BUTLER TWP — While Dick Hartung is doing double duty, he's looking for help from home.

And he's finding it.

The Butler County Community College men's and women's basketball teams are making strides under Hartung this season and Butler County players have a lot to do with it.

“Most of our players have to come from here. We'll fill in the rest with the outsiders,” Hartung said.

The Lady Pioneers improved to 4-4 Saturday with a 77-40 victory over winless CCAC North. Four former Butler High School teammates — Katresa Savisky, Rachel Doutt, Emily Wise and Casey Fleeger — scored in double figures in the win.

“(Butler High School coach) Dorothea Epps has those girls working and playing hard for her, so they come in here and work and play hard for us,” Hartung said.

BC3's men's team slipped to 2-7 with a 97-88 loss to Pennsylvania Highlands (4-8), based in Johnstown. Butler graduate Blake Anderson had 17 points, six assists and six rebounds in that contest despite playing on a sore ankle.

The Pioneer men's program won only one game in the previous two years and is coming off an 0-23 season.

“Those guys are working their butts off. We're just small and we get hurt on the boards,” Hartung said.

BC3 fell behind by 12 with five minutes to play and pulled within four with 2:24 remaining. Antawane Davis had 21 points and seven rebounds for the Pioneers. Jordan Taylor scored all 20 of his points in the second half.

“We get beat up on the boards every game,” Anderson said. “But I can feel our team getting better. Our goal is to get into the Region (XX) playoffs and I think we can do something there.”

Mars graduate Ian Hindley scored eight points and Knoch graduate Cory Miller contributed seven points and six rebounds in the loss.

The visiting Black Bears sank 29 of 37 free throws while BC3 sank nine of 16.

Joel Kaminsky paced four Pa. Highlands players in double figures with 28 points. Devin Richardson had 18 points and 11 of his team's 48 rebounds.

In the women's game, it was the Pioneers dominating the boards by a 52-29 margin. Doutt had 16 points and 16 rebounds, Savisky a career-high 29 points and nine caroms.

Wise had 12 points and seven rebounds, Fleeger 12 points, Karns City graduate Ashley Campbell nine boards.

“The competition here isn't as good as it was in high school, but we have more responsibilities here, too,” Savisky said.

Doutt agreed.

“We always had a star player at Butler and evertything ran through her, and rightfully so, because she could do everything,” Doutt said in reference to Olivia Bresnahan, now playing at Florida State.

Wise, Fleeger and Savisky combined for five treys in Saturday's win.

“This is fun because we all know each other and we're used to playing together,” Savisky said. “It's made our transition here easier.

“We're playing with some other girls as well and it's all coming together.”

Two of the Pioneers' four losses have been by margins of five and three points, respectively. Another defeat was by eight points.

“These girls have been in every game down the stretch,” Hartung said. “Honestly, they could be 8-0 right now. It's a good group and they will improve because the work ethic is there.”

“Our goal is to win the Region XX Tournament,” Doutt said. “We feel like we can play with anybody.”

BC3 had only six players in uniform Saturday as three others were unavailable. CCAC North (0-10) had just five players. Katy Turzak paced the visitors with 18 points.