BUTLER TWP — Gut check.

Needing a win to make its path to the WPIAL 6A playoffs much smoother, the Butler boys basketball team got off to just the kind of start — and finish — coach Matt Clement craved.

The Golden Tornado led 18-4 after one quarter, held Central Catholic to just nine first-half points and closed the game out strong to down the Vikings 58-43 at home Wednesday night.

The game was postponed a day due to a gas leak at Butler High School.

With the win, Butler (12-8, 6-5) need only beat Seneca Valley (12-9, 5-6) on the road Friday night to earn a playoff berth. If the Tornado lose, the Raiders are in, but Butler can still sneak in if North Allegheny (12-7, 6-5) falls to North Hills (15-5, 7-4).

Clement, though, doesn’t want to leave any doubt.

“We don’t want to put it in someone else’s hands,” Clement said.

He didn’t want to leave this game up for chance, either, against an improving Central Catholic team.

Connor Ollio scored eight of his game-high 18 points in the first quarter to get Butler rolling and Ethan Morton scored nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter to hold off the Vikings.

Butler shot 70 percent from the floor. Ollio was 9-of-10 shooting.

“The guys who played tonight all played well,” Clement said.

Jace Stutz hit two big 3-pointers in the first quarter as well.

“Coming out and hitting those two 3s early set the tone,” Clement said. “He had a really good week at practice and he’s starting to come around with his shooting like we know he can. Hopefully this is the beginning of a big hot streak.”

Butler’s hot streak against Central Catholic extended the lead to 20 points at 39-19 midway through the third quarter.

But Central Catholic (9-10, 5-7) crept back and cut the advantage to nine at 44-35 midway through the fourth.

“In protecting the lead, we let them get a little bit closer than we wanted to,” Clement said. “That’s the nature of the beast when you have a big lead.”

Central Catholic coach Chuck Crummie said the key to his team getting back in the game was effort.

It was also a bit of aggressiveness. The Viking attempted just 11 shots in the first half.

“They’re a very good team and we really needed to play our best game,” Crummie said. “As you can see, we didn’t do that.”

The loss eliminated Central Catholic from playoff contention. A win, and the Vikings would have been all but in.

That made the loss even harder for Crummie and his team to stomach.

“This was our kicker,” Crummie said. “(Butler) should be fine if they play like they did tonight.

“It was a tough locker room,” Crummie added. “Everything was on the line tonight. There were no ifs, ands or buts, and it’s tough to come back from (20) down.”

Tyler Frederick also provided a boost for Butler with 15 points.

Steve Vatonian and Luke Nedrow each scored 11 for Central Catholic.

Butler must now refocus quickly for what amounts to another gut check Friday against rival Seneca Valley.

“I’m not ready for this to be done and the guys aren’t ready for this to be done,” Clement said. “Unfortunately, that doesn’t matter. We have to come out and play Friday night and be ready. Seneca handed it to us the first time we played them and they’re confident and playing in their home gym. Their lives are on the line, too.

“Things kind of went where when we didn’t have a chance at the section, it turned into we have to be within a game of Seneca going into the last game,” Clement added. “The last game controls our destiny. It’s going to be a war.”

CENTRAL CATHOLIC 43

Rodney Thomas 4-8 0-0 9, Steve Vatonian 4-9 3-4 11, Luke Nedrow 5-8 1-2 11, Justin Tarrant 0-0 2-2 2, Pat Marchione 0-2 0-0 0, Cole Mason 3-5 2-2 8, Brandon Boyce 0-2 0-0 0, Andrew Walker 0-0 0-0 0, Carlan gray 0-0 0-0 0, Tom Farkos 0-0 0-0 0, Maurice Shipman 0-1 0-0 0, Will Sproule 0-0 0-0 0, D.J. Snyder 0-0 2-2 2. Totals: 16-35 8-12 43.

BUTLER 58

Jace Stutz 2-3 0-0 6, Tyler Frederick 6-9 3-4 15, Connor Ollio 9-10 0-1 18, Ethan Morton 3-6 5-6 11, Joel Stutz 3-3 0-0 7, Jason Gray 0-0 0-0 0, Ian McCarrier 0-1 1-2 1, Luke Michalek 0-1 0-0 0, Cade Negley 0-0 0-0 0, Phil Vandergrift 0-0 0-0 0,Tarik Taoufit 0-0 0-0 0, John Michalek 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-33 9-13 58.

Central Catholic 4 5 19 15 — 43

Butler18 6 16 18 — 58

3-point goals: Central Catholic 1 (Thomas); Butler 3 (Jace Stutz 2, Joel Stutz)

Friday: Butler at Seneca Valley