Start fast, close strong
BUTLER TWP — With the way it opened Monday’s game against Hampton and the way it closed, there wasn’t much not to like about Butler’s performance.
A 23-point first quarter helped the Golden Tornado girls basketball team lead for most of the first three periods. When the team finally did find itself down on the scoreboard, it responded by outscoring the Talbots 13-4 over the final 9½ minutes.
Following the 53-45 win at home, Butler coach Mark Maier lauded the defensive effort against Hampton guard and Kent State commit Meg Murray.
“She’s tough as nails, such a great player,” Maier said. “But Malina McElroy (Butler’s freshman guard) did a great job on her in the second half. We wanted to force her to make tough shots.”
Murray scored a team-high 23 points in the game, but none in the fourth quarter.
A free throw from Hampton’s Sterling Thomson gave the Talbots a 41-40 lead with 1:33 left in the third quarter. From that point until the end of the game, Hampton (1-4) made just two of its final 16 attempts from the field.
“First we gave up two easy layups (to Amelia McMichael and McElroy at the start of the fourth period), which goes against every defensive principle we have,” said Hampton coach Tony Howard. “After that we rushed some of our shots.”
Those two Butler baskets gave Butler a 44-41 edge. Cameryn Booher’s two buckets in the game came later in the period. McMichael, McElroy and Avery Maier then iced the game from the free throw line.
Butler drained five of its six treys in the first eight minutes. McMichael, who led all scorers with 30 points, netted three of them in the opening quarter while Jess Chwalik and Maier both added another.
“You score 23 in the first quarter, you’re on pace for almost 100, but you know you can’t keep it up,” said Mark Maier. “It was a great way to open the game, though, and good shooting is always a product of good passing.”
Murray scored all 10 of Hampton’s points in the second quarter as Butler cooled off and led 29-24 at halftime.
“She has the ability to take a game over and so much of what we do revolves around her,” said Howard of Murray. “We’re just trying to find her some help.”
Butler (2-2) has five more games before it opens Section 1-6A play at home against Seneca Valley on Jan. 2.
“One of the things we need to work on is making sure we’re all on the same page on defense, whether it’s zone or man,” said Avery Maier. “But a win like this boosts our confidence, just knowing we have what it takes to pull a close game out.”
HAMPTON 45
McKenna Andrews 1 0-0 2, Kat Milon 2 0-0 5, Meg Murray 9 2-3 23, Emma Rick 2 0-0 4, Sterling Thomson 4 1-2 11. Totals: 18 3-5 45.
BUTLER 53
Jess Chwalik 1 0-0 3, Cameryn Booher 2 0-0 4, Sydney Patterson 3 1-4 7, Avery Maier 2 1-2 6, Amelia McMichael 9 8-10 30, Malina McElroy 1 1-2 3, Casey Clouse 0 0-0 0, Eva Stutz 0 0-0 0, Ashton Huff 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 11-18 53.
Hampton 14 10 17 4 — 45
Butler 23 6 11 13 — 53
3-point goals: Hampton 6 (Murray 3, Thomson 2, Milon); Butler 6 (McMichael 4, Maier, Chwalik).
Thursday: Chartiers Valley at Butler
