Butler survives scare, advances to WPIAL Class 6A Semifinals

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Top-seeded Butler was taken to the limit Saturday afternoon when it took not one, but two overtimes to take down the pesky Peters Township Indians, 78-76, at Mt. Lebanon High School.

The No. 9 Indians controlled play in the first quarter and had an 18-11 lead. Butler’s defense started to heat up forcing multiple turnovers and gave the Golden Tornado a 31-25 lead at the half.

Momentum swung once again when the Indians retook the lead heading into the fourth quarter, 47-40. Butler with their season on the line, would not be denied coming back and tying the game 54-54 and on Saturday afternoon, 32 minutes wasn’t enough.

In overtime, with a 65-63 lead, Peters Township headed to the line with a chance to put the game away. A missed free throw though and then Butler’s Ethan Morton going coast to coast, hitting a buzzer beater sent the game to a second overtime. In overtime number two, Morton really took over, scoring eight points in the period and leading Butler to a 78-76 win.

Morton finished with 32 points. Devin Carney added 21 points.

Colin Cote led Peters Township with 24 points. Sam Petrarca pitched in 21 points, Connor Duane had 17 points and Gavin Cote added 12 points off the bench.

Butler improves to 18-4 overall. The top-seeded Golden Tornado will take on fourth-seeded Upper St. Clair on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. at Robert Morris University in the Class 6A WPIAL Semifinals.

Peters Township falls to 15-10 overall. The Indians still have a chance to make the state playoffs if Butler wins the WPIAL Championship.