ROSS TWP — The good news:Butler sank 10 3-point field goals Tuesday night.

The bad news:It didn't do anything else.

The Golden Tornado made only three two-point field goals, seven of 20 free throws and turned the ball over 17 times in the first half on their way to a 68-43 boys basketball loss to North Hills.

"We didn't handle their pressure well at all,"Butler coach Joe Lewandowski said. "Seventeen turnovers in the first half — you just can't win a basketball game doing that."

Butler (4-4, 0-1) took a 5-0 lead in the first two minutes when Sean Lowry canned a short jumper from the baseline and Jereme Buffington knocked down a trey.

The Tornado wouldn't score another field goal until the third quarter. Butler didn't notch another two-point bucket until Cody Fleeger stuck back an offensive rebound with six minutes left in the game.

North Hills (3-5, 1-1) went on a 33-2 run, outscoring Butler 19-0 in the second quarter, to close the first half with a 33-7 lead.

The Indians' victory snapped a four-game losing streak.

"This was our first home game in three weeks,"North Hills coach Buzz Gabos said. "This is our house. We own this house. Our kids really bought into that tonight."

"They came out focused and ready to play,"Lewandowski admitted. "They took it to us."

The Indians pressured Butler from the opening tip, scoring on numerous fast-break layups off turnovers during the first half.

"We saw (Butler) play three times,"Gabos said. "The teams that pressured them had success against them. And they came out in a 1-2-2 scramble, which we just saw at New Castle.

"Our kids were well-prepared for what they saw tonight."

With the game even at 5, Lowry was called for a charging foul — his second foul of the night — and the Tornado's top offensive threat and floor leader went to the bench with 4:24 left in the first quarter.

Lowry did not return to the floor in the first half.

"Without Sean out there, we didn't seem to have any stability on the floor,"Lewandowski said. "That was disappointing."

During the second half, Butler turned up the pressure on defense as Lewandowski continually rotated five-player lineups into the game.

"I was just looking for combinations," he said. "We had to keep subbing to maintain that pace of play."

Dante Anglin, a 6-foot-4 junior center, paced North Hills with 16 points and seven rebounds. David McIntyre added 14 points and sophomore guard Cody Patton had 11 points and seven rebounds.

The Indians enjoyed a 35-20 advantage on the boards.

Derek Stobert paced the Tornado with seven points — hitting two treys —and did not play until the fourth quarter.

Lewandowski shrugged off the loss as a learning experience.

"Now our guys know what section basketball is all about,"he said. "We have a next-game mentality. Get ready for the next game, learn from the last game."

BUTLER 43Mike Pratkanis 1-3 2-2 5, Cody Fleeger 2-7 0-0 5, Brian Deangelis 0-1 2-2 2, Sean Lowry 2-6 0-2 5, Chris Klutinoty 2-6 0-2 6, Aaron Dorondo 0-0 1-4 1, Bill Coleman 0-1 0-0 0, Jace Lumley 0-1 0-2 0, Jereme Buffington 1-2 0-0 3, Matt Maloy 1-2 0-0 2, Ryan Melder 0-0 0-0 0, Zach Cuffman 0-1 0-2 0, Clark Liebler 1-1 0-0 3, Jeff Slater 1-3 1-2 4, Derek Stobert 2-2 1-2 7. Totals: 13-36 7-20 43

NORTH HILLS 68Cody Patton 4-7 2-3 11, Kyle Henny 2-3 0-0 6, Brandon Paulik 2-5 1-2 5, Greg Sencak 1-2 0-0 2, R.J. Miller 3-7 2-4 8, Justin Heinauer 0-1 0-0 0, Jim Thomas 1-3 0-0 2, Matt Timko 2-3 0-0 4, Dante Anglin 7-8 2-4 16, Dave McIntyre 5-8 4-6 14. Totals: 27-47 11-19 68

Butler 7 0 17 19—43North Hills 14 19 14 21—683-point goals: Pratkanis, Fleeger, Lowry, Klutinoty 2, Buffington, Liebler, Slater, Stobert 2; Henny 2, Patton

JV: Butler, 48-27 (B-David Schmidt 14, NH-Justin Heinauer 10)

Friday: Shaler at Butler