Semi-pro basketball is coming to Butler.

The Youngstown Wildcats - one of 17 teams in the inaugural season of the International Basketball League - will play a group of Butler High alumni players at 7 p.m. May 19 in the high school gym.

The game is a fund-raiser for the Butler High School basketball program and is being put together by Golden Tornado coach Joe Lewandowski, who also plays for the Wildcats.

Lewandowski is in Youngstown's starting lineup. The IBL plays its season from April 9 through June 24.

"I guess you could say I'm doing a little moonlighting," Lewandowski said. "This league runs during our off-season and this gives me a chance to play a little bit."

The Wildcats are 7-1 on the season thus far.

"Joe's one of the reasons for our success," said Youngstown coach and general manager Andre Smith. "He's a leader on the floor and his coaching mentality has helped in that regard."

The IBL promotes fast-paced, high-scoring basketball. There is a 22-second shot clock and teams have only eight seconds to get the ball past mid-court.

Teams are allotted just one timeout per 12-minute quarter and the ball is put into play quickly after field goals are scored.

"You have to work out problems on the court, not in a huddle, during the course of a game," Smith said. "A 30-point lead isn't safe in this league."

The Wildcats average 120 points per game and have scored as many as 142. An IBL team in Michigan averages 140 points per game and has scored as many as 178.

To promote the league, IBL teams participate in charitable games at local high schools. The game at Butler will use the league's rules and will be up-tempo.

It will not be a lopsided game. Smith will make sure of that.

"We're going to play hard and we want to win," Smith said. "But we want to keep the fans interested, too.

"If we have an opportunity to work on some different plays and implement things we're thinking about trying in league games, we'll do that."

Lewandowski will play for the Wildcats that night.

Among Butler basketball alumni being asked to play are Steve Adams, Donny Hilliard, Ron Zawrotuk, Tim Moses, Aaron Epps, Troy Nunes, Bryant Lewandowski, Shawn Bellis, Chris Bellis, Jon McKay, Mark Maier, Scott DeFoggi, Tony Grenek, Matt McClelland, Dick Hartung and Nate Hartung.

"People around here enjoy quality, exciting basketball and that's what this will be," Lewandowski said. "These games have a lot of dunking and 3-point shooting."

A dunking and 3-point shooting contest will be part of the program as well. Players will also sign autographs.

IBL rosters are filled with former European professional basketball players, along with players from mid-level Division I schools and some Division II schools. Teams held open tryouts in the preseason.

Smith is an assistant coach at Youngstown State University and pulled in a couple of former Penguins. He has former Bowling Green, Miami of Ohio and Westminster players on the roster as well.

Rick McFadden, a former Ohio State football player who transferred to the University of Akron and played basketball there, is the Wildcats' leading scorer with 21.3 points per game.

TeJay Anderson adds 16.5 points per contest.

"We're very balanced," Lewandowski said. "There's a different leading scorer each night."

Former NBA star Tim Hardaway plays for the IBL's Waterloo franchise and scored 45 points in a game this season, the league's individual high.

"There will be a lot of scoring, a lot of fast-breaks and a lot of big plays," Smith promised. "We're coming to sell our style of basketball."

Tickets are $5 and are available in the Butler High School athletic office and Friedman's Bilo store. Tickets also will be sold at the door.