BUTLER TWP— Butler got its big man back — and its losing streak is gone.

Senior center Mike Pratkanis returned from a sprained ankle to record 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots Friday night, leading the Golden Tornado to a 58-38 boys basketball win over Shaler.

Pratkanis missed three quarters of one game and all of three others — all Butler losses — before returning to practice Thursday.

"I got tired of losing,"Pratkanis said. "Most of those losses were so close. ... I had to get back out there."

Butler coach Joe Lewandowski was happy to see his 6-foot-7 center on the floor, but was shocked by his performance.

"I was hoping Mike could give us a few rebounds, a few stops,"Lewandowski said. "Those two section losses (by two points to North Allegheny and in overtime at New Castle), another stop or two would have made the difference.

"Never in my wildest imagination did I expect him to do this."

Pratkanis wasn't so surprised, however.

"I was ready to play tonight,"he said. "I was anxious to play. We needed this game.

"My ankle's sore right now. It was sore while I was playing. It's more discomfort than anything else. When I made certain moves, it hurt. I just have to play through it."

The Tornado (10-7, 3-5) led only 24-23 at halftime, but Butler seized control in the third quarter, scoring the first 13 points.

Shaler (10-8, 4-5) never got the deficit out of double digits.

Cody Fleeger started the flurry by nailing a 3-pointer. Pratkanis stuck back an offensive rebound and Jeff Slater drove the length of the floor for a layup off a turnover.

APratkanis trey and another by Fleeger hiked the Butler lead to 37-23 with 3:30 left in the period. The Tornado advantage peaked at 52-29 with 3:44 left in the game.

"We turned the ball over a couple of times and they converted them into points,"Shaler coach Howie Ruppert said. "We lost our composure. We played terrible in the second half."

Nick Rossmiller contributed 14 points, eight rebounds and four steals for Butler. Fleeger had 12 points and five assists.

Dan Taylor paced the Titans with 11 points, hitting three 3-pointers. Ben Altmeyer, who scored 35 points in Shaler's 60-58 win over Butler earlier this season, scored just 10 points.

Butler had a 32-22 edge in rebounding. Both teams had 16 turnovers.

"All week in practice I reminded the kids that Altmeyer scored 35 on us,"Lewandowski said. "That's the most anybody's ever scored on us.

"I don't think he was the same after he hit his head. His game seemed off a little bit."

Altmeyer stumbled and fell in the backcourt late in the first quarter, striking the back of his head on the floor. He left the game briefly, but returned.

Dan Wirkowski, perhaps Shaler's biggest scoring threat, was held to four points, sinking only two of 10 shots.

"Cody Fleeger has taken it upon himself to guard the best scorer on the other team in every game we play,"Lewandowski said. "Nobody in the section has gone off on him yet.

"But it felt good to get Pratkanis back. Not only is he good for 13 points, 12 rebounds, a few blocked shots a game, but there's no way to judge how many shots he alters or how many times opponents see him in there and kick the ball back out. He's a difference maker."

Perhaps Ruppert said it best.

"He doesn't make a different to us. No opposing player does,"Shaler's coach said. "But he makes a difference to them."

SHALER 38Ben Altmeyer 3-12 3-5 10, Jesse Della Valle 2-4 3-3 7, Dan Wirkowski 2-10 0-0 4, Drew Stanny 1-3 0-0 2, Dan Taylor 4-6 0-0 11, Jeff Szczypinski 1-1 0-0 2, Matt Pendleton 0-1 0-0 0, J.T. Schwartz 0-2 0-0 0, Steve Wirkowski 0-1 0-0 0, Greg Feehan 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 14-41 6-8 38

BUTLER 58Jeff Slater 2-5 1-2 5, Cody Fleeger 5-9 0-0 12, Austin Snodgrass 0-1 0-0 0, Logan Renwick 0-2 0-0 0, Ryan Melder 0-1 0-0 0, Christos Klutinoty 2-5 0-0 5, Nick Powers 1-2 0-1 2, Bob Swartwout 0-10-0 0, Mike Pratkanis 5-8 8-12 20, Nick Rossmiller 6-7 0-0 14. Totals: 21-41 9-15 58

Shaler 14 9 2 13—38Butler 13 11 15 19—583-point goals: Altmeyer, Taylor 3; Fleeger 2, Klutinoty, Pratkanis 2, Rossmiller 2

JV: Butler, 62-55 (B:Logan Renwick 14, John Noel 12, Brian Jendesky 11, S:Zack Kreke 28, Greg Friends 10)

Tuesday: Butler at Seneca Valley