WEXFORD — During a timeout with 4:43 left in the game, Butler boys basketball coach Matt Clement noticed Chartiers Valley had only 47 points.

But his Golden Tornado weren't close.

“Offensively, it just wasn't there,” Clement said.

Butler shot just 25 percent from the floor and was held to a season-low in point production during a 64-39 WPIAL Class AAAA Tournament loss to the Colts at North Allegheny High School.

“This was our best defensive effort of the year ... and we needed it,” CV coach Tim McConnell said. “I was worried all week about playing these guys because they are so well coached.”

Three years ago, the Tornado upset Chartiers Valley in a WPIAL playoff game here.

Not this time.

The Colts exploded for a 12-0 lead in the game's first three minutes. Matty McConnell stole two passes at midcourt and drove in for easy layups during the opening spurt. Ross Wilkerson sank a trey to begin the rally, McConnell canned one to end it.

“Like North Allegheny, Chartiers Valley is a team that can jump up on you right away,” Clement said. “Once that happens, they are tough teams to come back against.”

Coach McConnell thought the 12-0 start set up the entire game. Butler trailed 23-4 with 6:38 left in the first half as the Colts sank eight of their first 13 shots, including five treys.

“If we had fallen behind early, we would have had to play this game at their pace,” McConnell said. “And hitting those early three's forced them to pick their poison defensively.

“They came out and wanted to take away Matty's penetration to the basket. He recognized that and kicked it back out. Once we started hitting right away, it forced them to loosen up.”

Still, Chartiers Valley did not have its typical game offensively. The Colts average 80 points per game — only Vincentian Academy (84) averages more in the entire WPIAL — but managed only 43 through the first three quarters.

Butler never found itself offensively. The Tornado's lone 3-pointer all day was scored by Andrew Paterno, with only 1:25 left in the contest.

“Our theory is to play good defense, hold the other team down and you give yourself a chance to win,” Clement said. “But as aggressive as we were on defense, we weren't aggressive enough on offense.

“We missed a bunch of layups, missed free throws, hit only one three ... Do that and you're not going to beat anybody in Quad-A basketball.”

Keenan Krause was Butler's only player in double figures with 12 points. Tyler Frederick had nine points and 13 rebounds, Mark Gross nine points. Justice Lewandowski, second in the county with 43 treys and a double-digit average scorer, was held without a point.

“If somebody tells me before the game that Lewandowski wouldn't score a point, I'd say we win the game,” McConnell said. “Our kids did a great job on him.”

Matty McConnell paced four players in double figures for 21 points. He added 14 rebounds, five assists and four steals.

McConnell averages 30.5 points per game.

“I thought we did a decent job on him. He's a Division I basketball player for a reason,” Clement said.

Eddie Flohr had 13 points and four assists for CV, Wilkerson adding 13 points. Jake Ritson came off the bench to score 12.

Butler's loss ended the prep careers of seniors Lewandowski, Paterno, Gross, Krause, Jake Anderson and Eric Hindman.

“That was as honorable a group of seniors as I've coached,” Clement said. “I never heard a complaint or had any problem with any of those guys.”

BUTLER 39

Damien Pickett 0-0 0-0 0, Kelley Kuharic 0-3 0-0 0, Kaden Rock 0-0 2-4 2, Jace Stutz 0-2 0-0, 0, Keenan Krause 3-10 6-7 12, Andrew Paterno 1-8 0-0 3, Tyler Frederick 3-9 3-5 9, Jake Anderson 0-1 0-0 0, Joel Stutz 0-0 0-0 0, Eric Hindman 2-2 0-0 4, Mark Gross 3-7 3-6 9. Totals: 12-50 14-22 39.

CHARTIERS VALLEY 64

Ross Wilkerson 4-8 3-3 13, Jake Ritson 5-7 2-4 12, Andrew Musial 0-2 0-0 0, Coleman Vaughn 1-3 0-0 3, Eddie Flohr 5-8 1-2 13, Matty McConnell 8-15 4-6 21, Joe Antonucci 0-1 0-0 0, Kaleb Krebs 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 24-43 10-17 64.

Butler 4 12 7 16 — 39

Chartiers Valley18 13 12 21 — 64

3-point goals: Paterno; McConnell, Wilkerson 2, Vaughn, Flohr 2