Knoch basketball: Knights control win over Butler

December 04, 2025 Last Updated: December 04, 2025 10:53 PM Sports

Knoch’s Vincent DeFelice (30) shoots over Butler’s Zavyr Gregory (20) in a boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

BUTLER TWP — Butler went on a mini-run, then Knoch ran away with the game.

Trailing by six at halftime of its boys basketball home opener Thursday night, the Golden Tornado began the third quarter with a trey by Stainton Forbes and a bucket by Andrew Gettinger to knot the game at 30. The Knights responded with a 12-2 run that helped put together a 53-41 victory.

“We’ve had coaching changes, personnel changes, a lot of adjusting going on,” Knoch coach Joe Lafko said. “This win means a lot to us. I thought our rebounding and defense were the keys tonight.

“We did a great job defensively on their two big scorers.”

Knoch (2-1) never trailed after Teegan Finucan sank a free throw for a 7-6 lead with 2:16 left in the opening quarter. Once Butler (1-1) tied the game early in the third period, the Knights went to work.

Finucan drained a trey. Liam Avon sank a layup. Vinnie DeFelice stuck back an offensive rebound. Roman DeFelice canned a free throw. Layups by Avon and Jackson McCool gave Knoch a 42-32 lead with 52 seconds left in the quarter.

Knoch’s head coach Joe Lafko, right, talks with Teegan Finucan (21) and Vincent DeFelice (30) during a Knoch foul shot in a boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Cael Hanley sank a 3-pointer to end the quarter for Butler. Down by seven entering the fourth quarter, the Tornado failed to register a field goal in the final eight minutes. They were out-rebounded by 13 in the second half.

“The way we pounded the boards in the second half made a big difference,” Lafko said.

“We had the early spurt in the third and just didn’t follow up,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “We didn’t rebound, Andrew (Gettinger) picked up his fourth foul and the whole thing turned into a negative.”

Gettinger picked up three fouls in the first quarter and sat most of the remainder of the half. He fouled out of the contest with 7:49 remaining in the fourth period.

“He played maybe 10 minutes tonight,” Clement said of Gettinger. “That’s one big factor against us right away. You can mix a lot of things into this one. We’ve had four big guys out with injuries in practice, so we didn’t have much cohesiveness.

“Stainton and Andrew had open shots early and didn’t connect. That’s not like them. But we knew Knoich was good. Nothing they did surprised us tonight and I’m sure they can play better, too.”

Butler shot less than 25% from the field, sinking only 11 of 46 shots.

Knoch’s Jackson McCool (4) takes it to the rim in a boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

“Our rebounding was big tonight,” Vinnie DeFelice said. “So was our defense on Forbes and Gettinger. We did a great job on them.

“Our schools are cross-town rivals, only 10 minutes apart. We know their kids and they know ours. That’s why it was great to get this win. This was important to us.”

Vinnie DeFelice led the Knights with 15 points and six rebounds. Derek Lang had 12 points and nine boards, Finucan had 10 points while junior point guard Roman DeFelice racked up seven assists and three steals.

“Roman sees the floor so well. That’s what impresses me about him,” Lafko said. “He takes care of trhe ball.”

Knoch had only one turnover in the first half, five for the game before Lafko pulled his starters late in the fourth quarter.

Forbes had 11 points and four rebounds to pace Butler.

“This wasn’t our team out there tonight. We’re a work in progress with a lot of kids playing varsity basketball for the first time,” Clement said. “But this was the team that went out there and lost.”

KNOCH 53

Derek Lang 4-8 3-6 12, Jackson McCool 1-2 2-2 4, Roman DeFelice 1-6 2-4 4, Teegan Finucan 4-15 1-2 10, Liam Avon 4-5 0-0 8, Vinnie DeFelice 6-10 3-6 15. Totals: 20-46 11-20 53.

BUTLER 41

Cael Hanley 2-7 0-0 6, Jaydon Wilbert 1-8 4-4 7, Jace Gratzmiller 1-2 3-3 5, Mavrik Clement 1-3 2-4 4, Stainton Forbes 4-13 2-3 11, Boden Lenyk 1-2 2-2 5, Zane Gregory 0-0 0-0 0, Joe Porneluzi 0-0 0-0 0, Andrew Gettinger 1-9 1-1 3, Tobias Geibel 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 11-46 14-17 41.

Knoch 9 21 12 11 - 53

Butler 6 18 11 6 - 41

3-point goals: Knoch 2 (Lang, Finucan), Butler 5 (Hanley 2, Wilbert, Forbes, Lenyk)

JV: Butler, 50-45, OT (K: Owen Gillis 12, Dylan Avon 10; B: Karsten Lenyk 11, Edan Singer 10)

Saturday: Knoch at New Castle

Monday: Bishop Canevin at Butler

Rob McGraw

Knoch’s Vincent DeFelice (30) shoots over Butler’s Zavyr Gregory (20) in a boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Butler’s Andrew Gettinger (35) shoots over Knoch’s Jackson McCool in a boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Knoch’s Jackson McCool (4) takes it to the rim in a boys basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Butler’s Stainton Forbes drives to the rim on a fast break during a boys basketball game Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw