GREAT FALLS — On Feb. 27, the Great Falls CMR boys basketball team survived against Gallatin 65-64 in the regular-season finale — a game which determined the Eastern AA's No. 2 seed.
The win automatically qualified the Rustlers for the Class AA state tournament, which begins Thursday in Billings, and they now return to state after missing out on last year's event.
"We're kind of just working on ourselves, getting healthy," junior Ben Cunningham said at Four Seasons Arena during Tuesday's practice. "That was a big one, getting healthy. Just kind of ... locking in mentally before obviously this big weekend. Just getting mentally right, getting physically right."
"Fighting some illness this past week, but we're all getting back to healthy and we're feeling good," senior Drew Etcheberry said. "We're practicing good, working on all the little things we need to tune up before we head in to state."
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Since the year 2000, CMR has won seven state championships. Head coach John Cislo said this group has shown the necessary resilience to put them in a spot to potentially have a chance at another title.
"We've kind of gotten better and better, I think, as the year went along," Cislo said. "I was a little worried at the beginning of the year if we were going to be a physical team, but I think we're slowly kind of turning into a physical team, especially after Christmas time. And when you play in the East, you better be physical. So hopefully that translates this weekend."
After being tied for first in the East following the initial round of conference games, CMR went on a short skid in the second set, losing three of four contests between Feb. 6-14.
But the Rustlers were still in position for the aforementioned game against Gallatin. Cunningham and Etcheberry said winning that type of game — with a playoff-type feel — helped prepare them for what they'll see in Billings.
"Going on runs, stopping runs, being down, being ahead, we were able to go through all that and were able to be tied with like a second or two left," Cunningham said. "It shows a lot from our teammates and it shows a lot just from everyone how we were able to adverse through those games. I mean, it's intense, but it's how all the games are going to be this weekend."
"We had to respond to certain situations in that game. We were up 12 early and then, you know, that kind of hit us back early in the third quarter," Etcheberry said. "If we can have those battles in the season when we do have a game (like) that ... then that will prepare us for the state tournament."
CMR begins play at the Class AA state tournament Thursday at noon against Helena High.
