BUTLER TWP — Everything was going according to plan.

Then Butler had a blip in its play — and Hampton blasted off.

The visiting Talbots broke open a close game with a 12-2 run at the end of the first half, then controlled the second half of play in defeating the Golden Tornado, 80-52, in Section 3-AAAA boys basketball Tuesday night.

“The final score at New Castle (74-56) was not as bad as the game was,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “Tonight, the game was better than the final score.”

The Golden Tornado (2-3, 0-2) were even at 24 with the Talbots (5-0, 2-0) with 4:33 left in the first half. The score was tied four times and the lead changed hands on eight occasions up until that point.

“Butler was doing a great job,” Hampton coach Jack Lafko admitted. “They were handling our press and their zone was forcing us to make more passes than we're used to doing.

“We had to post (6-foot-8) Ryan Luther up against that zone and he's not comfortable playing with his back to the basket.”

The Talbots' 12-2 run at the end of the half turned the game, however.

David Huber scored on a lay-up off a turnover and stuck back an offensive rebound. Collin Luther began the run with a lay-up and Jack Morrison sank a pair of treys to end it.

“Turnovers hurt us tonight,” Clement said. “If we were going to turn the ball over, it had to be deep in their end, not on our side of the court.

“We missed a lay-up in there ... It just got away from us.”

Hampton quickly expanded its 10-point halftime lead in the third quarter. The Talbots led by 18 after three periods and the margin peaked at 31 (79-48) with 1:40 to play.

Ryan Luther, a Pitt recruit, scored 24 points, grabbed eight rebounds, had four steals and blocked a couple of shots. Twin brother Collin — being recruited by Albany, Air Force and Navy — had eight points and six boards.

“Division I athletes change games. That's the meat and potatoes of it,” Clement said. “But they play as a team. Other guys stepped up and made shots.”

Junior guard Joey Lafko had 13 points, Jack Morrison came off the bench to score 11 and Jack Obringer contributed 10 points and six assists.

HaToo mpton had a 35-26 rebounding edge and committed only four turnovers to Butler's 19.

“The Luther boys are smart basketball players. They've been starting since they were freshmen,” Coach Lafko said. “They can handle the ball and they know the game.”

Nick Patten paced the Tornado with 13 points and had five rebounds. Keenan Krause had nine points and six assists.

Butler sank a season-high eight treys in the game.

“They had us running around defensively and hit some outside shots,” Coach Lafko said.

But it didn't last.

“You want to stay in a game like this as long as you can because that puts more pressure on the better team,” Clement said. “I thought we came out and battled tonight.

“We took the floor at New Castle and were awe-struck. Not this time.”

Butler hosts Pine-Richland Friday before playing four consecutive non-section games.

HAMPTON 80

Nathan Hyre 1-3 0-1 2, Jack Obringer 3-8 4-4 10, Ryan Luther 10-14 4-7 24, Collin Luther 4-9 0-0 8, Hayden Seserko 1-2 0-0 3, Chandler McKinnery 0-0 1-2 1, Jack Morrison 4-7 1-1 11, David Huber 4-9 0-0 8, Joey Lafko 6-12 0-2 13, Trace McConnell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 33-64 10-17 80.

BUTLER 52

Justice Lewandowski 2-6 0-1 6, Rich Marnic 1-3 0-0 2, Arum Krause 1-4 0-0 2, Keenan Krause 3-8 2-3 9, Andrew Paterno 3-5 0-0 9, Nick Patten 4-6 3-3 13, Cory Wheeler 0-0 0-0 0, Tyler Frederick 3-5 0-1 6, Eric Hindman 1-1 0-0 2, Mark Gross 1-3 1-3 3. Totals: 19-41 6-9 52.

Hampton 15 21 24 20—80

Butler14 12 16 10—52

3-point goals: Seserko, Morrison 2, Lafko; Lewandowski 2, Paterno 3, Patten 2, K.Krause

JV: Hampton, 79-46 (H: Ben Huber 15, Jack Morrison 12, Luke Kornick 12; B: Joel Stutz 12, Tyler Frederick 11)

Friday: Pine-Richland at Butler