ROSS TWP — In a classic nail-biter, Butler got bitten in the end.

Sophomore guard Shawndale Jones snapped a 50-50 tie with a driving layup with 1:18 left in overtime, then sank two free throws with 25.7 seconds left. The plays propelled North Hills to a 56-50 Section 3-AAAA boys basketball victory over the Golden Tornado Friday night.

The loss eliminated Butler (5-14, 2-10) from WPIAL playoff consideration. The Indians (10-10, 4-8) were eliminated by Seneca Valley’s double-overtime win over Pine-Richland.

“That play was a spin move in traffic,” North Hills coach Buzz Gabos said of Jones’ eventual game-winning layup. “He was the difference in overtime.”

Jones also sank two free throws with 3.2 seconds left to complete the scoring. A 70 percent foul shooter, he hit all four of his free throws in the extra session.

Butler attempted only six free throws all night — just two after the first quarter.

“We missed 13 layups in this game and we couldn’t even get to the foul line. This conversation could end right there,” Tornado coach Matt Clement said.

Neither team ever had a double-digit lead in the contest. The Indians led 31-24 at halftime. Butler’s biggest lead was 11-7 midway through the first period.

The score was tied seven times and the lead changed hands on eight occasions.

“We had a run just before the half and they ran at us in the third quarter,” Gabos said. “Besides that, this game was evenly played throughout regulation.”

Andrew Paterno’s fourth trey of the first half knotted the game at 24 with 3:32 left before intermission. But Jones canned a jumper, Ryan Burek hit a trey and Jones stole the ball and laid it in as the Indians built a seven-point lead in 34 seconds.

“There was a turnover in there, we missed a wide-open layup and they hit a three from the corner. That’s a five-point swing right there,” Clement said. “We had some positives tonight, but we’re not finishing the deal.”

The Tornado had a chance to close it out at the end of regulation. A Nick Patten layup tied the score at 48 with 36.8 seconds to go. Eric Hindman stole a blindly-thrown pass with 23.8 seconds left as Butler applied pressure in the backcourt.

With his team having trouble inbounding the ball after a timeout, Clement called time again with 7.9 seconds left.

Inbounding the ball near midcourt, the Tornado were then whistled for an over-and-back violation with 5.9 seconds left.

“I would have called another timeout there, but I was out of them,” Clement said.

Indians senior guard Dylan Mitchell got off a jumper from just inside the arc with two seconds left in regulation, but it deflected short off the rim.

“Both teams had a chance to win it there,” Gabos said.

Jones had 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals for North Hills, including his overtime effort. C.J. Paulauskas had eight points and seven rebounds, Burek eightpoints and three assists.

“He (Jones) is a good player, but someone had to step up and stop him there,” Clement said of the overtime.

Butler outscored North Hills 18-8 in the third period and took a 42-39 lead into the fourth.

“We went to our triangle zone and we play that pretty well,” Patten said. “It gave them problems and we hit some shots.”

Patten had nine of his 17 points during that third quarter. Paterno scored 17 points as well, connecting for a fifth trey in the second half.

“We guarded him better in the second half. We started leaning on him more,” Gabos said.

Keenan Krause had five assists while Tyler Frederick had seven rebounds for the Tornado. North Hills had a 27-26 edge on the boards and had 12 turnovers to Butler’s 18.

“Close losses (two to North Hills, one to Pine-Richland) hurt us this year,” Patten said. “It’s a learning experience, though, a learning process. We have to get better from this.

“We’ve got three games left and we want to win ‘em. We’re not gonna quit. Coach isn’t about that and neither are we.”

BUTLER 50

Justice Lewandowski 0-3 0-0 0, Rich Marnic 0-0 0-0 0, Keenan Krause 1-3 2-2 4, Andrew Paterno 6-10 0-0 17, Nick Patten 7-14 2-2 17, Cory Wheeler 0-1 0-0 0, Tyler Frederick 2-5 0-2 4, Eric Hindman 1-1 0-0 2, Mark Gross 3-8 0-0 6. Totals: 20-45 4-6 50.

NORTH HILLS 56

Dylan Mitchell 3-6 0-0 6, Nick Smith 0-2 0-0 0, Kindhal Taylor 3-6 0-0 6, Ryan Burek 2-6 2-2 8, Nick Sabolovic 2-5 0-0 4, Shawndale Jones 7-13 5-5 19, Andrew Vojtko 2-2 1-1 5, C.J. Paulauskas 3-10 2-4 8. Danny White 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 22-52 10-12 56.

Butler 14 10 8 6 2 — 50

North Hills13 18 8 9 8 — 56

3-point goals: Paterno 5, Patten; Burek 2

JV: North Hills, 63-57 (B: Kaden Rock 17, Joel Stutz 12; NH: Nick Sabolovic 22, Nick Smith 18, Nick Colaizzi 10)

Tuesday: Shaler at Butler