BUTLER TWP - Butler's boys basketball team got off to a fast start Tuesday night in its section opener against Pine-Richland.

Its second start was even faster.

The Golden Tornado began the first quarter with a 9-0 run, then didn't allow the Rams a field goal during the first 6:55 of the third quarter.

The quick starts paved the way to a 66-52 victory.

"I was more pleased by the way we started the third quarter," Butler coach Joe Lewandowski said. "In both of our losses, we didn't control play during the first few minutes of the third period.

"That was our best quarter tonight."

Pine-Richland (2-4, 0-1) overcame its early 9-0 deficit to pull within 11-8 with 2:18 left in the opening quarter when freshman Brett Matson came off the bench to sink a pair of 3-pointers to get the Rams close.

But they could get no closer.

The Tornado's Nate Hartung sank a pair of free throws and Adam Monday came off the bench to drain a 3-pointer just before the end of the quarter to give Butler a 16-10 lead.

The Tornado built the lead to 13 in the second quarter. The margin peaked at 50-27 with 1:21 left in the third period before Butler (4-2, 1-0) coasted to victory.

"We've had slow starts in the first quarter a few times, and that can happen when you have a bunch of first-year varsity players on the floor," Pine-Richland coach Dave Krakoff said.

"We can't afford to let our players take three or four minutes to get their feet wet before they start to compete," he added.

The Rams graduated all five starters from last year's 17-8 team. They return only one letterman - Billy Massaro - and he missed some time Tuesday after tweaking an ankle in the third quarter.

Senior guard Jerrod Markle paced Butler with 16 points. He added five rebounds and became the fourth different Tornado player to lead the team in scoring for a game.

"That's probably going to keep happening," Markle said. "Just about everybody on this team can score."

Nate Hartung added 15 points and six boards while Noah Hartung had 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Jade Burka had seven rebounds and Blake Anderson added seven assists.

"Burka's led us in rebounding every game and he's not even on the floor all the time," Lewandowski said.

Matson came off the bench to lead Pine-Richland with 14 points. Greg Andrle added 12 points and five rebounds.

Butler sank 25 of 46 field goal attempts. Pine-Richland hit just eight of 34 shots in the first three quarters.

"Everybody has matchup problems when you're going up against a 400-pound kid," Krakoff said. "I was disappointed with our failure to go right at Nate tonight. Next time we play Butler, we have to do that."

The Tornado have connected on 52 of 88 shots - 59 percent - in their past two games.

"The trend in high school basketball these days is to get up and down the floor and shoot the 3," Lewandowski said. "We like to work the ball inside first because we believe we have three big guys - Nate, Jade Burka and Sean Lowry - who can score.

"Our guards have been very patient with their shot selection and that's showing."

So is the team chemistry.

"That all started last summer," Markle said. "After barely missing the playoffs, everybody's been together since."

Pine-Richland had 12 turnovers to Butler's season-low 11. The Tornado had a 30-26 edge in rebounding.

PINE-RICHLAND 52

Brandon Bove 0-2 2-2 2, Greg Anderle 3-8 5-5 12, Nick Madia 0-1 0-0 0, Brian Felker 1-9 5-8 7, Blaise Massucci 0-4 0-0 0, Brett Matson 5-7 2-4 14, Billy Massaro 1-3 1-2 3, Matt Blocki 0-1 0-0 0, Eric Duerr 3-7 5-7 11, Dom Lombardi 0-2 1-2 1, Eric Schlagel 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 14-46 21-30 52

BUTLER 66

Nate Hartung 6-11 3-4 15, Noah Hartung 4-9 3-4 11, Nick Martini 0-2 0-0 0, Jerrod Markle 6-9 1-2 16, Adam Monday 3-5 0-0 8, Blake Anderson 1-3 0-1 2, Sean Lowry 3-4 2-4 8, Jade Burka 2-3 2-2 6. Totals: 25-46 11-17 66

3-point goals: Anderle, Matson 2; Markle 3, Monday 2

JV: Pine-Richland, 53-48 (P-Nick Madia 16, Matt Blocki 10; B-Michael Pratkanis 15, Cody Fleeger 12)

Friday: North Allegheny @ Butler