BUTLER TWP — Facing a huge section test against Shaler, Butler's defense went into lock-down mode Thursday night.

The Golden Tornado forced Shaler into a dismal night of shooting as the Titans made just 13 percent (3-of-23) of their 2-point attempts in Butler's 40-33 girls basketball victory at home.

“To hold a (Class) 6A, playoff-caliber team to that, it shows we played great defense,” said Butler coach Mark Maier. “Shaler has three guards who can drive and Jenna (Kunst), Alyssa (Eyth) and Gibby (Julia Gibson) all played great help-side defense for us tonight.”

“We focused on not fouling and playing straight-up on defense,” said Butler senior guard Mia Rader, who scored 10 points in the win.”

Outside shooting helped the Titans (8-9, 3-4) lead for almost the entire first half and when Emily Cavacini knocked down a trey early in the third period, it pushed Shaler's edge to 20-14.

It would be the team's only made field goal of the quarter, however, and Butler soon began to take control.

Emilee Altman drained two treys to tie the game. Megan Lydon then gave Shaler its last lead of the night at 22-20 with a pair of free throws with 2:13 left in the third.

But before the period was over, Kunst made a 3-pointer to put Butler up for good.

“They were playing a sticky 1-3-1 zone,” Maier said of the Titans. “Those treys from Emilee were huge and we stayed composed.”

Shaler's offense slowed to a trickle in the final quarter. The only points the team scored in the first seven minutes of the period came on three free throws.

Meanwhile, Butler slowly extended its lead, mostly from the free throw line. Rader and Kunst went a combined 11-of-14 from the stripe in the final eight minutes.

“If we don't make those free throws, we're thinking, 'Oh no, here we go,'” Maier said. “But we're shooting between 70 and 72 percent as a team this season.”

Butler led 37-25 before Cavacini, who led Shaler with 14 points, hit two late treys to help the Titans pull closer before the final buzzer.

Kunst scored 15 points to lead Butler.

Butler's win avenged a 41-38 loss at Shaler earlier this month and was a giant step toward the Tornado clinching a WPIAL playoff berth.

Maier's team enters Monday's section game at Pine-Richland having won three games in a row and four of its last five.

“I told the girls that there may be teams out there with more talent, but there is no team as hard-working and physical as we are.”

“At times this season, we've worried more about who we were playing instead of how we were playing,” said Gibson, who paced Butler with seven rebounds. “We just need to play our game.”

Butler (10-6, 5-2) just may be hitting its stride and it's a good time of the season to do it.

“We're settling down and turning the ball over less,” Rader said. “That has helped us a ton.”

SHALER 33

Emily Cavacini 5 0-0 14, Meghan Lacey 2 0-0 5, Megan Lydon 2 8-10 13, Jessica Schmidt 0 1-2 1, Maura Fisher 0 0-0 0, Claire Grunden 0 0-0 0. Totals: 9 9-12 33.

BUTLER 40

Mia Rader 2 5-6 10, Alyssa Eyth 1 0-0 2, Jenna Kunst 3 8-10 15, Emilee Altman 3 0-0 9, Emma Monteleone 0 2-2 2, Julia Gibson 1 0-0 2, Jordan Kauffman 0 0-0 0, Nicole Pepmeyer 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10 15-18 40.

Shaler 7 10 5 11 — 33

Butler5 9 11 15 — 40

3-point goals: Shaler 6 (Cavacini 4, Lacey, Lydon); Butler 5 (Altman 3, Kunst, Rader).

Monday: Butler at Pine-Richland