BUTLER TWP — An early bucket was followed by an early disaster.

Butler guard Caitlin Baxter drove to the hoop for a layup seconds into the Golden Tornado's girls basketball game against North Hills Saturday afternoon.

The Indians (9-6, 4-3) responded by scoring 26 of the game's next 29 points and ran away from the Tornado, 56-23.

The 23 points marked a season-low for Butler (3-11, 1-6), which dropped a 61-24 decision at North Hills earlier this season.

“This is a big step backward for us,” Butler coach Dorothea Epps said.

The Tornado had won two of its previous three games, including their first Section 3-AAAA triumph of the year, a 45-34 decision over Seneca Valley.

But after Baxter's bucket — her only one of the day — North Hills scored 10 points in less than two minutes.

“We came out ready to play,” Indians coach Tom Sandherr said. “I talked to the girls about how Butler would be better than they were the first time we played.

“We had to come out of the gate strong and we did that.”

Butler had 26 turnovers — 11 in the first quarter — to North Hills' 14. The Indians won going away despite not scoring a field goal in the fourth quaerter.

North Hills went on a 17-3 run to begin the first quarter and a 15-0 run to start the third. The Indians sank 19 of 26 shots in those quaerters, three of 19 in the second and fourth periods.

“That's how we've been, up and down,” Epps said. “The way we're begnning halves like that ... As coaches, we have to wonder how badly these girls want to win, how committed they are to winning.

“That's a question they should probably be asking themselves right now.”

Ali Patton scored 13 points to lead North Hills. Jess Rectenwald added 12 points and six rebounds. Emma Wingerd had seven of 33 Indians rebounds.

“Our defense forced a lot of mistakes and we score a lot in transition,” Sandherr said. “Our halfcourt sets aren't always effective, but when our transition game is going, we do pretty well.”

That transition game was set up by Butler turnovers.

“We had so many turnovers in the first quarter ... They're killing us,” Epps said.

MacKenzie O'Donnell scored seven points to lead Butler. Jasmine Bailey had seven of 35 Tornado rebounds.

Butler shot only 15 percent (seven of 45) from the field.

NORTH HILLS 56Ali Patton 5-5 2-3 13, Emma Wingerd 3-7 1-1 7, Megan Hans 2-10 0-0 5, Jess Rectenwald 5-13 1-3 12, Emily Jamison 3-3 0-0 6, Jordan Garth 1-3 2-6 4, Kaylee Zozos 1-1 2-4 4, Lea Sullivan 2-3 0-1 5.

Totals: 22-45 8-18 56.

BUTLER 23Natalie Barkus 1-3 0-0 2, Megan McLaughlin 90-1 0-0 0, MacKenzie O'Donnell 2-8 3-4 7, Sam Marak 0-4 0-0 0, Shelby Johnston 0-2 1-2 1, Jasmine Bailey 1-11 0-1 2, Emily Eyth 1-4 0-1 3, Ali Houk 1-3 0-0 2, Caitlin Baxter 1-9 4-4 6.

Totals: 7-45 8-12 23.

North Hills 22 6 23 5—56Butler 5 7 7 4—233-point goals: North Hills 4 (Patton, Hans, Rectenwald, Sullivan; Butler 1 (Eyth).

Monday: Butler at Shaler