Butler basketball stays in a groove with impressive WPIAL Class 6A-opening win over North Hills

February 17, 2025 Last Updated: February 17, 2025 10:52 PM Sports

Butler’s Ayden Andrews (1) shoots over North Hills defender Ethan Guszczynski (23) in a WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball play-in game, Feb. 17, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

During Butler’s 71-54 WPIAL Class 6A first-round playoff win over North Hills, each of the Golden Tornado’s five starters — Ayden Andrews, Stainton Forbes, Kyle Casteel, Tayt Lucas and Andrew Gettinger — scored in double figures.TLER TWP — Butler has learned throughout this season it doesn’t need one star to win games, no matter early reservations.

“I feel like I have a bunch of stars right now,” Butler boys basketball coach Matt Clement said. “What’s happened without having, like, a true star to start it, now I have a bunch of them. And they might not be the high-end stars yet, but they’re on the verge.”

Gettinger poured in a team-high 17 points Monday night, while Forbes added 16, Lucas 15 and Andrews 13. Casteel had 10.

“They do a (preseason) media day, KDKA does, and they do a Game of the Week,” Clement said. “We were the only team in the section not invited to the media day because we didn’t have a Game of the Week. ... We didn’t use that as a rallying cry, but that’s what we were thought of. That’s the reality of it — and I get it.

“We really didn’t have a point guard coming back. Who was gonna score? Nobody knew who these people were.”

The No. 7 Golden Tornado (16-6) have remained coachable and focused throughout.

“We all knew our potential, and I think we all knew that we could be a great team,” Gettinger said. “We didn’t care about what anyone else was thinking. We just wanted to do our thing and show everybody.”

“It really just motivated us,” Andrews said.

Butler’s now won five in a row, tying its longest surge this season.

“We’ve just been figuring out a way,” Lucas said. “This whole second half of the season, it’s just figure out a way to win.”

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The Golden Tornado climbed ahead by eight on the No. 10 Indians (7-15) to open the game. The sides traded blows later in the first quarter, and Zachary Pollaro evened matters at 24 points apiece three minutes into the next. Later in the frame, Jace Gratzmiller energetically forced a turnover that led to a Gettinger lay-in, opening up a 33-26 lead with 1:19 before halftime.

“Big minutes from Jace and Mav,” Clement said of Gratzmiller and his son, Mavrik Clement. “I feel like I say that a lot because the other guys, they’re scoring all the points. The starters were phenomenal, but there were some plays in there where we were on our heels defensively where they brought us back on our toes.”

Butler was deliberate on the offensive end out of the midway point, fending off four 3-point makes by Pollaro during the quarter. The Golden Tornado’s lead swelled to as much as 18 after Forbes’ bucket with 6:01 remaining.

Pollaro finished with a game-high 22 points. Neither side had a bench player get on the board.

“I told those guys, ‘Don’t take for granted a playoff win,’” Clement said. “’You know, it’s a playoff win. You got to play another home game, good crowd here tonight, and to come out and not disappoint ... this team has been fun.’”

“I’m sure nobody gives us a chance going up to New Castle on Thursday, but we’re going to put a game plan together, they’re going to come out and they’re going to play hard,” Clement said. “At this point, anything can happen. Anything can happen.”

“We always got to play with a chip on our shoulder,” Lucas said. “At the same time, we have each other’s backs. ... Any team can beat any team on any given night.”

NORTH HILLS 54

Zachary Pollaro 7 4-5 22, Nathan Schanbacher 4 7-8 16, Jackson Long 3 1-2 10, Logan Ilnicki 2 0-1 4, Ryan Carey 1 0-0 2. Totals: 17 12-16 54.

BUTLER 71

Andrew Gettinger 6 2-2 17, Stainton Forbes 5 3-4 16, Tayt Lucas 5 1-14 15, Ayden Andrews 3 5-8 13, Kyle Casteel 4 2-4 10. Totals: 23 14-22 71.

North Hills 14 14 14 12 — 54

Butler 19 14 18 20 — 71

3-point goals: Butler 11 (Forbes 3, Lucas 3, Gettinger 3, Andrews 2); North Hills 8 (Pollaro 4, Long 3, Schanbacher)