BUTLER TWP — With the way Justice Lewandowski is shooting, he wishes basketball season could last another month.

That's what helped fuel Lewandowski to put an exclamation point on Butler's 2013-14 season.

Against playoff-bound South Fayette Monday night at Butler High School, Lewandowski scored a team-high 13 points to help the Golden Tornado cap its season with a 43-39 non-section win.

Butler coach Matt Clement feels like Lewandowski has started to show major improvement in the second half of the season.

Lewandowski agrees.

“That's the way I feel. I started off slow, not the way I wanted to,” said Lewandowski, who also grabbed eight rebounds. “Then as the year went on, my teammates started to help me out more, it gave me confidence. That helped me get my shot down.”

Being able to make shots was something the Golden Tornado badly needed early against South Fayette (12-9).

In the opening 73 seconds, the Lions used their press to build an 8-0 lead.

Butler responded with an 8-0 run of its own, starting when Lewandowski converted a layup off an offensive rebound. He capped the run with a 3-pointer to tie the game with 5:04 left in the first quarter.

Falling behind early wasn't something that would easily rattle the Golden Tornado.

“Unfortunately, we have a lot of practice falling behind six or seven or eight to nothing,” Clement said. “I made three subs, they got a couple buckets, turnovers and a couple of turnovers. That got the game back to even. Then we played an even game.”

Butler (7-15) made seven 3-pointers and forced the Lions to switch their defense.

“They didn't handle our press early. You're going to give up open shots with the press, that's why we don't use it often,” South Fayette coach Rich Bonnaure said. “Then No. 11 (Lewandowski) hit a couple of 3s against the press, so we didn't press quite as much after that.”

The game was tied at 25 at halftime and went back-and-forth in the third quarter.

Cory Wheeler, one of Butler's two seniors, gave the Golden Tornado the left they needed. Tied at 31 with 1:45 left in the third quarter, Wheeler put Butler ahead with a 3-pointer.

On the Golden Tornado's last possession of the quarter, he added another to put Butler ahead 37-31.

“We had to stay with it, stay confident. We knew we'd make our shots,” Lewandowski said. “We had to play hard and solid defense.”

Down the stretch, Butler had to dig in defensively. South Fayette cut the lead to 41-39 with 2:09 left on a jumper by Pat Brady.

The Lions just couldn't seal their chances. Two missed shots and a turnover allowed the Golden Tornado to hold on.

Butler, which went 3 for 10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, got free throws from Keenan Krause and Nick Patten to seal the win.

“We didn't back down to their physicality. At times it got a little chippier than you want,” Clement said. “Most teams back down to their physicality, which helps them win a lot of games.”

SOUTH FAYETTE 39

Jack Relihan 4 0-1 9, Brett Brumbaugh 4 0-3 8, Justin Watson 5 3-4 14, Jake Thomas 1 1-1 3, George Slater 0 0-0 0, Sam Guadagnino 0 0-0, Matt O'Rourke 0 0-0 0, Matt Thomas 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 4-11 39.

BUTLER 43

Rich Marnic 0 0-0 0, Keenan Krause 0 3-5 2, Nick Patten 1 1-5 4, Cory Wheeler 3 1-2 9, Mark Gross 2 0-0 4, Tyler Frederick 1 0-0 2, Justice Lewandowski 4 2-2 13, Andrew Paterno 3 2-2 9, Eric Hindman 0 0-2 0. Totals: 15 8-18 43.

South Fayette 14 11 6 8 — 39

Butler 15 10 12 6 — 43

3-point goals: South Fayette 2 (Relihan, Brady); Butler 7 (Lewandowski 3, Wheeler 2, Patten, Paterno)