HOLLIDAYSBURG — Butler didn't leave with the Golden Tiger Roundball Tournament championship Saturday night.

The Golden Tornado got what they came for regardless.

Host Hollidaysburg placed four players in double figures, took the lead for good with 6:10 to play and outlasted Butler, 62-59, in a physical boys basketball tourney title game.

“I'm disappointed we're not going home with the W, but this is the kind of competition we need to have early in the season,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “Games like this will get us ready for the playoffs.

“We had fewer turnovers and more rebounds than they did. I'll take my chances with that every night. This time, it didn't work out. We didn't finish enough plays.”

Hollidaysburg returns its top six players from a 16-win season that landed the Tigers in the PIAA quarterfinals a year ago.

The teams combined for 42 personal fouls and 62 free throws Saturday — and there were a few missed front ends of oneand-ones.

“This was two quality, respected programs going at each other,” Tigers coach Mick Pentone said. “It had the intensity of a playoff game and I knew it would.

“This is why we have this tournament to start the season. Bring good teams together and this is what happens.”

Hollidaysburg (2-0) did not get the lead until Michael Appleman sank a free throw to snap a 31-31 tie with 5:53 left in the third quarter. The lead changed hands six times from that point until the hosts could secure the win.

The Tornado (1-1) led 15-6 with 2:27 left in the opening quarter before Hollidaysburg began cutting into that margin.

“Butler came out red hot from outside early,” Pentone said. “This being the second game in two nights, I thought they may wear down a bit in the second half. Those shots started to hit off the front of the rim as the game went on.”

Clement said his team never got tired.

“When you have all the bumping and grinding going on out there and things getting chippy ... It's hard to make shots under those conditions,” he said.

Butler sank just seven of 33 shots from the floor in the second half. The Tornado were 10 of 19 in the first half.

Jarrett Shannon drained a 3-pointer with 6:10 remaining to give Hollidaysburg a 46-43 lead. David Tompkins responded with a jumper for the Tornado, but T.J. Keefer completed a four-point play after being fouled while sinking a trey. Two more Keefer free throws with 3:34 left gave the Tigers a 52-45 advantage.

The lead peaked at 10 with 56 seconds left as Butler had to foul late. The Tornado scored five points with less than a second to play to make the final score close.

Nate Snodgrass sank a trey with :00.7 left and Butler called a timeout. Hollidaysburg committed a foul before the ball was inbounded and Snodgrass added two free throws.

Snodgrass paced Butler with 16 points and three assists. Zach Slater had 10 points off the bench. Both were named to the all-tournament team.

Bobby Swartwout had 10 of 35 Butler rebounds. The Tornado had 15 turnovers to Hollidaysburg's 17.

Tournament MVP Luke Rhodes had 15 points and seven of 25 Tiger rebounds. Keefer and Shannon — who joined him on the all-tournament team — had 13 points each.

“They've got five guys who are all the same. They can play anywhere, they're big guys who pass the ball well, can play inside or hit the three,” Clement said.

“It's hard matching up against a team like that, but I'm glad we got a chance to play them. I really wanted that opportunity and I liked the way our kids handled a tough environment.”

BUTLER 59Nate Snodgrass 5-14 4-5 16, Cody Herald 1-7 3-4 6, Jake Hilliard 2-3 3-5 8, Vinnie Schmidt 3-6 0-0 7, Bobby Swartwout 1-10 5-8 7, Zach Slater 3-5 2-4 10, Trevor Wideman 0-0 0-0 0, David Tompkins 2-6 1-3 5, Cody West 0-1 0-0 0, Luke Hartung 0-0 0-0 0.

Totals: 17-52 18-29 59.

HOLLIDAYSBURG 62Nathan Pope 0-0 0-2 0, Jarrett Shannon 4-10 3-5 13, T.J. Keefer 3-3 5-5 13, Scott Foreman 0-0 0-0 0, Sam Ellis 0-0 0-0 0, Michael Appleman 0-4 2-6 2, Jordan Swauger 3-8 2-4 9, Joel Redfoot 3-4 4-4 10, Luke Rhodes 6-7 3-7 15.

Totals: 19-36 19-33 62.

Butler 17 13 10 19—59Hollidaysburg 12 15 14 21—623-point goals: Butler 7 (Snodgrass 2, Herald, Hilliard, Schmidt, Slater 2); Hollidaysburg 5 (Shannon 2, Keefer 2, Swauger).

Monday: Summit Academy at Butler