BUTLER TWP — Like father, like son.

Only son did one better.

Knoch graduate and Butler County Community College sophomore point guard Austin Miller recently sank 16 of 16 free throws in the Pioneers’ 92-71 loss to Potomac State.

That effort broke a BC3 record for free throw perfection in a game that stood for nearly 38 years. The previous mark of 15 of 15 was set in February of 1977 by Bill Miller.

Austin’s father.

“I made 14 of 15 in a game earlier this season and Dad was teasing me that I didn’t get his record,” Austin said. “It was pretty cool when I actually did it.

“When that (Potomac State) game was going on, I didn’t know exactly how many free throws I shot. I knew I hadn’t missed one and had to be getting close to his record.

“When I made the 16th, I glanced at him in the stands and he said I just broke it. I’ll never forget that,” he added.

Bill Miller, who is BC3’s golf coach, was point guard for the Pioneers during the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons. His second year was the first time the program ever finished above .500 (16-9).

“Tom Beckett (now athletic director at Yale) was our coach,” Bill Miller recalled.”I averaged maybe 14 points and five assists per game.

“Austin’s older brother (Corey Miller) played here, too. This is where Austin wanted to come as well.”

Penn State Behrend and other schools talked to Miller prior to his decision to follow in the family’s footsteps at BC3.

“He wanted to stay local and he wanted to play for Dick Hartung,” Miller’s father said.

Austin is hopeful of playing basketball at a four-year school next year. He is studying metrology at BC3.

So far this season, he is shooting 86 percent at the line — hitting 53 of 65 free throws — and is averaging 26 points per game. The latter figure is third-highest in the NJCAA.

“Austin had a great year last year and he’s playing even better this year,” Pioneers coach Hartung said. “He gets to the bucket in good shape and gets himself to the line as a result.”

Austin has been a stellar free throw shooter for a long time. He finished second in the state in the Knights of Columbus Hoop Shoot at age 14.

“He tied for first at the state finals by hitting 23 of 25,” Bill Miller said. “A kid from Bishop Canevin did the same thing and they had a five-shot playoff. Austin made four shots, the other kid made all five.”

The Pioneers have yet to win a game this season, but Austin believes the wins are coming.

“We’re playing the most difficult schedule in school history,” he said. “We’ll be going up against more (NJCAA) Division III teams coming up and I think we’ll do fine.”

In the meantime, he’ll keep fine-tuning the court skills he originally learned from his father.

“My dad’s had a huge influence on my basketball — him more than anybody,” Austin said. “Growing up, he took me to the Cubs Hall all the time. He helped coach my fourth, fifth and sixth-grade teams.

“I’d shoot 100 free throws every day. I don’t do quite that many now, but I still practice them every day. That practice pays off.”

It paid off by snatching his father’s record away.

“It was hard to believe it took 38 years for somebody to break it ... and it’s still in the family,” Bill Miller said.