BUTLER TWP — Heidi Gross was told a week ago that her basketball career was over.

Almost.

On senior night, the 5-foot-5 guard put on the Butler uniform one last time against North Allegheny.

Before the game Monday night, the two teams arranged for Gross to not only start the game, but to score.

Gross, perhaps the nerves of the moment getting to her, missed her first attempt at a layup, but got the rebound and put it back up for a bucket.

“And I got an offensive rebound,” she joked.

When she came off the court seconds later after North Allegheny was given an easy basket to even out the score, Gross received a thunderous ovation and high-fives from her teammates and Tiger players.

The finals score — a 60-22 North Allegheny victory — seemed largely moot.

“It was absolutely incredible and so kind of the North Allegheny coach to allow me to have that opportunity,” Gross said, smile beaming. “The feeling of all my teammates cheering after I did it — that's how I know I'm loved.”

It was in stark contrast to the night in the same gymnasium Dec. 11 when Gross lay on the court after suffering her fourth concussion in three years.

Unable to move her head because of the whiplash force of the contact that sent her flying backward to the floor, Gross was taken to the hospital on a backboard.

She held out hope that she would be cleared to play again during her senior season, but that was dashed when the doctor told her she could not play any contact sport again because of the risk of another head injury.

Gross admitted that hurt more than any concussion.

“Especially because basketball was the one sport I played with all my best friends,” Gross said.

Butler coach Mark Maier said in the long run what will be remembered is Gross' moment, not the outcome.

“The initial coach reaction is, 'Man, 38-point loss to a good team. That stinks,'” Maier said. “But that's a temporary thing. ... At the end of the day when we look at this from a distance, hopefully Heidi says, 'Man, that was special.'”

The initial plan was to just have Gross start the game, but then leave the court after a quick timeout.

North Allegheny coach Spencer Stefko said it was the idea of players on both teams to allow her to score.

Gross said she will still be able to throw for the Butler track and field team this fall.

After she scored, Gross watched and encouraged from the bench as Butler (7-11, 3-9) hung with North Allegheny (19-1, 12-1) in the first quarter, trailing 11-4.

But the Tigers went on a 20-2 run and led 31-10 at the half.

North Allegheny picked up where it left off in the third quarter with a quick 13-0 run.

“They did some things (early) that bothered us with the gameplan, but they also did some scrappy things that bothered us,” said North Allegheny coach Spencer Stefko. “We had a pretty pointed talk at halftime about having a little more energy.”

Lizzy Groetsch led North Alleghey with 15 points. Senior Julia Gibson paced Butler with six — all coming in the fourth quarter.

For Butler, it was its last home game of the season.

The Golden Tornado close with four straight road games in the next six days, including the final two section clashes against Norwin, which beat NA by a point last week, and Seneca Valley.

“They'd probably prefer to play than practice,” Maier said. “It's a chance to get better. I'd maybe be more disappointed if this was our last game.”

NORTH ALLEGHENY 60

Brynn Serbin 1-4 3-3 5, Brooke Barcia 0-2 0-0 0, Rachel Martindale 3-11 2-3 8, Lizzy Groetsch 6-7 3-4 15, Katerina Balouris 3-4 0-0 6, Taylor Rawls 3-4 0-0 6, Paige Morningstar 1-4 0-0 3, Emma Fischer 0-1 1-2 1, Kristen Chomos 1-4 2-2 5, Kamaria Carioto 2-2 0-0 6, Abby Glass 1-3 0-0 3, Olivia Whitecre 0-1 0-0 0, Maddie Reardon 0-0 0-0 0, Maddie Chevalier 0-0 0-0 0, Lily Waskiewicz 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-47 11-14 60.

BUTLER 22

Julia Gibson 2-3 2-4 6, Jordan Kauffman 1-4 1-3 3, Sydney Hanratty 1-8 1-2 4, Emilee Altman 0-5 0-0 0, Heidi Gross 1-2 0-0 2, Emma Monteleone 0-3 0-2 0, Ali Altman 1-2 3-7 5, Makenna Maier 0-3 0-0 0, Aubree Tack 0-3 0-0 0, Sarayne Forbes 0-2 2-2 2, Piper Geibel 0-0 0-0 0, Sarah Fiorina 0-0 0-0 0, Elizabeth Friel 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 6-35 9-20 22.

North Allegheny 11 20 13 16 — 60

Butler4 6 1 11 — 22

3-point goals: North Allegheny 7 (Martindale 2, Morningstar, Chomos, Carioto 2, Glass)

JV: Butler 39-34

Wednesday: Butler at Norwin