Sports

The Butler did it: Naz star enjoying breakout stretch after slow start

When Brianna Butler left Penn Charter (Pa.) and transferred to Nazareth, this wasn’t the start to her senior year she imagined.

At first, the highly touted Syracuse-bound star guard was not cleared to play by CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens until more detailed documents were provided to the league to prove change of address. Then, on Jan. 3, her beloved coach with Nazareth and the Exodus travel program, Apache Paschall, died suddenly of cardiac arrest.

Butler doesn’t open up much about the events of the last few months herself. But it was clear to her teammates how much everything affected her.

“For her it was very hard,” Nazareth co-coach Lauren Best said. “Her and Apache were very, very close. For her to not be immediately cleared and then to lose him was hard for her. Out of all the kids she was one of the kids who took it the hardest.”

It was of little surprise to those close to her that Butler started the season slowly. However, those days are long gone now.

The 5-foot-11 Butler, ranked No. 13 in her class by HoopGurlz, had an incredible weekend. She poured in 31 points to lead Nazareth past St. Francis Prep on Friday, dropped in 20 points in a win over Point Pleasant Boro on Saturday and then, to top the stellar three-day stretch, she burned DePaul Catholic (N.J.) for 24 points and six 3-pointers Sunday.

“I think it’s just the beginning for me, me getting used to everyone else,” the soft-spoken Butler said.

During this stretch, as Nazareth begins to jell as a team after a tough beginning, Butler has done the same. She also had 16 points Tuesday in an impressive, 82-39 win over Bishop Ford.

“Butler now, I think, is feeling her role and understanding her role and now she’s ready to win a state title,” Best said.

The nationally ranked Lady Kingsmen beat Mary Louis on Wednesday and will meet bitter rival Christ the King on Saturday. It’ll be Butler’s first game against the Royals, but there are already hard feelings. CK’s administration chose to postpone a game with Nazareth four days after Paschall’s death despite Naz’s adamant protests.

Butler wanted to play and she’ll get her chance Saturday. For her, this whole season is going to be about one thing.

“We want to win for Apache, too,” Butler said. “[The anger] is still there.”

mraimondi@nypost.com