One of the more meaningful basketball nights in Butler in years will take place Friday night in the high school gym.

The Golden Tornado host New Castle in a girls-boys doubleheader beginning at 6 p.m.

The girls game is for first place in Section 3-AAA while the boys game is for fourth place — the final WPIAL playoff position — in the section.

While these games merely end the first half of section play, momentum is also at stake entering the second half of the season.

Butler's girls (12-2, 5-0) carry an eight-game winning streak into Friday's contest. The Tornado allow only 38.6 points per game and have held their last four opponents — Shaler, Seneca Valley, North Hills and Pine-Richland — below 40 points.

New Castle's girls (13-0, 6-0) had not come close to losing all season until their last two games. They won a scrappy 44-37 decision at Fox Chapel Jan. 5 before rallying from an 18-point deficit to nip Seneca Valley, 49-45, Monday evening.

The Red Hurricanes average 57.2 points per game and allow just 32.0. They have held five foes to 30 or fewer points this year and have scored 70 or more three times themselves.

Butler's boys (9-6, 3-3) are trying to reach the WPIAL playoffs for the first time in six years and are involved in a logjam in Section 3.

After section unbeaten North Allegheny, six teams, including Butler and New Castle, have between two and four section victories.

While the Tornado have won five straight games, New Castle (8-6, 3-3) had a three-game win streak snapped by a stunning 49-33 home loss to Seneca Valley.

No Red Hurricanes player scored 10 points in that game and the squad's 33 points scored marked a season low.

There is no advance ticket sale for Friday's games and a big crowd is expected. Both games will be aired on Tornado TV.