Cats struggle offensively in pair of home losses

After a great start to the season on the road, the Wildcats had two home games last week.

Neither went well for the Columbia Falls boys basketball team as they dropped a Jan. 8 contest to Ronan, 69-62 and then on Jan. 10 lost to Bigfork, 53-47.

The Ronan game was tied late in the fourth, but Ronan hit a couple of treys. The Cats responded with an old-fashioned trey by Nico Young who was fouled on a shot and hit the free throw which cut it to 65-61, but that’s as close as they could get as the Cats’ shots just didn’t drop late in the fourth.

Columbia Falls only had five points in the quarter. They shot 38% on twos and just 23% from threes for the game. They shot exactly the same percentage against Bigfork.

Against Ronan, Young led the Cats with 14, Bjorn Pedersen had 13 and Jory Hill 11.

Against Bigfork, Easton Brooks had 19 and Hill 11, but no one else was in double figures.

“Both games I thought we took a lot of quick shots, rather than setting up the offense and making (opponent’s) defense work,” coach Chris Finberg said.

It also didn’t help that Pedersen got in foul trouble in both games, which limited his playing time.

The boys host Libby this Thursday at home. Game time is 7:15 p.m.

The Cats will look to get back on track and notch their first conference victory of the season.

The boys are now 4-3 overall.