BETHEL PARK - On Saturday, the Bethel Park girls basketball team knew how to close out a quarter - and Danielle Gratton knew how to close out a game.

Gratton scored 19 second-half points - including the first six of the fourth quarter - to help the host Black Hawks defeat Butler 57-41 in the championship final of their Tip-Off Tournament.

The Black Hawks (2-0) closed out the first quarter by scoring the final five points - including a buzzer-beater 3-pointer - to start a 9-0 run that helped erase a 12-6 deficit.

Bethel Park also outscored Butler 6-0 over the final 4:18 of the second quarter and used a buzzer-beater 3-point bank shot to close out the third quarter.

The tandem of 6-foot-1 senior guard/forward Gratton and 6-foot junior forward Maureen Hester proved to also be the Tornado's undoing.

"This game was decided on the boards," said Butler coach Dorothea Epps. "The first couple of quarters, we were able to do that, but when they were able to get the boards, that limited us.

"They also finished strong in each quarter and that was another deciding factor," Epps added.

After Bethel Park used a 10-0 run linking the second and third quarters to open a 25-18 lead with 5:53 left in the frame, Butler used a pair of baskets by Amy Achesinski underneath to kick-start an 8-2 run that pulled Butler (1-1) to within one point at 27-26.

But, a 3-point play by Hester with 2:16 left in the third stretched the Black Hawks lead to 30-26.

Kelly Miller's two free throws cut the deficit in half, but Hester and Gratton came up big with consecutive baskets for a 34-28 advantage.

Julie Ehrman sank Butler's only 3-pointer of the night with 31 seconds left before Sara Sweeney canned one in the final second of the third to give Bethel Park a 37-31 lead.

Gratton then opened the fourth quarter scoring the first three baskets for a 43-31 lead.

"You know when you have a Division I player, you have a great player," said Epps. "We did a great job holding her in the first half. She's a monster on the boards and can turn around a game."

"We really needed her to do that in the second half," said Bethel Park coach Jonna Burke. "We needed her to be on the offensive boards and we were able to get some lobs to her. We need that stuff from her."

Butler, however, responded with scores by Samantha Karns and Miller to pull to within eight points with 5:46 remaining, but the Tornado would pull no closer the rest of the way.

"We knew Butler would play a tough, hard-nosed defense," said Burke, who coached the Tornado for eight seasons before taking the helm at her alma mater last year.

"I don't know if we'll see a tougher defense than them," she added.

"We'll be fine," said Epps. "This (tournament) was a good test for us. We played a ranked team (Friday, a 56-44 win over Hempfield) then came back and played Bethel Park.

"We knew we were going to take our bumps. The only way to get better is to be tested in battle."

Notes:

Hester added 17 points for the Black Hawks, while Miller led Butler with 15 and Achesinski added 11 … Miller went down with a right knee injury with 2:48 remaining. After receiving help off the court, she sat out the remainder of the game with her knee wrapped in ice … Miller and Achesinski joined Hester on the All-Tournament team with the MVP going to Gratton.

BUTLER 41

Kelly Miller 5 5-7 15, Samantha Karns 2 2-3 6, Maria Baroffio 0 1-2 1, Amy Achesinski 5 1-3 11, Rachel Barry 1 0-0 2, Kala Schnur 0 0-0 0. Julie Ehrman 1 0-0 3, Kate DeGeorge 0 3-4 3, Ashley Nocera 0 0-0 0, Elizabeth Schultz 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 12-19 41.

BETHEL PARK 57

Samantha Loadman 1 4-4 6, Sara Sweeney 1 5-7 8, Katie Kendall 2 0-0 5, Maureen Hester 6 5-9 17, Danielle Gratton 10 1-7 21, Kathy Poploski 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 15-27 57.

3-point goals:

Ehrman; Sweeney, Kendall

Today:

Kiski Area @ Butler