionals. I still think we have our best basketball in front of us."

Columbia Falls (13-7), one of four teams making a return trip to state, opens state tournament action today in Belgrade at 8 p.m. versus Belgrade (10-10). The Wildkats have advanced to state the last three years by virtue of winning the Northwestern A divisional championship.

"It will give us a chance to see what everyone is doing," Fairbank said of playing in the final game on opening day.

"It will give us a chance to get used to the atmosphere."

The other three returning teams are: Billings Central, last year's state champions, Butte Central and Anaconda, third place finishers last year and state champs the previous two.

Anaconda knocked Columbia Falls out of tournament play last year in that Saturday morning session, 56-45.

New to this year's state tournament field are: Libby, Dillon, Laurel and Belgrade.

Libby is making its first state tournament appearance since 2006.

"We're very excited," Libby coach Jim May said.

"We played pretty well at divisionals (finishing second). I'm very happy with the two games we put together."

Libby (9-11) starts off with Butte Central (17-3) at 2 p.m. Billings Central (12-9) and Dillon (13-7) kick things off at 12:30 p.m.

The other matchup is Anaconda (15-5) versus Laurel (13-8) at 6:30 p.m.

Fairbank says Belgrade is very athletic and prefers to push the ball up the floor.

"They will be a run and gun, outside team," he said.

"They remind me a little bit of a Polson team. They have good outside shooters who are athletic."

Fairbank said the Wildkats, who have won eight straight, will have a size edge with 6-foot-2 senior center Kayla DeWit (20 points and 12 rebounds per game).

"We have to take advantage of that," he said.

"If we can't block out and take care of the ball ..."

It could make for a long night.

"They love to pressure, put a ton of pressure on the ball," Fairbank said.

"We can't run with them. We will have our opportunity for fastbreaks. We'll just have to play our game."

Much of how much success Libby has this weekend will ride with its offense.

The Loggers have a state caliber championship defense already in place.

"We need to shoot better at state to have success," May said.

"Our defense will be solid."

Libby is led offensively by Jaime Gilden, 16.5 points per game. She the team's lone double-figure scorer.

Gilden was second behind DeWit in Northwestern A in rebounding, 8.28 per game, but led the league in blocks (13 in 18 games) and steals, 3.83 per game.

"We'll have to make our possessions on offense long," May said.

"We have to try and control the temp of the basketball game. That's what we have to do.

"We have to rebound and not give them second shots," May added.