Boys athlete of the week
// The Post-Gazette’s top male performer from the past seven days
The past week: Butler scored 29 points in a victory against Norwin Jan. 11, and 18 against Connellsville Jan. 8.
Check this out: Butler, a 6-foot5, 200-pound senior, is averaging 21 points for Latrobe, the Post-Gazette’s No. 1 WPIAL 6A team. Butler and senior teammate Reed Fenton (21.8 ppg) make for one of the best guard tandems in the WPIAL. Butler, who has signed with Division II West Liberty, is closing in on 1,000 career points. Older brother Austin is a starting guard at Holy Cross. Younger brothers Landon (eighth grade) and Max (sixth grade) also play. Their father, Eric, is a Latrobe assistant. So how are the two younger brothers? They’re both pretty good players. Landon is playing on the ninth-grade team as an eighth-grader and should play varsity next year. And who is going to be the best of the bunch? [Laugh] I don’t know. I think Landon has a pretty decent shot.
You were pretty good last year. Do you think you’re better this year? I just think my passing and rebounding have really improved, and just my all-around floor game. Did you have your heart set on playing Division I college basketball? I wouldn’t say so. Seeing Austin go through the process and picking between a Division II and a Division I school, it really didn’t matter to me. I went wherever I was happy. No matter what, I’m not going to have to pay for college.
Best guard tandems around? I think Greg Shulkosky and Dan Petcash at Pine-Richland. Definitely Jackson Blaufeld and Bobby Clifford [at Allderdice]. I haven’t seen too much of the freshman guard [Devin Carney] at Butler, but definitely him and Ethan Morton. What about Fenton and Butler? I would say so.
But not the best? You’re being humble? We’re up there [laugh].
You guys have those orangeand-white candy stripe warmup pants. A lot of people like them. What about the
players? We like them. Our boosters surprised us with them two years ago. Ever since, I think we liked them. Who shovels snow at your house? We have a pretty steep driveway. My dad normally takes the “quad” out and plows it. So all those boys and your dad does it? I think he enjoys riding it up and down.
Any hidden talents? I can juggle. Basketballs? I think probably.