CANONSBURG — Mars hadn't played a game in 14 days, but it was Laurel Highlands that had to shake off the rust.

The Planets pushed the Mustangs into an early 16-point hole and won a WPIAL Class 5A boys basketball quarterfinal playoff, 64-47, Friday night at Canon-McMillan High School.

“Laurel Highlands was the highest scoring team in the playoffs and we held them to 24 points below their average,” said Mars coach Rob Carmody. “This team has great team chemistry on defense. Our guys help each other out.”

The Mustangs rebounded from their slow start – their deficit reached 22-6 midway through the second quarter — to make a game of it. They trailed by 10 points at halftime and when Elijah Guynn sank a bucket with 5:51 left in the third period, Mars' lead had been trimmed to 30-24.

But that was as close as the Mustangs (18-6) would get.

Mars closed the quarter on a 15-6 run, which included Robby Carmody's trey just before the buzzer, for a 45-30 edge with eight minutes left in the game.

“We saw Laurel Highlands (in a 49-48 first-round win over Highlands on Tuesday),” said Coach Carmody. “They trailed by 10 at halftime, just like tonight. Then they chipped away. They started to do that tonight.”

But every time the Mustangs achieved a bit of momentum, one of two things would happen — Mars would hit a big shot of its own or the Mustangs would turn the ball over.

They did it 24 times Friday.

“We made some bad plays and our decision making wasn't what it should have been,” said Laurel Highlands coach Rick Hauger. “Mars had something to do with that. They are the No. 1 seed for a reason. This is the third straight year that we played them in the playoffs and they beat us pretty good each time.”

The Planets experienced some frustration on offense, though not to the extent suffered by the Mustangs.

Mars was just 12-of-36 from the field in the first half. Robby Carmody had eight points in that span, but ended the night with a game-high 30 points and 15 rebounds.

He is playing on a right ankle that is not 100 percent.

“As the game goes on, that ankle starts to loosen up and he gets more engaged in the game,” Coach Carmody said.

Andrew Recchia added 13 points for the Planets (15-8) and Cade Hetzler scored 11.

Strong efforts also showed up on the other end of the court. Hetzler was tasked with guarding Laurel Highlands junior guard Bryce Laskey, who is averaging 24 points per game this season. He scored 16 against Mars.

“Cade did a terrific job tonight,” said Coach Carmody, who also was impressed with the way his team handled foul trouble for several players.

With just two minutes gone in the third quarter, three starters for Mars had three fouls — Hetzler, Recchia and Ben Lewis.

“There was a five-minute span there when we had two starters out of the game,” Carmody said. “Michael (Carmody), Jerry Stoddart and Brandon Caruso, they gave us just enough minutes and we actually extended our lead during that time.”

Hudson Novak added 14 points for the Mustangs and Guynn 10. No other Laurel Highlands player scored more than four points.

For the third time this season, the Planets will face section rival Hampton in the semifinals Tuesday at a site and time to be determined. The teams split the two meetings in the regular season.

“We know them so well that it won't be as much on-court preparation as mental preparation,” Coach Carmody said. “But the same can be said for them. It's going to be a battle.