For the second time in a week, Butler knocked off the second-ranked team in its respective classification.
Last Thursday, the Golden Tornado (7-4) defeated then-WPIAL Class AAAA No. 2 Shaler. Last night, Butler cruised to a 64-49 victory against Class AA No. 2 Aliquippa (7-4) in the championship game of the Butler tournament.
Blake Anderson led Butler with 20 points, drilling two 3-pointers, and the Hartung brothers, Noah (14 points) and Nate (11), combined for 25.
Herb Pope led Aliquippa with 21 points.
Other top boys' games
Zack Kostorick scored 21 points but it wasn't enough as Class AAA No. 3 North Catholic (10-2) fell, 41-40, against South Holland Thornwood (Ill.) at the State Farm Classic at Bloomington-Normal Ill. Thornwood's Lonte Hall hit a 3-pointer with 2 seconds left to hand the Trojans the loss.
Travis McBride hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to propel Class AAAA No. 4 McKeesport (11-1) to a 49-46 win against Class A No. 3 Duquesne (7-5) in the championship game of the McKeesport tournament. Asown Sayles led McKeesport with 14 points.
Quaker Valley juniors Ryan Courneen, Amir Johnson and Ryann Bradford all scored 19 points to help the Class AA No. 4 Quakers (9-1) to a 71-61 win against Mars (8-4) in the championship of the Mars tournament.
Class AAAA No. 5 North Allegheny (8-3) survived a tough test last night as it slipped past City League No. 3 Perry, 65-56, in the championship game of the North Allegheny tournament. North Allegheny was a model in balance, as Doug Dzambo had 13 points and Tim Crouch, Brad Vlassich and Ryan Tiesi all scored 12. Perry (4-7) was led by Brian Wilson's 20 points.
Class A No. 4 Serra (8-1) defeated East Allegheny (2-8), 62-51, at the East Allegheny tournament. Matt Litzinger led Serra with 17 points. Jordan Cleary and Marc Rozanski each had 13 for Serra. Cleary is the son of Serra girls' coach Bill Cleary and Rozanski is the son of Serra boys' coach Bob Rozanski.
Stars of the night
Yough senior Ben McCauley, a North Carolina State recruit, scored 38 points and pulled down 20 rebounds to lift Yough (7-4) to a 60-54 victory against Class AAA No. 3 Blackhawk (5-7) in the seventh-place game of the Blackhawk tournament. Blackhawk senior Tyler Pete had five 3-pointers and finished with 25 points.
McCauley had 18 points against Jackson (Ohio) yesterday morning, in a game that had to be continued because of a power failure Tuesday night.
Nick Sefscik scored 26 points and Stu Anglum had 19 points and 12 rebounds to push Shaler (8-2) to an 84-67 win against Cuyahoga Falls (Ohio) in the Brooke (W.Va.) tournament.
Balanced attack
Class AAAA No. 3 Penn Hills (8-4) had six players score in double-figures in a 95-59 victory against Cornell (5-6) in the consolation game of the North Allegheny tournament. Kenny Lewis and Brandon Carter each had 13 points for the Indians, Jeff Abraham netted 12, David Harvey had 11 and Gerald Warrick and Chad Parker both had 10.
Milestone
Neshannock coach Jim Smiley earned his 350th career victory as the Lancers (7-5) defeated West Middlesex, 82-71, in the championship of the West Middlesex tournament.
Hot shots
Players with four or more 3-pointers: Mike Hawkins, Northgate, 5; Donovan Larmins, Greater Works Academy 5; Tyler Pete, Blackhawk, 5; J.R. Johnson, West Mifflin, 4; Josh Crum, Mohawk, 4; Matt Palmer, Sewickley Academy, 4; Nick Sefscik, Shaler, 4.
First Published: December 30, 2004, 5:00 a.m.