HAMPTON — The look was open. The shot was true.

It just didn't go in.

Luke Hartung's 3-point attempt from the top of the arc caromed high off the back of the rim as time expired Tuesday night, enabling Hampton to hold on for a 49-47 boys basketball Section 3-AAAA victory over Butler.

The Talbots (5-1, 2-0) never trailed the entire game — but almost did at the end.

“Luke did a good job to get himself an open look,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “We wanted to try to get the ball in his hands and he got the shot he wanted.

“It looked good leaving his hands. It was the same shot he hit against Chartiers Valley (in last year's WPIAL playoffs). This one just didn't go.”

The Golden Tornado (1-4, 0-2) trailed by as many as 12 at 38-26 early in the third quarter before scoring the final eight points of the period. Seth Cook sank a layup, Dom Pusateri a pair of free throws, Cook stuck back an offensive rebound and Pusateri scored a layup off a fast break.

Hampton did not score in the final seven minutes of the quarter.

Ryan Luther, Hampton's 6-foot-8 junior center, scored 18 of his game-high 26 points in the first half. He did not score in the third period.

“They did a good job of face-guarding him and denying him an open lane,” Hampton coach Joe Lafko said. “Butler has a good team. This is the way life's going to be in this section.”

The Talbots had a 34-24 lead at halftime, but managed only five field goals in the second half.

“If we can play defense for 32 minutes like we did for the final 16 minutes tonight, we'll be in every game we play,” Clement said.

Butler trailed 44-39 before a Keenan Krause trey with just under three minutes remaining pulled the Tornado within two. Butler got the ball back, only to turn it over. Hartung missed a trey that would have given the Tornado the lead moments later.

A layup and a pair of free throws by Luther extended the Talbots' lead to 48-42 with 35 seconds left. Hartung buried a 3-pointer with 29 seconds to go, then drove for a layup with 18 seconds remaining after Hampton's Jack Obringer missed the front end of a one-and-one.

Trailing 48-47, Butler put Trace McConnell on the foul line with 7.6 seconds on the clock. He sank the first free throw, missed the second, and the Tornado had a shot.

Butler called a timeout with 3.6 seconds to play.

“We were playing man-to-man and just didn't want to give them an open shot,” Lafko said. “That look they got was too good.”

Luther had 10 rebounds to go with his 26 points for Hampton. No other Talbot scored more than seven points.

Cook had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Tornado. Hartung scored all seven of his points in the fourth quarter and Seth Horwat had six of 26 Butler rebounds. Hampton had 29 boards.

Butler turned the ball over 13 times — only three in the second half — and sank 7 of 9 free throws. Still, the Tornado lost their third straight game.

“These guys are so hungry for a win,” Clement said. “The Zach Slaters of the world, the Cody Heralds, Bobby Swartwouts ... They were 'all game' guys. They busted it hard for 32 minutes every night.

“Can this team become those guys? They can ... they will.”

BUTLER 47

Dom Pusateri 2-5 2-2 6, Seth Cook 8-15 2-4 18, Keenan Krause 2-5 0-0 6, Seth Horwat 0-1 0-0 0, Luke Hartung 2-7 2-2 7, Zach Neudorfer 2-3 0-0 6, Arum Krause 0-2 1-2 1, Nick Patten 0-3 0-0 0, Mark Gross 0-0 0-0 0, Jordan Cratty 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-45 7-9 47.

HAMPTON 49

Tom Radziminski 0-0 0-0 0, John Floss 0-3 0-2 0, Jack Obringer 3-6 0-1 7, Ryan Luther 8-14 10-12 26, Collin Luther 2-6 1-1 5, Hayden Seserko 0-1 0-0 0, Jake Adams 1-1 0-0 2, Rich Ford 0-0 0-0 0, Trace McConnell 0-2 5-6 5, Joey Lafko 2-6 0-0 4. Totals: 16-39 16-21 49.

Butler 9 15 10 13—47

Hampton13 21 4 11—49

3-point goals: K.Krause 2, Hartung, Neudorfer 2, Stobert; Obringer

JV: Hampton, 60-47 (B: Andrew Paterno 11, Justice Lewandowski 9; H: Chandler McKinney 14, Nathan Hyre 14, Jack Morrison 13)

Friday: Butler at Pine-Richland