You hear of impact wins all the time — the type of win that jump-starts the turnaround to a season or a long winning streak.

You rarely hear of impact losses — a game that has the opposite effect.

Butler’s 56-55 boys basketball loss at undefeated Pine-Richland has the potential to be such a game.

The loss never should have been a loss. The Rams should not be undefeated. The Golden Tornado should have entered Friday night’s game with North Allegheny on an emotional high instead of coming off an emotional mess.

Such is life in this world of sports, however.

Butler scrapped hard through four quarters Tuesday night at Pine-Richland. The game was scrappy and physical throughout by both teams.

For the final six minutes of that game, neither team ever led by more than three points. Players were driving to the hoop on both sides.

How many free throws were a result of that aggressive play? One.

That’s one free throw combined by both teams in the entire fourth quarter.

On one hand, you could say the officials let them play, that they recognized the tightness of the contest and figured they’d let the players decide the issue.

That’s what most everyone wants in those situations, right?

But game officials are on the court for a reason — to officiate the game.

To make sure everyone is playing by the rules.

When one guy slams into another guy causing the ball to come loose in football, that’s creating a fumble.

When one guy slams into another guy causing the ball to come loose in basketball, that’s committing a foul.

Not on this night.

Both teams were doing it and getting away with it. Neither should have, especially down the stretch.

Pine-Richland forced consecutive Butler turnovers in the final seconds. On both occasions, a Butler player should have been standing at the foul line with a chance to ice the game.

The Tornado turned the ball over only a handful of times prior to the final minute. They didn’t all of a sudden forget how to handle the ball.

Regardless, Pine-Richland had a chance to sink a game-winning shot and missed it. Phil Jurkovec gamely left his feet and put the errant shot in the hoop — but after the horn sounded.

Great effort by Jurkovec, but it was too late. The official nearest the play emphatically waved the shot off.

He was over-ruled following an officials’ huddle at midcourt. And Butler had a huge would-be road section win taken away.

An impact loss?

Time will tell.

This is an extremely competitive section. If Butler winds up missing out on a playoff spot by one game, this will be that game.

But sometimes you have to make your own breaks.

Butler has a very good, entertaining basketball team. Its resiliency will be tested. And that exam starts now.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle