BUTLER TWP — After wiping out an eight-point fourth quarter lead and pulling even, Butler had nearly three minutes left to make Pine-Richland flinch.

It didn’t happen.

The Rams sank all 10 of their free throws in the final quarter — including six in the final 50 seconds — and took advantage of a critical turnover late. It all added up to a 57-52 win over the Golden Tornado in Section 3-AAAA boys basketball action Friday night.

“That’s what you have to do to win a game like this,” Pine-Richland coach Brian Gaetano said of sinking free throws. “We have a very young team and these guys kept their composure throughout.

“There’s a lot of happy boys in our locker room right now.”

And a very unhappy coach in Butler’s.

“I’m furious right now,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “I’m embarrassed by the way we played and the product we put out on the floor tonight.

“I’m the coach. It’s my fault. I’m the one putting that product out there. I apologize to everyone in this town who is a Butler boys basketball fan.”

Pine-Richland (3-3, 1-2) has one player in its lineup with varsity experience. That’s 6-foot-4 senior guard Dean Steliotes, who struck for 15 points and sank the game-clinching free throws with 3.3 seconds to play.

First-year varsity starter Ben DiNucci scored 20 points, hitting four 3-pointers. He scored nine of the Rams’ 21 points in the first quarter.

“We just can’t come out and give up 21 points like that,” Clement said. “We started this game flat. We didn’t guard and Pine-Richland took advantage.

“They did what they had to do to come in here and steal a section game on someone else’s home floor. They made the plays to win. We didn’t.”

Neither team ever led by more than eight and the Rams had the lead most of the time. Butler’s last lead was at 29-27 with 5:22 left in the third quarter.

The Rams built a 47-39 edge with 5:58 left to play. Junior center Mark Gross responded for the Tornado with a layup, hit a jumper, and stole the ball at midcourt.

Gross drove to the basket and missed the layup, but Andrew Paterno stuck back the offensive rebound to knot the game at 49 with 2:45 left. Two Gross free throws tied the game at 51 with 1:38 to play.

“We wanted to play this game at a quicker pace,” Gaetano said. “Getting 21 points in the first quarter, that’s the pace we wanted. But Butler took control of the pace of this game and we couldn’t get it back.”

With the game still tied at 51, Butler had possession and called a timeout with 1:13 left. A miscommunication on a pass play created a turnover with 1:03 left.

“An unforced turnover ... That’s been our story so far,” Clement said.

Freshman guard Andrew Petcash gave P-R the lead for good at 53-51 with two free throws at the 50-second mark. Arum Krause got one of them back with 40.6 seconds to go.

Butler (2-4, 0-3) appeared to force an over-and-back turnover with 21 seconds to play, but the official who called it was over-ruled. Another official said the ball was tipped first by a Butler player.

Conner Polce, a 6-foot-7 forward who led the Rams with nine rebounds, sank two free throws with 20.5 seconds to go. Krause was well-guarded when he tossed up an errant 3-point shot with seconds remaining before Stelioitis finally sealed the win.

“We were 3-for-17 from 3-point range and we’re supposed to be a good shooting team,” Clement said. “It wasn’t there tonight.”

Gross led the Tornado with 11 points and nine rebounds. Nick Patten had 10 points.

Both teams had 24 rebounds. Despite the tightness of the game, Pine-Richland had 27 free throws to Butler’s nine.

“Effort gets you to the foul line,” Clement said. “They outworked us.”

Pine-Richland had 14 turnovers to Butler’s nine. The Tornado turned the ball over only twice in the second half, but one was the costly miscue late in the final quarter.

“We played hard at timers, but we didn‘t play smart,” Clement said. “And we got started way too late.

“We’ve got some experienced players, but it didn’t look that way. Somebody has to step up and make plays at critical times.

“I’m embarrassed. I’m furious about this game and I’m hoping the players in that room are just as furious. But, honestly, I’m not sure they are,” Clement added.

PINE-RICHLAND 57

Ben DiNucci 6-15 4-4 20, Andrew Petcash 1-2 2-2 5, Blake Schultz 2-6 1-2 5, Dean Steliotes 4-6 6-10 15, Conner Polce 0-2 5-6 5, Adam Alexander 1-2 1-1 3, Sam Gessner 1-1 2-2 4, Dylan Neiman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 15-34 21-27 57.

BUTLER 52

Justice Lewandowski 0-5 2-2 2, Euch Marnic 1-2 0-0 3, Arum Krause 3-9 1-2 7, Keenan Krause 4-8 0-0 8, Andrew Paterno 2-5 0-0 4, Nick Patten 4-9 1-2 10, Cory Wheeler 1-1 0-0 3, Tyler Frederick 2-4 0-0 4, Eric Hindman 0-0 0-0 0, Mark Gross 4-6 3-3 11. Totals: 21-49 7-9 52.

Pine-Richland 21 4 18 14—57

Butler14 8 15 15—52

3-point goals: DiNucci 4, Petcash, Steliotes; Marnic, Patten, Wheeler

JV: Pine-Richland, 48-43 (P-R: Adam Alexander 13, Chad Tortorice 12, Alex Goitz 11; B: Jake Anderson 11, Joel Stutz 10)

Saturday: Butler at Kiski Area