BUTLER TWP — The start was fine. The middle? Not so good.

North Allegheny used a 13-0 run in the final two minutes of the first half, scored 55 points in the middle two quarters and ran off with an 87-70 Section 3-AAAA boys basketball victory at Butler Tuesday night.

The Golden Tornado (5-3, 2-2) have surrendered 29, 85 and 87 points in their past three games.

“That’s way too many,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “The numbers will spike up some because we like to play at a fast tempo, but not like this.

“This isn’t who we are and we’re going to fix it.’

Sophomore guard Curtis Aiken was the prime culprit for the Tigers (5-2, 3-0), striking for a career-high 41 points. He scored 17 in the second quarter when North Allegheny turned a 31-24 deficit midway through the period into a 44-35 lead at halftime.

Once the Tigers took their first lead of the night — 36-35 on an Aiken three-point play with 1:38 left in the half — they never lost it.

Aiken also produced seven steals, five assists and five rebounds. He did not turn the ball over once.

“And that was against Butler’s pressure with the ball in his hands most of the time,” NA coach Dave DeGregorio said. “That was an outstanding effort.

“He had a big offensive game, but the zero turnovers is just as impressive.”

Aiken is averaging 22 points per game so far this season.

“He was phenomenal tonight,” Clement said of Aiken. “But we can’t let a great player score half his team’s points and beat us. That can’t happen.”

North Allegheny’s lead peaked at 71-52 by the end of the third quarter. Butler had a seven-point lead late in the first period.

“They came out and hit their first five shots or so,” DeGregorio said. “It’s not that we started slow. They started hot. We didn’t do any adjustments defensively. Our guys started to come out and defend the outside a little more.

“I guess we read the scouting report a little late.”

Keagan Phillips had 16 points, four steals and four assists for the Tigers. Ethan Maena contributed 10 points and five rebounds.

Joel Stutz paced Butler with 22 points and six assists. Tyler Frederick had 17 points and 12 rebounds, Connor Ollio 14 points and six rebounds.

The Tornado had 19 turnovers on the night, 11 of them in the middle two periods.

“We started off strong and confident against their pressure,” Clement said. “Our primary ball handlers got in foul trouble and when they did come back in the game, we gradually became weak and tentative against the press.

“We helped them out a bit tonight that way.”

Starting point guard Kaden Rock picked up two fouls early in the first quarter and his third early in the third period. Luke Michalek replaced him and was whistled for three fouls in the first half.

Frederick picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter.

“Our foul situation definitely affected our play tonight,” Clement said. “We were letting guys get past us on defense and that’s how it (foul trouble) happens.”

North Allegheny remained unbeaten in section play with the win.

“A win anywhere in this section is a big win,” DeGregorio said.

“We responded well with two big wins after our loss at North Hills,” Clement said. “We’ll see how we respond to this.”

NORTH ALLEGHENY 87

Isaiah Zeise 1 1-4 3, Curtis Aiken 11-16 15-19 41, Keagan Phillips 6-10 3-4 16, Devin Bleumling 1-1 0-0 3, Griffin Sestili 2-3 0-0 4, Luke Carter 1-3 0-0 3, Ethan Maenza 4-6 2-4 10, Ray Sandherr 0-4 5-9 5, Luke Visgitis 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 27-45 26-40 87.

BUTLER 70

Damien Pickett 0-0 0-0 0, Kaden Rock 1-4 0-0 3, Luke Michalek 2-7 0-0 5, Kelley Kuharic 1-2 0-0 3, Jace Stutz 1-4 2-2 4, Ian McCarrier 0-0 0-0 0, Jason Gray 0-0 0-0 0, Tyler Frederick 7-11 3-4 17, Connor Ollio 6-12 2-4 14, Joel Stutz 8-13 2-2 22, Jefferson Ford 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 27-55 9-13 70.

North Allegheny 16 28 27 16 — 87

Butler21 14 17 18 — 70

3-point goals: Aiken 4, Phillips, Bleumling, Carter; Rock, Michalek, Kuharic, Jo. Stutz 4

JV: North Allegheny, 54-38 (NA: Canyon Tuman 18, Gibbs Kanyonso 16, Zach Johnson 11; B: Tarik Taoufik 10, Ian McCarrier 8)

Monday: Butler vs. Fox Chapel, 6:30 p.m., Shady Side Academy Tournament