Hill scores 27, Wildcats outlast Dawgs

COLUMBIA FALLS — Jace Hill scored 27 points and Columbia Falls weathered a late charge by Whitefish to beat the Bulldogs 50-49 in a Northwest A boys basketball game Saturday.

Hill, a sophomore, was 7-for-8 at the line and snared seven rebounds for the Wildcats (5-3 overall, 2-2 in league), who led by nine with 3:00 left.

A five-point swing, helped by a steal and 3-pointer from Logan Conklin, led Whitefish (3-4, 0-3 in league) back. The Wildcats got a steal from Alihn Anderson and a layup by Mason Peters to hold a 50-47 lead in the final minute.

The Bulldogs took a potential game-tying three, then settled for a put-back at the buzzer to end the scoring. Bodie Smith led Whitefish with 19 points, while Conklin had 15 and Talon Holmquist 13.

Peters added nine for Columbia Falls.

Whitefish 12 6 12 19 - 49

C-Falls 11 10 13 16 - 50

WHITEFISH — Bodie Smith 19, Logan Conklin 15, Talon Holmquist 13, Jaxsen Schlauch 2.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Jace Hill 27, Mason Peters 9, Alihn Anderson 7, Cody Schweikert 4, Mark Robison 3.