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Butler boys drop New Castle to grab playoff berth
By John Enrietto
Eagle Sports Editor
BUTLER TWP — With eight minutes to play, the score was tied and Butler was unsure about its playoff status.
North Hills and Pine-Richland had already lost, but the Golden Tornado were taking no chances.
Butler outscored New Castle 20-7 in the fourth quarter Friday night, securing a 54-41 boys basketball win on Senior Night and ensuring its first WPIAL playoff berth since 2000.
The Tornado finished the regular season third in the section, trailing North Allegheny and Seneca Valley.
"You hear things on the bench, scores being announced, but you're never quite sure about that kind of stuff,"Butler coach Joe Lewandowski said. "We wanted to take care of our own business."
And Butler did.
The Tornado (13-8, 6-6) had a 31-22 lead with 5:32 left in the third quarter, only to see the Red Hurricanes (7-14, 3-9) go on a 12-3 run to knot the game at 34.
"We were going to do what we had to do to win this game,"senior center Mike Pratkanis said. "I didn't play that well in the first three quarters. I had to make it up to my team."
Pratkanis scored 10 points in the final eight minutes as Butler pulled away. He gave the Tornado the lead they never lost by sinking a layup for the first points of the quarter. A pair of Jeff Slater treys gave Butler a 42-35 lead with 5:02 remaining.
Pratkanis completed a three-point play and stuck back an offensive rebound as the lead grew to 47-37. A pair of Slater free throws hiked the margin to 12 with 1:47 left and the issue was decided.
"Their big guy just kicked our butt,"New Castle coach Mark Stanley said. "We didn't locate him underneath in the fourth quarter. They were missing some shots, but (Pratkanis) was cleaning up the glass.
"He's a difference-maker. That's obvious."
Butler sank seven of 10 shots from the floor in the final quarter while New Castle hit only three of 16.
Pratkanis paced the Tornado with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Cody Fleeger scored 15 of Butler's first 34 points and Jeff Slater had 12 points.
"All of our seniors stepped up in this game,"Lewandowski said. "Pratkanis, Slater, Fleeger, Nick Rossmiller. ... Austin Snodgrass came in and gave us quality minutes against their zone."
Tyrone Steals paced the 'Canes with 16 points. Nick Colella had 11 points and nine rebounds.
"We took too many shots with hands in our faces tonight,"Stanley said. "We needed that extra pass, a little more work to get the open look, and we didn't do it."
Butler had a 32-25 edge in rebounds and turned the ball over only eight times — just twice in the second half.
"All we thought about was winning this game,"Slater said. "Our goal was to win the section, but getting to the playoffs feels pretty good."
Butler reached the playoffs by winning four of its final five section games.
"Even when we were 2-5, these guys never thought about not making it,"Lewandowski said. "Win five or six in a row, they were gonna do whatever was needed to get in."
Butler will learn its playoff opponent at the WPIALplayoff meeting Tuesday night.
"That gives us a week to work on our game,"Fleeger said. "Defense has been our biggest weapon all year.
"Reaching the playoffs feels great. But we want to do more."
Tornado seniors Fleeger, Slater, Pratkanis, Rossmiller, Snodgrass, Nick Powers, Ryan Melder and Clark Liebler were honored before the game.
Butler's junior varsity dropped a 47-39 decision, ending its season with a 15-5 record.
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