PINE TWP - With his team clinging to a one-point lead late in the fourth quarter, Brandon Bove missed four consecutive free throws.

The Pine-Richland sophomore made up for them later.

Bove hit six of his final eight free throws in the fourth quarter and in overtime, including the game-winning point with 2.9 seconds left, as the Rams boys basketball team nipped Butler, 41-40, Friday night.

"That kid just keeps giving all he's got," Pine-Richland coach Dave Krakoff said. "He's the first sophomore I've ever named team captain.

"Even when he missed those free throws, every kid on this team believed he'd make the next one."

After Butler built a 13-2 lead in the game's first 10 minutes, the Rams (7-9, 4-4) scored the final 10 points of the first half to get back into the game.

The Golden Tornado (8-8, 3-5) didn't sink a field goal in the second quarter.

"We've been having trouble scoring points," Butler coach Joe Lewandowski said. "That's why we started Alan Jackson tonight, to get another ball-handler on the court.

"When you're not putting the ball in the basket, you have to try some other things."

The lead changed hands five times in the second half, with neither team ever leading by more than four points.

Bove was not alone in tossing up errant free throws in the fourth quarter. The teams combined to sink just seven of 21 shots from the line in the final eight minutes.

Butler connected on just eight of 19 free throws for the night. Pine-Richland was 16 of 29.

"If we're going to win tough section games, we have to do a better job at the line," Lewandowski said.

Bove missed his four straight free throws with his team leading 29-28. He hit one of two with 53 seconds left.

Nate Hartung knotted the game with a layup for Butler, but the Tornado trailed 34-31 when it inbounded the ball in the Pine-Richland zone with 6.7 seconds left.

"We thought about just fouling them at that point, but we didn't want to give up free points with the clock stopped," Krakoff said.

The Rams tried guarding the perimeter instead but left Nick Martini wide open across the court. The seldom-used Martini drained the game-tying 3-pointer with two seconds left to force overtime.

"Even though we're struggling, there's not an ounce of quit in any of these kids," Lewandowski said. "That was a big-time shot."

Butler had a 40-38 lead in overtime before freshman Brett Matson tied the game with a corner jumper with 1:54 remaining.

The Tornado ran the clock down, looking for the last shot.

"We were going to run it all the way down and either win it or go to another overtime," Lewandowski said. "We wanted the ball in our best scorer's hands at the end."

That was Noah Hartung, who tried driving to the hoop in the waning seconds. He was double-teamed, however, and Bove stole the ball and had an uncontested game-winning layup the other way before Jackson fouled him from behind with 2.7 seconds to go.

"Jackson gave us another chance to win the game," Lewandowski said of the foul. "That was a smart play."

Bove missed the first free throw, but made the second. Butler's Jerrod Markle got off a desperation shot from beyond halfcourt at the buzzer, but it sailed over the backboard.

Matson had 14 points for Pine-Richland with Eric Duerr adding 11 points and eight rebounds.

Noah Hartung had 13 points and seven rebounds for Butler while Jackson added 10 points. Jade Burka had 11 rebounds off the bench.

Nate Hartung had eight points and seven boards before fouling out in overtime. Point guard Blake Anderson fouled out with 2:35 left in regulation.

The Tornado dropped their fourth in a row.

"We're 3-5 in section and we're probably eight points from being 7-1," Lewandowski said. "The kids know we're right there and that's why they won't give up."

BUTLER 40

Nate Hartung 3-8 2-7 8, Noah Hartung 5-13 3-8 13, Nick Martini 1-2 0-0 3, Jerrod Markle 0-5 1-2 1, Adam Monday 0-0 0-0 0, Blake Anderson 1-2 0-0 3, Sean Lowry 0-0 0-0 0, Jade Burka 1-3 0-0 2, Alan Jackson 4-6 2-2 10. Totals: 15-39 8-19 40

PINE-RICHLAND 41

Dom Lombardi 1-4 0-0 2, Brandon Bove 0-2 6-11 6, Nick Madia 1-4 1-2 3, Brian Felker 1-1 0-0 2, Brett Matson 6-10 1-3 14, Billy Massaro 0-3 3-4 3, Matt Blocki 0-4 0-2 0, Eric Duerr 3-13 5-6 11. Totals: 12-41 16-29 41

3-point goals:

Anderson, Martini; Matson

JV:

Butler, 57-46 (B-Cody Fleeger 15, Aaron Dorondo 14, P-R-Greg Anderle 16)

Tuesday:

Butler @ North Allegheny