BUTLER TWP — One of the goals for the Butler girls basketball team is to keep its opponents under 40 points a game.

Blanking a team for more than 11 minutes will help get you there.

Trailing Pine-Richland 24-23 late in the second quarter, the Tornado ripped off 21 consecutive points en route to a 53-33 victory in a Section 3-AAAA game.

"We have to, defensively, play hard, smart and not get into foul trouble, and (Tuesday) we did that," said Butler coach Dorothea Epps.

"We're still trying to find a way to play 32 minutes," said Pine-Richland coach Sherri McConnell. "We showed (Tuesday) we were capable of doing it for a half."

Butler (12-2, 5-0) held a 15-9 lead early in the second quarter before the Rams (1-12, 1-5) used a pair of 3-pointers by Tricia Adamczyk sandwiched around two free throws by Chelsea Young to surge to a 17-15 lead.

Consecutive baskets by Maria Baroffio gave the Tornado the lead back and the Tornado held a 21-18 edge with 2:44 left in the half.

Pine-Richland, however, got a spark off the bench from Emma Richert, who buried two 3-pointers to help the Rams take a 24-23 lead with 1:12 left.

"We knew (Adamczyk) could shoot, so we tried to stay tight on her," said Epps. "(Richert) surprised us with her 3s, so we made an adjustment at halftime."

After that, it was all Butler.

A 3-pointer by Baroffio and a Lyndsy Day basket with five seconds left gave Butler a 28-24 lead at the break.

The Tornado came out even stronger, outscoring the Rams 12-0 in the third quarter, thanks to three-point plays by Baroffio and Achesinski and a 3-pointer by Julie Ehrman.

When Achesinski and Ehrman opened the fourth quarter with baskets, Butler opened a 44-24 advantage.

"We're an inexperienced group," said McConnell. (Monday night) we led Shaler 12-11, but they went on a 28-3 run. It was déjà vu."

Sydney Wilson, the Rams' starting center, had gotten into early foul trouble, picking up her second with 2:45 left in the first quarter and her fourth with 2:34 left in the third quarter.

"She gives us a big presence on defense," said McConnell. "She's a good threat for us. That took her aggressiveness away. She got tentative, and that hurt us late."

Butler, which sank 21-of-24 free throws, was trying to recover from a little-too-close 36-32 win over North Hills Monday.

"We needed to go right back to the gym," said Epps. "Giving up a big lead and narrowly escaping, we needed to get ourselves back out there."

PINE-RICHLAND 33

Chelsea Young 0 2-2 2, Sydney Wilson 4 2-4 10, Michelle Humes 0 0-0 0, Tricia Adamczyk 3 0-0 8, Amanda Reed 0 0-0 0, Katie Wise 0 3-6 3, Emma Richert 3 0-0 8, Anna Karr 0 2-2 2, Emily Karr 0 0-0 0, Caitlin Jordan 0 0-0 0, Christin Bridge 0 0-0 0. Totals: 10 9-14 33.

BUTLER 53

Rachel Barry 1 3-4 5, Ashley Nocera 0 4-4 4, Amy Achesinski 6 4-5 16, Maria Baroffio 4 4-5 13, Samantha Karns 0 0-0 0, Julie Ehrman 3 0-0 7, Lyndsy Day 1 2-2 4, Abby Herrit 0 0-0 0, Michelle Ritchey 0 0-0 0, Elizabeth Schultz 0 0-0 0, Kelly Crater 0 2-2 2, Jen Lesniewski 0 0-0 0, Karissa King 0 2-2 2, Emily Miller 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 21-24 53.

3-point goals:

Adamczyk 2, Richert 2; Baroffio, Ehrman

JV:

Butler, 34-24 (B: Erica Miller 10, Karissa King 9)

Friday:

New Castle at Butler (as part of girls-boys doubleheader)