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The Butler girls basketball team sometimes seems like a one-girl show, but the players surrounding Kim Nowakowski are as important to the team's success as she is.

Butler's star player is the 6-foot senior forward, but it is the four teammates on the floor around her who have combined to make the Golden Tornado one of the top teams in Class AAAA.

Butler advanced to the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs and is alive in the PIAA postseason.

The Golden Tornado attribute their success to having five players on the court at all times who offer a balanced scoring attack.

"I don't think there are a lot of teams out there with only one good player who are still in the playoffs," Butler coach Jonna Burke said. "Kim gives us 20 or more points a night, but her supporting cast is what has been the difference this year."

Burke said she has stressed to her team that it not be about one player. She has preached that because she's witnessed teams that have one dominating player. The opposition can double- and triple-team the star, which can shut down a team. When teams try to smother Bowling Green recruit Nowakowski, there are four other players who have proven they can take over.

Having Nowakowski covered under the hoop also opens up the Golden Tornado's perimeter game, Burke said. That's exactly what happened in a first-round game against Montour on Wednesday.

Montour did a solid job on Nowakowski, who still managed to score 18 points. But it was Butler's supporting cast which put on a stellar performance in a 55-54 last-second victory over Montour.

With the win, Butler stayed alive in the PIAA playoffs and advanced to play Upper St. Clair yesterday in a quarterfinal game at North Allegheny.

Upper St. Clair is a similar team to Butler, Burke said.

"Upper St. Clair has Kyra Kaylor, who is a great player, but they also have many other players who can hurt you," Burke said. "They always have a full bench of players, too, who come in and don't miss a beat. They always have a good team. Kaylor makes the team go, but she has so many solid players around her."

So does Nowakowski.

"Kim is our go-to player," sophomore forward Danielle Koehring said. "When teams collapse on her then someone else is open. This is a team, and that is why we have been successful this season."

One of the keys to Nowakowski's game is that she doesn't force a shot, Burke said. Nowakowski looks to pass, which makes her one of the most unselfish players Burke has coached. She wishes Nowakowski could stay one more year.

"Kim is a great player, and we are glad she is on our team," sophomore point guard Kelly Miller said. "If teams key on her, then she knows she has us to go to."

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