BUTLER TWP — Must win — no.

Much-needed win — absolutely.

Andrew Gettinger tallied 14 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five blocked shots Tuesday night as Butler defeated North Hills 51-39 in a critical WPIAL Section 1-6A boys basketball game in the Golden Tornado gym.

"That's the kind of stat line we expect from him," Butler coach Matt Clement said. "He is a point guard, point forward type of player for us."

The win pulled Butler (11-5, 4-5) into a fourth-place tie with the Indians in the section. The top five teams qualify for the WPIAL playoffs, which begin Feb. 13.

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A loss Tuesday would have dropped the Tornado two full games behind the fourth spot.

“We knew this was a game we had to have,” Gettinger said. “Going into that fourth quarter, whatever it took, we were going to have to get out of here with a win.”

Through three quarters, neither team ever led by more than five points, and the score was tied six times.

The Tornado took over in the fourth, outscoring the Indians 16-8 after taking a 35-31 lead into the final period.

Stainton Forbes, coming off a hip injury, scored 10 of his 14 points in the final eight minutes.

“He was just cleared to play today,” Clement said of Forbes. “He’s been around, but he hasn’t practiced much and didn’t know the game plan. I wasn’t sure what we would get out of him tonight.”

Ayden Andrews scored 10 points for Butler, and Kyle Casteel had eight rebounds. Involved in a halfcourt game, Butler was limited to 18 points in the first half, but trailed by only three at intermission.

Ryan Carey led North Hills (5-12, 4-5) with 13 points and eight rebounds. Nathan Schanbacher added 11 points while Zach Pollaro had eight points, five steals and four assists.

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“Pollaro is one of the best players in the section, and I thought we did a good job on him defensively,” Clement said. “We’ve clawed our way back into this (section race), and the kids know we have to play defense and rebounds to have success.”

“Our wins haven’t been the prettiest,” Gettinger said. “Whatever it takes to get it done, that’s sort of how we play.”

Butler honored its six seniors — Andrews, Gavin Tressler, Tayt Lucas, Brock Collins, Rysheed Smith and Tanner Pry — before the game.

The Tornado travel to New Castle on Friday.

“That will be another tough one, but all the games are tough now,” Clement said. “The teams in our section are jumbled up. You can’t take anything or anybody for granted.”

NORTH HILLS 39

Jackson Long 2-4 0-0 5, Nathan Scanbacher 4-10 3-4 11, Logan Jinicki 1-6 0-0 2, Zach Pollaro 3-14 2-2 8, Max Piekarski 0-1 0-0 0, Ryan Carey 6-11 0-0 13. Totals: 16-46 5-6 39.

BUTLER 51

Ayden Andrews 3-8 2-2 10, Jace Gratzmiller 0-0 1-2 1, Stainton Forbes 5-7 3-4 14, Mavrik Cement 0-2 0-0 0, Kyle Casteel 1-3 0-0 2, Tayt Lucas 3-9 0-0 8, Andrew Gettinger 5-10 2-4 14, Gavin Tressler 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 18-40 8-12 51.

North Hills 9 12 10 8 - 39

Butler 9 9 17 16 - 51

3-point goals: North Hills 2 (Long, Carey); Butler 7 (Andrews 2, Forbes, Lucas 2, Gettinger 2)

JV: Butler, 48-41 (NH: Max Piekarski 17, Ethan Gusczinski 12; B: Jayden Wilbert 14, Cael Hanley 13)

Friday: Butler at New Castle