BETTER
LATE THAN NEVER
Butler’s McMichael catalyst behind comeback win
January 03, 2023 Last Updated: January
02, 2023 11:09 PM High School
The Butler girls
basketball team celebrates its overtime win over Seneca Valley Monday night at
Seneca Valley High School. Christine Border/Special to the Eagle
JACKSON TWP — One of
Butler’s most consistent scorers spent most of the first half on the bench in
foul trouble and it showed on the scoreboard.
Without sophomore
swing player Amelia McMichael, the Golden Tornado struggled offensively in the
first two quarters and trailed host Seneca Valley 24-12 at halftime.
“It was tough just
watching from the bench,” said McMichael, “but I was ready once the second half
began.”
Was she ever.
McMichael was the catalyst
behind Butler’s rally, scoring all 16 of her points in the second half as
the Tornado earned a 46-42 overtime victory in girls basketball action.
“Down 12, to find a
way to come back, I’m super satisfied with this win,” said Butler coach Mark
Maier. “You score first in overtime, you’re in the driver’s seat. And Amelia
scored right after the tip.”
Three seconds to be
exact, and Justine Forbes drained a trey moments later for a 43-38 lead.
Two free throws from
Gracie Cato pulled SV to within 44-42 with 43 seconds left, but the Raiders
(3-7, 0-1) got no closer.
SV shot the ball much
better (10 of 22) than Butler in the first half. That included three treys from
Natalie Hambly. But the Raiders fell off significantly in the final 20 minutes
of the game, making just seven of 27 shots.
Butler's Hannah Aldridge
gets by Seneca Valley's Lilliana Hudac during Monday night's basketball game at
Seneca Valley High School. Christine Border/Special to the Eagle
“It was a lack of
execution on our part,” said SV coach Dorothea Epps. “In critical situations,
we had girls taking shots who should not have been taking shots.
“Defensively, we had a
lack of focus starting in the third quarter and Butler comes down and starts
bombing threes.”
Forbes scored 17 for
Butler (6-5, 1-0) and Sydney Patterson added 10.
Hambly led SV with 16
points and Emerson Peffer scored 13. It was the former’s bucket with 50 seconds
left in regulation that tied the game at 38.
BUTLER 46
Justine Forbes 5 5-9
17, Hannah Aldridge 0 2-5 2, Amelia McMichael 7 0-2 16, Madison McGarrah 0 1-2
1, Sydney Patterson 3 3-5 10, Jessica Chwalik 0 0-0 0, Hope Look 0 0-0 0, Avery
Maier 0 0-0 0, Kelli Kovalick 0 0-0 0, Tori Stevenson 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 11-23 46.
SENECA VALLEY 42
Brionna Brown 3 0-0 7,
Anna Felitsky 1 0-0 2, Natalie Hambly 6 0-0 16, Gracie Cato 1 2-2 4, Emerson
Peffer 6 1-2 13, Lilli Hudac 0 0-0 0, Allison Sevin 0 0-0 0, Lauren Folino 0
0-0 0. Totals: 17 3-4 42.
Butler 5 7 15 11 8 — 46
Seneca Valley 10 14 5 9 4 — 42
3-point goals: Butler 5 (Forbes 2, McMichael 2, Patterson); SV 5 (Hambly
4, Brown).