Morton's 38 key Butler victory
December 20,
2017 High School Basketball
SHALER TWP — Ethan Morton was hot.
But it was his coolness that ultimately helped the Butler boys basketball team to another win.
The sophomore point guard scored 38 points — 19 in each half — and dealt
with constant pressure, physicality and jawing from Shaler
to lead the Golden Tornado to an 82-58 road section win over the Titans.
“That's what you work for,” Morton said, smiling. “You want guys up in
your grill night in and night out.”
Morton had virtually every Shaler player in his
grill. It didn't matter. Morton was still as dominant as ever.
And quiet. And composed. He didn't take the
Titans' — or their raucous fans' — bait.
“That's part of the game he works on, how to handle that,” said Butler
coach Matt Clement. “You want to talk — that's human tendency — but he didn't.
That's what I'm most proud of tonight, not just the 38 points and the other
things he did.”
The final score didn't tell an accurate story of how closely contested
this game was.
After leading for the first 161 minutes of the season, Butler (6-0, 2-0)
trailed for the first time when Kevin McHale hit a deep 3-pointer for Shaler a minute into the game. Butler was down again 9-8
after three minutes, but never trailed again.
Shaler (4-2, 1-1), was down by just two points at 49-47 midway
through the third quarter before Butler switched up its defense and personnel
and went on a 21-2 run to put the game away.
“We had a long team in there and that's what keyed the run,” Clement
said.
Butler had five tall and lanky players on the floor and went to a 1-3-1
zone. That caused a slew of turnovers by the Titans and the Tornado turned them
into easy points in transition.
By the time Shaler regrouped, it was too late.
“Our length is off the charts,” Morton said.
So was Morton, who shot 13 of 23 from the floor and 11 of 12 from the
free throw line for another big night in what has been a stream of them this
season.
Morton, though, said he was pressing in the first half. Butler had foul
trouble and the offense “was stagnant,” Morton said.
Still, the Golden Tornado maintained a lead.
“At the beginning we had a lot of fouls and a lead and I was stuck
between, 'Do I bring some of my foul guys back in with a lead or don't I?,' Clement said.
“I thought our role players, our guys off the bench, did a great job
holding the fort,” Clement added. “More of the creating is on Ethan and
sometimes that looks like he's pressing. But I thought he controlled the game
well.”
Tarik Taoufik added 15 points for
Butler and Luke Patten contributed nine points off the bench on three
3-pointers.
Kiki Agbale led Shaler
with 15 points. He scored eight during a short stretch in the third quarter
that helped the Titans draw to within a basket before Butler's prodigious run.
“To get a road win in this section against a team that I think is going
to win a lot of games in this section is big for us,” Clement said.
It was also big for Morton, especially winning in such a hostile
environment.
“It's special, man,” Morton said. “That's what you play for.”
BUTLER 82
Luke Michalek 3-6 0-0 6, John Muchalek 1-3 0-0 3, Tarik Taoufik 6-10 1-2 15, Ethan Morton 13-23 11-12 38, Isaiah
Scribner 1-1 2-2 4, Luke Patten 3-6 0-0 9, Mason Montag
0-0 0-0 0, Doug Kostelansky
0-0 0-0 0, Dom Schmidt 1-1 1-2 3, Nick Stazer 1-1 0-0 2, Ben Kranbacher
1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 30-47 15-17 82.
SHALER 58
Kevin McHale 2-7 4-5 10, Jesse Tavella 3-9 2-5
10, Mikhi Reynolds 3-8 3-4 9, Kiki Agbale 5-7 5-7 15, Luke Benout 0-0 0-0 0, Justin DeSabato 1-4 2-2 4, Matt Tavella
3-11 2-5 10, Luke Grunden 1-2 0-0 2, Nick Rispati 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 18-47 16-23 58.
Butler 24 15 24 19 — 82
Shaler20 16 13 9 — 58
3-point goals: J.Michalek, Taoufik
2, Morton, Patten 3; McHale 2, J.Tavella 2, M.Tavella 2