While the Butler County high school basketball season is winding down, Butler Catholic's is heating up.

The Saints' varsity boys and girls basketball teams are in action this week in the Diocesan playoffs.

The girls (7-5 overall, 6-2 in section play) host their first playoff game Wednesday night against St. Phillips (Crafton). Butler Catholic's nine-player roster consists of players from its own school, Holy Sepulcher and Saint Wendelin.

“We had to merge these girls to get enough to field a team this year, with the pandemic going on,” coach Vanessa Hubbell said. “A lot of girls couldn't play this year.”

Hubbell had been Holy Sepulcher's girls basketball coach for three years before taking over at Butler Catholic this year.

Kiera Monroe, Star Henwood and Riley Wilbert ride a bus from Holy Sepulcher to Butler Catholic for practice and games. Casey Clouse and younger sister Campbell are from St. Wendelin. Casey had been on the team.

Anna Claire Dudley, Ava Rosberry, Emma Shoemaker and Madison Romasovich are Butler Catholic girls on the team.

“These girls all like each other and they're having a good time,” Hubbell said. “When one girl is having a bad game, the other four pick her up. And girls off the bench make plays.

“All nine have contributed to the team's success.”

Emma is the team's leading scorer and rebounder. She scores roughly half of the Saints' 25 points per game.

Matt Friel has been Butler Catholic's boys coach for 13 years. The Saints made the Diocesan League semifinals four years and have gotten there again this year.

The Saints are 9-7 overall, 4-4 in section play, and defeated St. Phillips, 48-45 in overtime, in their first playoff game.

They take on Our Lady of Fatima (Hopewell) in the Diocesan semifinals at 6 p.m. Thursday at North Catholic High School.

“St. Phillips beat us by 12 when we played in the regular season,” Friel said. “That's how much our team has improved.

“Hustle and effort have been keys for these guys. So has free throw shooting. We made nine of 11 free throws in the fourth quarter and overtime of our first playoff game.”

Eighth-graders on the team are Nathan Masher, Michael Braun, Brodie Martin, Jack Monaco, Ryan Orsburn and Chung Njuyen. Seventh graders are Nolan Stefanik and Max Linder.

Nathan is averaging closer to 20 points and 20 rebounds per game thus season. He will go to North Catholic next year.

“Nathan is 6-foot-1 and blocks a lot of shots, too,” Friel said. “Some of our guys will be going to North Catholic, some to Butler, a couple to Freeport.

“It's a good group of kids and they're working hard.”