FOX CHAPEL — Butler traded baskets with Fox Chapel for a while Friday night.

It just couldn't do it all night.

Fox Chapel sank 24 of 38 shots from the field — including nine of 16 from 3-point range — and hit 14 of 16 free throws in posting a 71-57 boys basketball victory over the Golden Tornado.

"Shoot well, play well — it's as simple as that," Butler coach Joe Lewandowski said. "They shot the basketball about as well as a team can shoot a basketball."

The Tornado (12-8, 5-5) were doing the same for a while. Butler sank seven of nine shots in the first quarter, including three treys from Nick Martini, and led 18-17 after the opening period.

When Butler's Alan Jackson canned a layup with 3:30 left in the first half, the game was tied at 28. It marked the fifth time the score was even and there already had been eight lead changes.

There wouldn't be anymore.

The Foxes (12-6, 7-3) scored the final eight points of the half. Tiff Harner sank a short jumper, and Ahmed Abu had a couple of layups.

Seth Eisner grabbed a rebound of a missed Butler shot with 0.7 seconds left and was fouled. He sank both ends of the one-and-one and Fox Chapel took a 36-28 lead to the locker room.

"That was a key play because it gave us an eight-point lead and it was points we didn't expect," Fox Chapel coach Ben O'Connor said. "It added to our momentum."

"There were a lot of key plays in this game," Lewandowski said. "The biggest key play was they wouldn't miss a shot."

The Foxes began the third quarter with a 10-2 run, opening a 46-30 lead with three minutes left in the period. The Tornado never got closer than 11 the rest of the way.

Eisner led Fox Chapel with 20 points, including four 3-pointers, and six rebounds. Harner added 15 points and six boards, Rob Tenenini and Abu had 12 points each.

Abu's production came off the bench.

"We have three guys averaging 15 points per game," O'Connor said. "Our strength is our balance. We have a lot of kids who can score.

"After a while, I told our kids to stop shooting 3s and start working for layups. We don't want to be known as just a 3-point shooting team. We take pride in being a solid all-around team."

Jade Burka paced Butler with 14 points and four rebounds. Blake Anderson added 12 points. Martini did not score after hitting the trio of treys in the first period.

"Our plan defensively was to take away Burka and Anderson because that's their two best players," O'Connor said. "It was a risky move because they got the ball to some other shooters, but it worked out for us.

"I have so much respect for Butler. They have athletic kids and Joe has the program headed in the right direction. We're fortunate to have beaten them twice."

Fox Chapel won a 62-43 decision in Butler Dec. 23.

The Foxes held a 26-15 rebounding edge and had 14 turnovers to the Tornado's eight.

"This loss likely takes us out of the race for the section championship because North Allegheny probably won't lose three more," Lewandowski said. "But there's (three) other playoff spots and we're right in the hunt for them."

Fox Chapel won the junior varsity game, 32-30, as freshman Harrison Smith sank a jumper with 1.7 seconds left.

BUTLER 57Noah Hartung 1-4 0-2 2, Cody Fleeger 3-8 0-0 8, Nick Martini 3-7 0-0 9, Adam Monday 0-0 0-0 0, Alan Jackson 3-7 1-1 7, Blake Anderson 5-9 0-0 12, Jade Burka 6-11 2-3 14, Chris Anthony 0-1 0-0 0, Josh Marchinoski 1-2 0-0 2, Herb Klann 1-3 0-0 3. Totals: 23-52 3-6 57

FOX CHAPEL 71John Susi 1-1 0-0 3, Jerry Hartford 1-1 0-0 3, John Hastings 1-5 0-0 3, Ahmed Abu 5-5 1-1 12, Tiff Harner 6-10 2-2 15, Rob Tenenini 4-6 4-5 12, Seth Eisner 6-9 4-4 20, Mike Carlino 0-0 0-0 0, Eric Caplan 0-0 0-0 0, Allen Vargo 0-1 2-2 2, Sam Bass 0-0 1-2 1. Totals: 24-38 14-16 71

3-point goals: Fleeger 2, Martini 3, Anderson 2, Klann; Susi, Hartford, Hastings, Abu, Harner, Eisner 4

JV: Fox Chapel, 32-30 (B-Aaron Dorondo 11, FC-Mike Carlino 12

Tuesday: Shaler @ Butler