Mansch: History, teammate on minds of Belt boys

Belt boys’ basketball players wear sweatshirts with a huge No. 40 on the back.

And when the Huskies break a huddle anytime in a game, in unison they say “Robert.”

You see, though the Belt boys are working on an unbeaten season, there are constant reminders that it’s not a perfect world.

While the Huskies are defeating opponents right and left on the hardwood this winter, their teammate Robert Back is hospitalized with a head injury suffered during football season. The boys can do nothing about it except to pile up the wins, wear the sweatshirts with pride and repeat their buddy’s first name.

“It’s just to keep him in mind, and to know he’s there with us,” junior Matt Metrione said. “He’s a very close friend and means a lot to all of us.”

You know what else means plenty to everyone in Belt? The town’s tradition of winning basketball.

The Huskies are earning more honor on the hardwood at this weekend’s Northern C Combined Tournament at Pacific Steel and Recycling Four Seasons Arena. The boys extended their winning streak to 21 straight games on Thursday in a first-round game, while the girls qualified for the divisional championship with a triumph later in the day.

The Belt girls, of course, have won the last three State C championships under head coach Jeff Graham. In fact, the unbeaten boys might even be overshadowed by the girls.

Metrione smiled when asked if his team ever feels slighted by comparison.

“Yes, we do,” he grinned. “And this year it feels good. This is the first time that I know of that we have a better record than the girls. It feels awesome.”

Kyle Paulson is the Metrione’s head coach. Though not a native of the Belt Valley, he knows about its hoop history. He said there is no jealousy between the boys and girls.

“Belt basketball, boys and girls, has been good for a long time, and that’s not really a factor,” Paulson said. “We celebrate what the girls are doing, and they celebrate what we’re doing. Whether it’s football, volleyball or basketball season, it doesn’t matter. We all support each other.”

Paulson is an Idaho native who lived in Missouri for 14 years before landing a principal’s job in Belt. He’s been the head boys’ basketball coach for three years and is trying to lead the Huskies to their first State C tournament berth since 1995.

Belt’s basketball past includes six state championships and many, many district and divisional crowns. The community’s hoop history is certainly one of the state’s richest.

“Somewhere someone way back down the line decided that playing basketball was the thing to do, and it’s been a tradition that’s just carried on,” Paulson said. “The kids that I have on my team have some type of connection with that past, whether it’s a cousin, an uncle, a dad … So I think it means a little bit more to our kids when they step out on the floor, to try to represent and do the best they can.

“That’s one of those intangibles that a lot of people don’t realize. All of our sports fans have that little extra tradition to lean on.”

People around the state have reached out to Robert Back’s family in recent months. He’s missed by many.

Especially his basketball buddies.

“Robert was very good,” Paulson said. “Basketball was kind of his thing. He was sneaking into the gym 24-7, and he was really coming on.”

In a utopian world, Robert would be at Four Seasons with his pals this weekend. The sad saga is impossible to overlook when watching the Belt boys compete.

“Yes, it’s in the back of our minds,” Paulson said. “We’re always thinking about Robert. It’s a tough deal, but I think our kids have handled it very well.”

Just like they’ve handled so many foes this season. And that is not unusual for this program.

The Husky boys have earned many hoop headlines over the years. Belt has won two state boys’ championships, 1976 in Class B and 1995 in Class C. The program played in the state title game in three consecutive seasons from 1993 to 1995 and qualified for six straight State C boys’ tournaments from 1971-76.

Never before has a Belt boys’ team finished unbeaten. In fact, the current 21-0 record might be the best in the glorious history of the program.

If the Belt fans are enjoying the job Paulson is doing, the feeling is mutual.

“Belt took a chance on me,” said Paulson, whose parents live in Belgrade and whose wife is from Peerless. “I certainly feel a lot of gratitude toward them. Anything I can do to try to advance the school, I’m certainly going to do.”

Paulson’s family includes five children, ranging in age from a seventh-grader to a 2-year-old.

Are they basketball players?

“Absolutely,” he said with a smile. “No question about it. We love it in Belt. I couldn’t ask for more. The parents, the community, the kids … It’s a good setup.”

Always has been, apparently.

John Donovan, a junior high principal many years ago, helped establish a youth basketball tradition that extends to this day. There have been many celebrated coaches for the Huskies in the past 50 years, including Don Peterson, Wayne Durocher, Dennis Gerke and certainly Graham.

Paulson shook his head slightly when asked about earning a trip to this year’s State C boys’ tournament, scheduled March 12-14 at the Billings Metra.

“Our goal is just to have a good time. We want these kids to have a good experience,” Paulson said. “If that means we get to Billings, great. If that means we only got to divisionals, great. But at the end of the day, I want these kids to have a great experience of playing basketball and enjoying their teammates.”

Matt Metrione said that’s not a problem.

“I love playing with all these guys,” he said. “Growing up and playing with them, it’s awesome. Really a good feeling.”

Scott Mansch is Tribune Sports Editor and has covered high school, college and professional sports for the newspaper for 29 years. He can be reached at 791-1481 or smansch@greatfallstribune.com. Follow him on Twitter @GFTrib_SMansch