Butler’s boys basketball beats North Allegheny in OT, getting critical section win
WEXFORD — Renewed season, renewed life.
Butler knew what Friday night’s WPIAL Section 1-6A road matchup with North Allegheny meant. For both sides, in terms of boys basketball playoff likelihood, it was essentially do-or-die.
“We all talked in the locker room, we were like, ‘Second half of section, we’re 0-0. This is a new section. This is basically like a new season,’” senior Golden Tornado guard Tayt Lucas said. “Anything can happen in this section.”
Including taking an eraser to a double-digit deficit with under five minutes to play, as Butler did in forcing overtime en route to a critical 71-67 win. Lucas and Andrew Gettinger combined for 49 points in the victorious effort.
“It doesn’t matter what happened earlier in the year,” Tornado coach Matt Clement said. “This is such a big win.”
Butler (10-5, 3-5) stared at an 11-point shortage with 4:57 remaining in regulation, that following Carson Burns’ and-one.
After that, it appeared the Tigers (5-9, 1-7) were going to gradually shake free of their visitors, taking four free-throw trips and holding a seven-point advantage with just over two-and-a-half minutes left. Then, Andrew Gettinger found Ayden Andrews for a 3-pointer. Lucas sank another from the right wing 34 seconds later, watching it fall from a seat on the floor.
“As a shooter, I think every shot’s going to go in,” Lucas said. “As soon as I shot it, I just prepared myself for the make. ... Just seeing that shot go in, I knew right then and there, like, ‘We all have each other’s back, and we need this game.’”
Nearly a minute after that, Gettinger slipped Kyle Casteel a pass the latter swiftly deposited with a reverse layup, finally evening the score 62 points apiece after trailing for the previous 22:32 of game play.
“I was dribbling to the left, and I looked in Kyle’s eyes. (Carter) Melzer was up on him, and I kind of just, like,” Gettinger said, then demonstrated his eyes widening. “You know, opened my eyes a little bit, and then he just got the hint and then he went back-door.”
North Allegheny couldn’t knock down a game-winner despite having two tries.
Lucas and Gettinger provided the initial five points of the extra period, a lead the Golden Tornado wouldn’t let loose.
However, with only seconds left on the clock, Jon Jubeck had an open straight-away 3-point attempt, which clanked off the back of the rim and was snagged by a waiting Lucas. Jubeck had totaled six treys before that.
“Any section win is big,” Clement said. “To be down in the fourth quarter ... and just to keep scrapping and battling. Kyle fouls out? OK, next guy up. We’re just going to keep going. We’ve been short-handed, we’ve been sick — coaching staff’s been sick. We’ve been just grinding away this last, like, two weeks.
“What a moment for those guys to be a little bit short-handed and lot of guys coming off being sick and figure out a way to win that game when it means so much for the season.”
Lucas echoed his coach’s sentiment and later reminded their job is nowhere near finished.
“Every team is going to go through adversity,” Lucas said. “That first half of section, man. ... Then coming into this second half of section, we had guys sick. We still have some guys still recovering, hurt — like Stainton (Forbes). We can’t let that define who we are.”
Butler 14 12 14 22 9 — 71
North Allegheny 14 18 10 20 5 — 67
BUTLER 71
Tayt Lucas 9 3-3 26, Andrew Gettinger 7 6-6 23, Kyle Casteel 4 2-3 11, Ayden Andrews 3 0-2 9, Mavrik Clement 1 0-0 2. Totals: 24 11-14 71.
NORTH ALLEGHENY 67
Jon Jubeck 6 0-0 18, Justin Stalter 3 8-10 14, Peter Bratich 5 2-2 12, Carson Burns 3 3-3 11, Will Robertson 3 2-4 8, Carter Melzer 2 0-0 4. Totals: 22 15-19 67.
3-point goals: Butler 12 (Lucas 5, Gettinger 3, Andrews 3, Casteel); North Allegheny 8 (Jubeck 6, Burns 2)
Tuesday: North Hills at Butler
