BUTLER TWP — The Butler boys basketball team can shoot the 3-pointer.

Unfortunately for the Golden Tornado, they didn't make nearly enough of them in the fourth quarter.

Forced to the perimeter by a staunch Fox Chapel defense Friday night, Butler had to settle for long-range jumpers, especially in the decisive fourth quarter.

The Tornado were a 1-of-9 from beyond the arc in the final period and went the last 7:22 without scoring in a 53-45 loss to the Foxes.

"They really got in the gaps and forced us to play from the perimeter," said Butler coach Joe Lewandowski. "They did a good job with that."

Butler, though, did hit nine 3-pointers and led by six following a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter by Vinny Schmidt.

But then the bomb quit finding the mark.

Instead, Fox Chapel (12-7) scored the final 14 points of the game to turn a six-point deficit into an eight-point road win.

"Our kids played with more of a sense of urgency (in the fourth quarter)," said Fox Chapel coach Ben O'Connell. "Our goal is to hold teams under 50. The last few games, it has been to hold teams under 40."

That sounds like Butler's mantra.

O'Connell was well aware of the Golden Tornado's reputation on defense and constructed a game plan that broke his mold.

"We wanted to take some chances and get the pace a little bit up," O'Connell said. "Butler is so good in the halfcourt defense. We want to get out in transition more than we usually do to try to get some cheap baskets."

For at least one quarter, that plan worked.

The third period was fast-paced — an odd sight for both teams.

Alex Vargo did most of the damage for Fox Chapel, scoring eight of his 14 points in the period.

Meanwhile, Butler's Bobby Swartwout scored all eight of his points in the third period.

Harrison Smith led Fox Chapel with 15 points.

BothSmith and Vargo presented difficult challenges for Butler's defense.

"They had a two guard who can break you down one-on-one," Lewandowski said. "When you have a guard who can do that, he's hard to defend."

Schmidt led Butler with 13 points. Nate Snodgrass and Swartwout each added eight points.

Butler (7-10) is focused squarely on CentralCatholic, which the Tornado hosts on Tuesday.

There is no room for error for Butler, which still is in the playoff hunt.

"Now it's just a matter of having a better fourth quarter," Lewandowski said. "You can't just play three of the four quarters."

FOX CHAPEL 53Harrison Smith 5-16 4-4 15, Sam Bass 2-5 1-1 5, Alex Vargo 6-8 1-2 14, David Martin 3-6 1-1 7, Kevin Wolfendale 1-1 0-0 2, Colin Hartford 1-3 0-0 3, Brett Goldstein 2-4 0-1 4, Sean Griffin 1-1 0-0 3, Josh Paul 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-44 7-9 53

BUTLER 45Cole Harvey 0-0 0-0 0, Brian Jendesky 2-7 1-4 7, LoganRenwick 1-3 0-0 3, Bobby Swartwout 3-9 1-1 8, Nate Snodgrass 3-8 0-0 8, Jeff Tompkins 3-6 0-0 6, Vinny Schmidt 5-13 0-0 13, Eric King 0-1 0-0 0, David Schmidt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-47 2-5 45

Fox Chapel 11 10 18 14—53Butler 7 16 19 3—453-point goals: Smith, Vargo, Hartford, Griffin; Jendesky 2, Renwick, Swartwout, Snodgrass 2, V. Schmidt 3

JV: Butler 45-43 (CodyHerald 9)

Tuesday: Central Catholic at Butler