Pirate boys deepest of very deep league

Polson was the best of a solid Northwest A boys basketball league a season ago, and the Pirates have the manpower to stay on top — but it won’t be easy.

All six schools in the division bring back a lot of talent, and all five players named All-State in 2020-21 — Colton Graham and Jarrett Wilson of Polson, Jace Hill of Columbia Falls, Bodie Smith of Whitefish and Caden Williams of Libby — return.

“I’ve never seen that before,” said Columbia Falls coach Chris Finberg. “Polson is going to be the favorite, but second through sixth is going to be close. Every team can argue, on paper, that they’re going to be better.”

Graham averaged 17.6 points and 6.6 rebounds a year ago while earning league MVP honors for the Pirates; Wilson came in at 13.4 and 6.0. There’s more for coach Randy Kelley: Guard Xavier Fisher and 6-foot-4 Braunsen Hendrickson, who recently committed to the Griz for football.

Libby has a pair of 6-4 inside-out players in Williams and TJ Anderson, though the Loggers won’t have point guard Ryder Davis back from a football injury until the New Year. Junior Cy Stevenson and senior guards Ivan Cano and Ryan Collins will shore up things in Davis’ absence. Williams poured in 16.3 points a game last year, and Anderson was at 11.1.

Whitefish coach Scott Smith has size in 6-6 Talon Holmquist and scoring punch in Bodie Smith (13.4); he’s also pleased with senior Gabe Lund and junior guard Fynn Ridgeway.

Finberg has Hill, who averaged 16.3 points as a freshman, leading a talented, young squad. Alhn Anderson (8.9 ppg) and Cody Schweikert give the Wildcats three sophomore starters alongside seniors Mason Peters and Cade Morgan.

Nobody should sleep on Browning, which began the season by beating Shelby and its 6-foot-9 Griz basketball signee, Rhett Reynolds.

The Northwest A qualifies its top two teams for the Western A Divisional; play-in games will decide the other two entrants. The top five finishers at the divisional head to the 9-team State A March 10-12 in Missoula.

Columbia Falls has the last Northwest state title, winning it all in 2014.