BUTLER TWP — Butler's last section title in boys basketball? Matt Clement remembers it well.

He was still in uniform — and not in baseball.

The Golden Tornado (17-2) can clinch a tie for the Section 1-6A championship with a victory tonight at Central Catholic. A following win over Seneca Valley Friday night would give them the championship outright.

Butler hasn't won a section title since 1992 — Clement's junior year with the Golden Tornado basketball team.

“There's a number of years since where we haven't even made the playoffs,” coach Clement said. “This is a tough section. It's always been that way.”

And few — if anyone — thought this year's Butler team could conquer it.

After all, the Tornado graduated 10 seniors and three starters from last year's WPIAL finalist squad. Sophomore guard Ethan Morton is the lone returning starter and senior guard Luke Michalek came off the bench last season.

No one else on Butler's 2017-18 roster had any varsity experience coming into this season.

“We knew we had two good guards to start with and we had to build from there,” Clement said. “If we were going to be good, we had to have quality chemistry. That's definitely been there.”

Butler has a few seniors — Tarik Taoufik, John Michalek, Nick Stazer and Dom Schmidt — who have played key roles. Taoufik has produced numerous double-figure scoring games inside and John Michalek, ofyen times a starter, has hit some key 3-point goals.

Add to that a break-through season by Luke Michalek, strong defensive post play by Isaiah Scribner and solid minutes off the vbench by Luke Patten and you have a Tornado team sitting at 17-2, 8-2 in the section.

Central Catholic is 12-7, 9-2.

“Scribner has held his own in the post, guarding guys six inches taller and 40 pounds heavier,” Clement said. “Tarik and John bring a senior presence to the floor along with Luke (Michalek).

“I knew what kind of player we had in Luke Patten. This is the first year he's been healthy since seventh grade and he's been an impact guy for us.”

Finally, freshman Mattix Clement has nailed a number of key 3-point goals in section play this season.

“Mattix is doing what he's doing a year before I thought he'd be ready for this,” Clement said. “The upperclassmen on this team have helped bring him and the other younger players along, knowing those guys will take minutes away from them.

“That's what I mean by chemistry. I love this group because all they want to do is win. That's all that matters.”

Butler defeated Central Catholic 70-63 earlier this season, but trailed by four entering the fourth quarter. The Vikings had four players reach double figures that night, led by 6-foot-7 senior forward Luke Nedrow's 18 points.

Central has a 6-8 center in Tommy Farkos, a 6-4 guard in Maurice Shipman and four senior starters.

“This is their last section game, so if they win it, the title is theirs,” Clement said. “We've had tremendous support from the community, the Green Party (student section), everybody.

“I'm hoping they fill up their gym for this game.”

Clement mentioned that the Vikings “do a good job of turning games ugly and winning that way.”

Central averages 54.8 points per game and allows 54.3. Butler scores 68.6 per contest and allows 58.

Both teams have won five of six games since their last meeting.

“It's awfully tough to beat them at their place. Every team in this section knows that,” Clement said.

“Our team has been a success story no matter what happens this week.”

The Tornado do have a wild-card in Morton, who scored 22 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and had four assists against Central last time.

“And he doesn't want to do it himself,” Clement said. “Ethan wants it to be about this team and winning. He makes everyone on the court with him better.”