Swartwout helps Butler stuff SV boys

Swartwout helps Butler stuff SV boys

BUTLER TWP — Trailing by four points and possessing the ball with a minute to play, Seneca Valley had a shot against Butler — until Bobby Swartwout stuffed it.
SV point guard Christian Durbin drove the lane for a layup with his team down 62-58. Swartwout blocked the shot, secured the ball, then called a timeout just before tumbling out of bounds with 54 seconds remaining.
The Golden Tornado sank five free throws from there in scoring a 67-60 boys basketball victory Friday night.
"That was three great plays in one," Golden Tornado coach Matt Clement said. "Blocking the shot, getting the ball and calling timeout — that was a heads-up sequence."
Butler (15-3, 8-3) started all five of its seniors, Cole Harvey, Eli Christy, Logan Renwick, Brian Jendesky and Jeff Tompkins, on Senior Night.
All five took that start seriously, especially Tompkins, who recorded 18 points — a season high— five rebounds and three assists.
"I've been waiting for this night all my life," Tompkins said. "I've always envisioned having a big game on Senior Night."
Tompkins had shoulder surgery last April and couldn't play basketball for six months.
"It killed him not being out there," Clement said. "He stuck with it, worked hard. ... Now he has a night like this on Senior Night.
"His fourth-quarter stats are crazy this year, something like 11-of-12 from the field, 10-of-11 at the line."
Butler shot out to a 10-2 lead early, lost the lead early in the second quarter and held a one-point advantage with three minutes left in the first half.
Swartwout scored the next eight points of the half, however, including two layups off fast breaks and sticking back an offensive rebound.
The Tornado never trailed again.
"This was the fewest minutes Bobby's played all year and he still scored 20," Clement said.
Renwick contributed seven of Butler's 28 rebounds.
The Tornado had lost three of four games before being idle for 10 days because of the winter storms.
"Coach wouldn't let us use that as an excuse," Tompkins said. "We had to come out focused and ready to play. These last few games are where we "
Durbin paced the Raiders (7-11, 2-8) with 23 points. Alex Maxfield added 11 points and six rebounds, while Nate Herrmann scored 11 points.
Seneca Valley dropped its fourth straight game and needs to win at Pine-Richland Saturday, defeat North Allegheny, then get a loss from Shaler to reach the WPIAL playoffs.
"(The Tornado) beat us. They played better than us," SV coach Vic Giannotta said.
The Raiders have lost five section games in which they were trailing by four points or fewer in the final minute.
"I don't know what to say about that. Our kids are just frustrated right now," Giannotta said.

SENECA VALLEY 60
Pete Vicente 0-0 0-0 0, Marco Corona 4-4 0-0 8, Christian Durbin 8-21 5-6 23, Nate Herrmann 5-14 0-0 11, Joe Belechak 1-3 0-0 3, Pat Kulp 2-2 0-0 4, Alex Maxfield 5-8 1-1 11. Totals: 25-51 6-8 60.
BUTLER 67
Cole Harvey 0-0 0-0 0, Nate Snodgrass 0-4 5-6 5, Eli Christy 2-3 0-0 4, Logan Renwick 2-2 1-3 5, Brian Jendesky 2-5 2-2 6, Cody Herald 1-3 2-2 5, Jeff Tompkins 9-11 0-1 18, Vinny Schmidt 1-4 2-4 4, Bobby Swartwout 9-12 1-4 20, David Tompkins 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 26-44 13-21 67.
Seneca Valley 16 14 18 12—60
Butler 21 15 16 15—67
3-point goals: Seneca Valley 4 (Durbin 2, Herrmann, Belechak); Butler 2 (Swartwout, Herald).
Junior varsity: Butler, 41-34 (B: Cody West 12, Zach Slater 12, SV: Easton Bozzoli 8, Beau Barclay 8)