BUTLER TWP — Share and share alike.

That may not be the motto of Butler’s girls basketball team, but it’s how the Golden Tornado played in Tuesday night’s 66-45 home victory over Erie.

Five Butler players had two or more assists and all but 10 of the Tornado’s 26 field goals were scored off assists.

“We’re learning to play together and work with each other,” senior Justine Forbes said. “We had a ton of assists in this game. That’s how we’re going to be most effective, sharing the basketball.”

Forbes led the Tornado (1-2) with 20 points and eight rebounds. Butler doubled Erie (0-2) in rebounds overall, 32-16, and did not miss a free throw until the fourth quarter.

“In basketball, as in life, you make the extra pass, the extra pass comes back to you,” Butler coach Mark Maier said. “Make a charitable contribution, you hit on a scratch-off ticket somewhere down the road. That’s the way it works.

We didn’t take many bad shots tonight. We only hit five treys, too, so we weren’t relying on the outside shot.

“We attacked the basket well, distributed the ball well. This is a good first win,” the coach added.

Butler led 24-18 midway through the second quarter before going on a 9-0 run. Amelia McMichael,. a sophomore, sank a pair of free throws and a trey during the run. Forbes stuck back an offensive rebound and Kelli Kovalick sank a layup.

The Tornado lead never left double digits from there. Butler had a 40-23 lead at halftime.

“These girls are getting used to each other,” Maier said. “We played 10 tonight and only two of them — Justine and Hannah Aldridge — played any kind of varsity minutes last year. The rest of these girls played junior varsity.

“Now they have to get used to the physicality and faster pace of varsity games. That’s another adjustment.”

Erie coach Lance Brown brought his team down to Butler to get his girls accustomed to the same thing.

“We’ll get there, but we’re a little behind right now,” Brown said. “Teams were allowed to begin practice on a Friday and we didn’t get going until the following Monday because of a snowstorm.

“Couple that with the gfact we’re playing five new girls this season ... We’re still trying to find our way right now.”

The Royals played 11 girls in the varsity game. Cylie Schrimper led the visitors with 13 points.

“Butler plays a physical game and they play hard,” Brown said. “That’s why we wanted to play them. You don’t learn anything by playing against bad teams. We want good competition early. For the most part, I was pleased with our effort tonight.”

McMichael contributed 17 points and six rebounds for Butler while Aldridge had 10 points and five assists. Aldridge scored all 10 of her points in the first half. Kelli Kovalick scored eight pioints and Madi McGarrah had four assists.

“Amelia passed up a couple of shots to get the ball ahead to Forbes for an easier shot,” Maier pointed out. “When a sophomore is doing that, understanding that part of the game early, that’s a good sign.”

Deaja Williams scored 10 points for Erie.

Butler hosts Kiski Area at 6 p.m. Friday as part of a girlsdboys doubleheader.

“If we keep up this energy level and play unselfishly like we did tonight, we can win a lot of games,” Forbes said.

ERIE 45

Andraya Neavins 2-7 23-7 7, Kamryn Flowers 2-4 0-0 4, Deaja Williams 5-9 0-2 10, Aubrey Neavins 0-4 0-0 0, Cylie Schrimper 6-8 1-3 13, Lex Cruz 0-2 0-0 0p, Aubrey Easterling 0-2 3-4 3, Chelsea Wayne 1-1 1-2 3, Alonii Simmons 0-1 0-0 0, Kiearra Somerville 1-3 0-0 2. Kzija Green 1-1 0-0 3. Totals: 18-42 8-16 45.

BUTLER 66

Hope Look 1-2 2-2 5, Sydney Patterson 0-1 0-0 0, Justine Forbes 9-17 1-1 20, Tori Stevenson 2-3 0-0 4, Hannah Aldridge 3-6 2-2 10, Madi McGarrah 0-2 0-1 0, Avery Maier 1-2 0-0 2, Amelia McMichael 7-10 2-2 17, Casey Clouse 0-0 0-0 0, Kelli Kovalick 3-3 2-2 8. Totals: 26-46 9-13 66.

Erie 12 11 13 9 — 45

Butler 17 23 14 12 — 66

3-point goals: Erie 1 (Green), Butler 5 (Look, Forbes, Aldridge 2, McMichael)

JV: Butler 43, Erie 26 (E: Kzija Green 11, B: Avery Maier 14)

Friday: Kiski Area at Butler, 6 p.m.