BUTLER TWP — Matt Smith always figured he was competitive.

Then the Seneca Valley graduate met Matt Clement.

“He showed me there was a whole different level to that,” Smith said.

A former Golden Tornado rival, Smith has become an integral piece of the Butler boys basketball coaching staff while trying to earn his keep as a professional baseball pitcher.

“Matt reached out to me to help my development as a pitcher,” Smith said. “I've benefitted so much from his advice.

“When I got drafted (34th by Milwaukee last summer), he gave me a call and advised me on how to get through rookie ball quickly. He told me the hitters would be overly aggressive and to bury sliders against them.”

Through 10 innings of rookie ball in Arizona, Smith compiled 10 strikeouts and a 0.87 earned run average — and earned himself a ticket to Helena (Montana) of the short-season Pioneer League.

After striking out 17 in 22 innings there, it was on to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Class A Midwest League. Smith fanned 12 in 15 innings there.

“He's given himself a shot because he moved quickly during that first summer,” Clement said. “Now he has their (Brewers) attention a little bit.

“Matt has the frame (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) and a live arm.”

Smith struck out 39 in 47.2 minor league innings last season after setting the Georgetown University career strikeout record of 229 in four years of college ball.

But then came the off-season. And Clement had a place for it.

“We got to talking and I asked him if he'd be interested in helping me out as a volunteer assistant,” Clement said.

Besides being a stellar right-hander at Seneca Valley — he was the winning pitcher in the WPIAL championship game as a junior and senior — Smith was also a standout guard-forward on the Raider basketball team.

“I love basketball and I've missed it,” Smith said. “When Clement threw out the idea, I was there.

“After getting home from the instructional league in Arizona in September, I was at open gyms that same week.”

Smith has been part of the Tornado ever since.

He is not just a volunteer coach who stays in the background. Smith has been in the forefront, working with Butler's big men, running plays with them, offering strategic ideas to other members of the staff.

“He has been a great fit,” Clement said. “For one, Matt is extremely intelligent. All of his suggestions are well thought out. Some of them we use, some we don't, and he's fine with it.

“He's been a tremendous help to our big guys.”

Smith assists Don Hilliard on the junior varsity level as well. He is very active during practice sessions.

“Just provide Matt with an extra hand wherever he needs it,” Smith said. “I've loved this experience. It's opened my eyes to something I may want to be a part of down the road.

“It seems hard to believe it will be coming to an end soon.”

Smith reports to the Brewers' spring training facility in Phoenix, Ariz., March 4.

“I just want to keep getting better there,” he said of baseball. “I hope the (basketball) season is still going on here when I have to leave.”

Clement echoes those sentiments.

“He's got a place to coach here whenever he wants it,” Clement said of Smith.

And he still wants it.

“As long as my baseball career permits, I'll be back,” Smith said.

Then there's that competitive thing.

“You have to hate to lose more than you love to win. That's the biggest thing I've learned from being around Matt Clement,” Smith said.