The battle for a state championship falls squarely on the shoulders of just a handful of high schoolers, all trying to bring glory back to their hometown. For Kolby Finley, it isn’t just about his home but the legacy he brings with it.

Finley is a senior for the Ronan Chiefs basketball team and one of only two who returned this season with varsity experience. Despite that, this team has been one of the best in all of Class A. They come in with a 10-3 record and currently lead the Northwest A division with a 5-2 record.

When looking at a team with that kind of talent and resolve, you usually see a roster with a veteran presence. However this team– while not technically young – is inexperienced. Finley and teammate Jhett McDonald are the only two varsity seniors who played on last year’s varsity team, which eventually lost out in the consolation final for third place in the Class A state championship last year.

“ I think it's definitely like a blessing, I guess you could say,” Finley said of this year's experience. “I think the leader spot is cool, but I think it comes with a bunch of stuff. Me and Jhett do it pretty well. Most of our guys, I would say, look up to us. I think we all kind of like look up to each other. We all just roll with each other as much as we can.”

For Finley, this year is new. With almost a completely new starting five and bench depth that hadn’t played varsity minutes going into the season, the Chiefs needed someone to step up. Finley was up for the challenge.

It isn’t just a matter of success for him. Finley’s basketball skill is deeply ingrained from the people he grew up around.

“ My mom played basketball at Ronan when she was in high school, and then my dad was in Arlee,” Finley said. “ I've always kind of had a ball in my hand since I was just a little guy.” 

That passion has followed him for years. Even before he ever graced a basketball team at the lowest levels, he was helping get some of Arlee’s best a cup of water in crunch time.

“I think I really got into it and like really wanted to kind of do something with basketball when I was about, I don't know what grade I was in, but in like 2017 when Arlee and the Warriors were going back to back on their state championships,” Finley said. “The whole team, I was related to almost all those guys. I was a water boy for them, I guess. So that kind of just made me love the game more and I was always around it.”

From family to exposure, it was clear Finley was always going to find the hardwood in some way. Now, he isn’t just playing, he is excelling.

With the Chiefs in the driver’s seat of the division, it is just a matter of time before Finley’s leadership is tested. Browning, Bigfork and Columbia Falls are all right in the mix, with both Browning and Columbia Falls taking a win off of Ronan this season.

Even after an emotional home loss like the one they suffered against Browning, the mindset for Finley and the Chiefs has stayed the same.

“ I think just trying to keep our guys as composed as we can and just try not to get too much into the crowd and try to control our emotions as much as we can,” Finley said. “Just going into our practices, practicing how we could play against them, and trying to work on all the little things, but I think controlling our emotions against teams like that is important.”

The pressure is high for this local team. When it comes to all six boys teams in Lake County, Ronan has the best record while being just one of two Class A schools in the area. That prestige is nothing new to Finley.

Watching from the sidelines of state champions is something a small-town Montana kid could only dream of. For Finley, he saw it all as the white and red of the Arlee Warriors marched to multiple Class C championships.

To be a champion in orange and black s something that drives Finley every time he takes a step onto the Ronan High School gym floor. 

Before the game or that first shot, Finley knows that it is bigger than what his body can do, and also depends on what his mind is capable of and who is around him.

“ I think that it's really a big mental game,” Finley said. “I feel like everything with basketball is a big mental game, and that being a good teammate as much as you can requires you to help out your guys when they need it in hard situations.”

    Ronan senior Kolby Finley walks and dribbles up the court against Browning on Jan. 17. (Max Dupras/Leader)