BUTLER TWP — Working the ball inside is what Kiski Area does best.

The Cavaliers did it to near perfection Saturday night in posting a 52-39 boys basketball non-section victory at Butler.

“That's our style of play. It's what we want to do,” Kiski coach Harry Rideout Jr. said. “When we can control the tempo like that, we can be a pretty decent ball club.”

All but two of the Cavaliers' 18 field goals were lay-ups. The other two were 3-point field goals by senior point guard Nickolas Stone, whole led Kiski (4-3) with 21 points and five assists.

When Stone, sophomore Michael Simmons and 6-foot-4 forward Adam Robison closed out the first quarter scoring with lay-ups, the Cavaliers had a 12-6 lead they never lost.

Kiski's biggest lead was 46-28 with 4:02 remaining.

“This is the most embarrassing game we've played since I took this job,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “I didn't see much effort out there on our part. Our offense was pathetic and we gave up lay-up after lay-up.

“I went to the end of our bench, tried all kinds of combinations ... It wasn't happening. Maybe I have to shorten the rotation, I don't know, but this one's on me. We obviously weren't ready to play.”

The Golden Tornado (2-5) trailed 25-17 at halftime and limited Kiski to one field goal in the third quarter. But Butler sank only three of 15 shots from the floor in that third period and managed to shave just one point off the deficit.

A 13-2 Kiski run to begin the fourth period sealed the Tornado's fate.

“We were 5 of 13 on lay-up attempts, seven of 12 at the foul line,” Clement said. “It sounds like a broken record, but every time we lose, those are the things that cost us.”

While Butler played at Pine-Richland the night before, Kiski's scheduled game was postponed Friday night.

“I'm sure they didn't have their legs today,” Rideout said of the Tornado.

Clement wasn't buying it.

“They're 16, 17 and 18 year old kids,” Clement said. “They could play basketball every day. Some will probably play at the Y tonight.”

Joe Brungo contributed 11 points and six rebounds for the Cavaliers, who return four starters from a team that was 17-7 and reached the WPIAL playoffs last year.

“We're off to a bit of a slow start and we've lost some close ones in the fourth quarter,” Rideout said. “It was nice to be able to finish one off.”

Seth Cook paced Butler with 11 points and six rebounds. Arum Krause came off the bench to score 10 points — eight in the fourth quarter — and Seth Horwat grabbed eight rebounds.

Butler had 15 turnovers, six in the first quarter. Kiski turned the ball over only three times in the first half.

“We didn't make anything happen,” Clement said. “I knew that (Kiski) team was good. I told our guys they were good. Maybe they didn't believe me.

“You only get eight home games a season and we just punted one away. No matter who you play, section, non-section ... for our seniors, this year is it. I hate to see us just give one away like this.

“I apologize to the Butler fans for this lack of effort. People paid money to come in here and watch this. I won't let it happen again. Anyone who doesn't give effort is not going to play,” the coach added.

KISKI AREA 52

Adam Robison 2-6 4-6 8, Nickolas Stone 7-11 5-5 21, Joe Brungo 3-6 5-9 11, Mitchell Murdock 2-3 0-1 4, Lincoln Clayton 2-2 0-0 4, Michael Simmons 2-3 0-0 4, Austin Schmittler 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 18-32 14-21 52.

BUTLER 39

Dom Pusateri 0-4 2-4 2, Seth Cook 3-6 5-8 11, Keenan Krause 1-5 0-0 2, Seth Horwat 1-5 0-0 2, Luke Hartung 2-6 0-0 5, Jordan Cratty 1-1 0-0 2, Zach Neudorfer 2-4 0-0 5, Shea Stobert 0-1 0-0 0, Arum Krause 5-6 0-0 10, Nick Pstten 0-1 0-0 0, Travis Reed 0-0 0-0 0, Luke Tincha 0-1 0-0 0, Mark Gross 0-0 0-0 0, Andrew Paterno 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 15-42 7-12 39.

Kiski Area 12 13 8 19—52

Butler6 11 9 13—39

3-point goals: Stone 2; Hartung, Neudorfer

JV: Butler, 56-36 (B: Andrew Paterno 14, Justice Lewandowski 11; KA: Lincoln Clayton 10)

Thursday: Butler vs. Canon McMillan at Trinity Tournament, 6 p.m.