MaxPreps 2014-15 Montana preseason boys basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Hellgate (Missoula)
2013-14 finish: 19-5
Head coach: Jeff Hayes

Hellgate basketball fans were relieved to find out this summer that all-state forward Tres Tinkle would stay in Missoula this year to complete his senior season. The son of Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle, Tres had considered moving to Corvallis, according to the Gazette Prep Sports. The 6-foot-7 Tinkle was named the state tournament MVP last year after averaging 21.1 points and 7.4 rebounds.

View last season's Montana boys basketball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

2. Skyview (Billings)
2013-14 finish: 13-10
Head coach: Toby Hill



Skyview went just 13-10 last year and lost both of its games in the Montana Class AA state tournament, but there is plenty of reason to be optimistic about the Falcons this year. For one, all-state selection Kendal Manuel, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, returns to lead the offense after averaging close to 20 points a game as a junior. The Falcons also return their other top two scorers from last year in Nolan McHugh and Tre'von Strong. McHugh is a 6-5 forward while Strong is a 6-2 guard.

View last season's Montana boys basketball playoff brackets

3. Billings West
2013-14 finish: 19-7
Head coach: Doug Robison

Billings West is a perennial title contender in Montana, winning three state titles over the past eight seasons with the last coming in 2012. Two players who saw some playing time on that squad, Jared Samuelson and Daniel Betcher, return for their senior seasons. Samuelson earned all-state honors on last year's squad and has been joined on the summer AAU circuit by Betcher, a 6-8 center.

View last season's Montana boys basketball stat leaders

4. Great Falls
2013-14 finish: 11-11
Head coach: Bob Howard



Great Falls advanced to the state tournament and lost a pair of games there, but the return of all-state forward Brendan Howard could mean a deeper run in the playoffs in 2014. Howard, a 6-4 power forward, was the only freshman to earn all-state honors last year. Coach Bob Howard returns 13 players from last year's squad.

View the MaxPreps Montana boys basketball pro photo galleries

5. Columbia Falls
2013-14 finish: 21-4
Head coach: Cary Finberg

Columbia Falls captured the Class A state championship last year with coach Cary Finberg becoming the school's all-time winningest coach in the process. While Finberg loses one all-state player and two other all-conference players from last year's group, he does return all-conference honorable mention picks Jayce Fagerland, a senior, and Grant Wallace, a junior.