Boys notch a pair of key wins on the road

The Wildcats got back on the winning track last week, dropping Polson Tuesday, Jan. 20, 64-51 and then with a big road win against Browning Friday, 61-58.

The boys hoops squad had a 38-22 lead at the break against the Indians, but Browning outscored the Cats 22-11 in the fourth to make it a tight game.

Jory Hill had 20 in the win, Bjorn Pedersen 13, Jett Pitts 9.

The Cats had 31 defensive rebounds in the win, but also had 26 turnovers.

Against Polson, Pitts hit two 3-pointers, one during Columbia Falls’ big fourth quarter, and scored 16 points. Easton Brooks had 13.

The defense had 12 steals.

Against Browning, coach Chris Finberg said the game wasn’t pretty, but the Cats got the  job done.

They had an 18-point lead in the third, but had too many turnovers. Browning cut it to 6 late in the fourth, but a late trey by the Indians at the buzzer made the score what it was.

“The play in the first half carried us to victory,” Finberg noted.

Against the Pirates, Polson tied the game early in the fourth, but the Cats scored 13 down the stretch to put the game away. 

“We made our last eight free throws,” Finberg said,

The Cats travel to Ronan Thursday to try to even the score against the Chiefs, who beat the Cats earlier this season at home.

The Cats have proven to be road warriors. At 7-3 overall, six of their seven wins are on the road. They’re 3-2 in conference play.

They host Frenchtown Saturday at home. 

Frenchtown is a physically big team and they play well. They should be another good test as the Cats enter the second half of the regular season.