Lead changes hands 15 times in Butler’s 76-72 loss at Pine-Richland
PINE TWP — Butler survived an early 11-0 run. It could not survive Pine-Richland’s free throw shooting down the stretch.
Nor its own mistakes.
The Golden Tornado closed the Section 1-6A regular season Friday night with a 76-72 loss at Pine-Richland. The Rams (6-15, 2-8) snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory.
“This means no disrespect toward them, but this is is a game we have to win,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “If the situations were reversed, they would say the same thing.”
The Rams entered the game averaging 53.3 points per contest. Neither team ever had a double-digit lead and the score was tied on seven occasions. The lead changed hands 15 times, the last on a pair of Andrew Lamendola free throws with 38.3 seconds remaining. Those shots gave Pine-Richland a 72-71 lead.
Butler (14-7, 5-5) then turned the ball over and was forced to foul. Lamendola sank two more free throws with 12.8 seconds to play, Braylon Littlejohn sank one of two at the line for the Tornado with 9.6 seconds on the clock.
