BUTTE – One defensive switch and one big run equaled one huge turnaround for Columbia Falls, which downed Stevensville 53-36 in the first round of the State A boys’ basketball tournament Thursday.
Center Austin Barth and reserve Luke Kazlauskas scored 13 points each for the defending champion Wildcats, who weathered an early charge and advanced to Friday’s 8 p.m. semifinal at the Civic Center. They’ll play Billings Central, which sprung a 51-47 upset on top-ranked Browning in Thursday’s late game.
Stevensville, 18-4, will face the 19-2 Indians at 2 p.m. Friday in a loser-out game.
Columbia Falls 53, Stevensville 36
The Wildcats are 18-3 after holding the Yellowjackets to 30 percent shooting, using a 1-3-1 zone defense to get out on the 3-point arc. The first time around they played Stevi, on Dec. 10, they went with last year’s standard 1-2-2 zone and lost 67-48.
“The first time out … I was learning my guys a little bit,” said Wildcats’ coach Cary Finberg. “About six games in we figured out the 1-3-1 was better suited for what we like to do and much better suited for our personnel.”
Stevensville led 14-7 early after a 3-pointer from Tyler Gavlak. Columbia Falls eventually went in front for good, 21-20, on Anthony Correa’s free throw 45 seconds before halftime.
Soon Stevensville, locked in the type of physical game it prefers, got out of sorts.
“They’re very physical and they’re very good at it,” Finberg said of the Jackets. “It took our kids a little bit to adjust to their style, and at the state tournament the officials are going to let you play a little more. And I thought they did a good job of allowing us to play a little physical down on our end, too.”
The game was close until midway through the final period, though Columbia Falls tried to pull away in the third quarter. Four points from Trinastich and a 3-pointer from Kazlauskas put the Wildcats up 30-23 at the 1:25 mark.
But when Josh Schultz hit a pair of 3-pointers for Stevi, the gap was down to 36-33 with 5:31 left in the game.
Columbia Falls scored the game’s next 17 points, starting with a Kazlauskas bucket following his own steal.
Kazlauskas had six points in the surge, which saw Stevensville throw away back-to-back lobs for freshman center Jesse Sims and miss five free throws.
“We were stagnant,” said Stevensville coach Keith Chambers, whose club was 6 for 20 from inside the 3-point arc and outside. “I don’t know. You wonder why they don’t make mouse-flavored cat food, too. You can’t figure it out.”
Long rebounds off Stevi 3-point misses led to fast-break baskets for the Wildcats late. Alex Presnell hit back-to-back baskets and Barth hit two free throws to cap the run with 31 seconds left, making the score 53-33. Barth also had 13 rebounds.
Schultz had 12 points for Stevensville, all on 3-pointers. Sims added seven points and eight rebounds for the Jackets, who can still gun for a third-place trophy.
“There’s two teams that come out of here smiling,” Chambers said.
Stevensville 14 6 7 9 – 36
Columbia Falls 11 10 11 21 – 53
STEVENSVILLE – Zach Gavlak 2-5 2-2 6, Jesse Sims 2-8 3-6 7, Jared Schultz 0-6 1-2 1, Josh Schultz 4-13 0-0 12, Tyler Gavlak 2-4 0-0 5, Josh Lords 1-1 0-2 2, Austin Kelling 1-2 0-0 3, Austin Lords 0-1 0-0 0, Noah Baney 0-0 0-0 0, Chris Lords 0-0 0-0 0, Chance Coleman 0-0 0-0 0, Kadin Beller 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-40 6-12 36.
COLUMBIA FALLS – Anthony Correa 1-9 6-8 8, Brian Marcille 1-3 0-0 3, Austin Barth 3-6 6-6 13, Ronny Gallegos 0-1 0-0 0, Parker Johnson 1-4 3-6 6, Alex Presnell 3-4 0-0 6, Austin Martin 0-0 0-0 0, Colin King 0-0 0-0 0, Luke Kazlauskas 6-11 0-1 13, Jared Trinastich 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 17-42 15-21 53.
3-point goals – Stevensville 6-20 (Josh Schultz 4-11, T. Gavlak 1-1, Kelling 1-2), Columbia Falls 4-10 (Marcille 1-1, Barth 1-1, Johnson 1-2, Kazlauskas 1-2). Rebounds – Stevensville 25 (Sims 8), Columbia Falls 34 (Barth 13). Assists – Stevensville 6 (Kelling 4), Columbia Falls 10 (Barth 5). Fouls – Stevensville 15, Columbia Falls 9. Fouled out – Z. Gavlak. Steals – Stevesnville 6 (T. Gavlak 3), Columbia Falls 8 (Correa 3). Blocks – Stevensville 4 (Z. Gavlak 3), Columbia Falls 0. Turnovers – Stevensville 16, Columbia Falls 11.
Billings Central 51, Browning 47
Daniel Meyer, a 6-foot-7 junior, had 16 points for the Rams, including a basket at the halftime buzzer that put them up 24-23.
They didn’t trail again, leading 36-25 after baskets by Garrett Flaming and Meyer at 1:16 of the third quarter.
The lead grew to 42-30 on Meyer’s final points, a reverse layup with 6:05 remaining. From there the Rams struggled at the free-throw line – 11 for 29 in the fourth quarter and 9 for 23 in the final 5:17 – but still held on.
Ryan Burke added 13 points and 10 rebounds for Central, including two free throws to make it 48-41 with 1:25 left.
Browning shot just 27 percent over the Rams’ zone defense. DeeJay Lazy Boy had 11 points, but missed 14 of 18 shots. Josiah Davis led the Indians with 12. Cliff Ollinger had six points and 13 rebounds.
Browning 8 15 5 19 – 47
Central 11 13 12 15 – 51
BROWNING – Jonathan Hall 1-4 2-2 4, Gary Monroe 1-11 0-2 2, Josiah Davis 4-8 3-3 12, Charles Old Chiefe 0-2 0-0 0, Dee Jay Lazy Boy 4-18 0-0 11, Kurt red Crow 1-2 0-0 2, Jonathan Skunkcap 2-7 1-2 6, Jaron Calf Robe 1-3 0-2 2, Vince Omeasoo 1-2 0-0 2, Jalen Croff 0-1 0-0 0, Cliff Ollinger 2-4 2-2 6. Totals 17-62 8-13 47.
BILLINGS CENTRAL – Ryan Burke 3-17 6-10 13, Dylan Hanser 3-6 2-9 8, Daniel Meyer 8-13 0-2 16, Jacob Stanton 3-4 3-6 9, Bobby Keil 1-5 0-1 2, Garrett Flaming 1-3 0-1 2, Conner Cerkovnik 0-2 0-0 0, Ian Byorth 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 19-51 12-31 51.
3-point goals – Browning 5-20 (Lazy Boy 3-10, Davis 1-2, Skunkcap 1-2), Central 1-10 (Burke 1-6). Rebounds – Browning 42 (Olinger 13), Central 46 (Burke 10, Meyer 10). Assists – Browning 9 (Davis 3), Central 5 (Burke 3). Steals – Browning 10 (Monroe 3), Central 6 (Stanton 3). Blocks – Brownin 0, Central 8 (Hander 3, Meyer 3). Turnovers – Browning 16, Central 19. Fouls – Browning 24, Central 12. Fouled out – Croff.
