The third time proved a charm Wednesday night for Butler.

The Golden Tornado are hoping that scenario repeats itself Saturday night against Pine-Richland in the WPIAL Class 6A boys basketball championship game at the Petersen Events Center.

Butler (17-8) lost to the Rams (23-1) in two hotly contested games, 56-55 and 64-59, during the regular season.

“I’m not surprised they got there,” P-R coach Jeff Ackermann said of Butler reaching the WPIAL finals. “They’re a good team. We figured we might see them again.

“This is a testament to our section. It’s the second straight year the title game involves two teams from our section.”

Pine-Richland defeated North Hills in the Class AAAA title game last season. The Rams bested the Indians 85-62 in the semifinals Wednesday.

This season marks the third time in Matt Clement’s eight years as head coach that Butler reached the semifinal round — and the first time it has reached the championship tilt.

“The mood of the kids was pretty subdued on the bus ride home (after their semifinal win),” Clement said. “It would be easy to be satisfied with getting to the Petersen Events Center.

“But these guys want to finish this.”

The Golden Tornado have one WPIAL basketball crown in their history — under Mark Jula in 1991, Clement’s sophomore year — and is appearing in the district final for the first time since 2000.

Butler is running into a Pine-Richland team that “is playing very well right now,” Ackermann said. “We’re hitting on all cylinders.”

Senior 6-foot-4 guard Andrew Petcash is averaging 20.7 points per game and scored 30 against North Hills on Wednesday. Petcash has not committed to a college program yet, but lower-tier Division I programs and numerous Division II schools are looking at him.

Three other Rams reached double figures in the semifinal game. Evan Luellen, a senior guard averaging 8.6 ppg., netted 19 while 6-5 junior Phil Jurkovec scored 17 and 6-foot-6 sophomore Andrew Kristofic added 11. Jurkovec is averaging 16.5 points per game.

“You can’t just concentrate on their two stars, though Petcash and Jurkovec are great players,” Clement said. “The key to their success has been role players stepping up.

“In our last eight games, we’ve probably had four players in double figures in five or six of them. Pine-Richland can say the same thing.”

Kristofic did not play in Pine-Richland’s 56-55 win over Butler and Tornado center Tyler Frederick scored 25 points. Kristofic did play in the rematch and Frederick was limited to 11 points.

“Andrew is a difference-maker in there,” Ackermann said.

Frederick is averaging 15 points for the Golden Tornado. Freshman point guard Ethan Mortyn also averages in double figures, as does guard Joel Stutz. Last year’s leading scorer, Connor Ollio, provides consistent scoring and rebounding as well.

Pine-Richland’s coach expects no secrets when the teams clash Saturday night.

“This game will come down to execution. The team that executes the best will win,” he said.

Clement agreed.

“Defense will be a big factor. It always is in championship games,” Clement said.

Ackermann is 61-14 in three years at P-R, including last year’s WPIAL title. The Rams were a combined 51-66 in the six seasons before his arrival, including 9-12 in 2013-14.

Butler will be missing one assistant coach for the game. Volunteer assistant Matt Smith is leaving Saturday morning for Arizona and the Milwaukee Brewers camp. The Seneca Valley graduate is a pitching prospect in the Brewers’ minor league system.

“I’ll be listening to that game Saturday night,” Smith said. “I was hoping it would play out this way, that I wouldn’t be around for the end of the season because of a deep playoff run.”