GREEN TREE — Earning the top seed entering the WPIAL basketball playoffs doesn't interest Mars boys coach Rob Carmody.

Being the No. 1 team at the end of the tournament is his focus.

For the third time in four years, the Planets (18-4) have been seeded first for the district playoffs. It was revealed at the WPIAL pairings meeting Tuesday night.

“It means absolutely nothing,” Carmody said. “We are guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals, but once you get there, any of the eight teams can win it.”

The Planets will not play until Feb. 23 against the winner of Tuesday's Class 5A first-round game between Hampton and Gateway.

“It is nice to get a bye,” added Carmody. “We have some kids banged up and sick, so this week and a half break couldn't come at a better time.”

The two previous times the Planets were the top seed came in 2015 and 2017, when they lost to Ambridge in the quarterfinals and to Hampton in the semifinals, respectively. But Carmody does not believe the ranking will magnify the spotlight already on his team.

Mars enters postseason play averaging a class-high 75.2 points per game. The only WPIAL team scoring more per contest is Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (77.9), a Class 2A program.

“After you've played 22 games, everybody knows the teams that are playing well, no matter what seed you are,” he said. “I think the first time we were ranked first, it served as some validation as to how far the program had come. But we've now won six straight section titles and played for a state championship (2016).”

Butler's boys (18-4) travel to Fox Chapel for a 1:30 p.m. Class 6A game against Latrobe (15-7). The Golden Tornado wound up with the No. 8 seed.

“Latrobe is a team that likes to run and they've got two players averaging 20 points per game,” Butler coach Matt Clement said. “I don't think I've had two kids average 20 points a game in my nine years of coaching.

“They like to run. They can score points. We've got three days to get ready for them.”

The Tornado knocked Latrobe out of the WPIAL playoffs last season. The Wildcats return three starters from that team.

“Any team in this field can win it,” Clement said. “We have to do what we've been doing all year. Focus on the team we're playing right now and try to get to the next one.”

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's girls also earned a No. 1 seed. The Trojanettes (19-3) will be in action in a Class 4A quarterfinal Feb. 22 against the survivor of Saturday's contest featuring South Park and Ambridge.

CWNC began the season 15-0 but has gone 4-3 since. Two of the losses came against Peters Township and Bethel Park, Class 6A programs with a combined record of 35-8. The other defeat was to Bishop Canevin, which is ranked No. 1 in Class AAA.

“All of those games came late in the regular season, which is what we wanted,” said CWNC coach Molly Rottmann. “It was really good for us. You can learn a lot more from a loss than you can from a win.”

The Trojanettes are allowing just 34.5 points per game.

“I'm really happy with how we've played defensively. Rebounding and offense, not so much. That's what we'll be focusing on over the next week.”

Butler's girls went 13-9 in the regular season, the most wins by the Golden Tornado in a single campaign since the 2009-10 squad went 17-6. The team will open the Class 6A playoffs against Upper St. Clair (12-9) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at North Hills.

The Tornado made the playoffs last year, losing to Norwin in the first round. Current Butler head coach Mark Maier was an assistant on that team.

“We didn't win a playoff game last season, but we still got to experience the intensity of the playoffs,” he said. “I think we have improved in several areas since the start of the season. We're good, not great, at limiting turnovers.

“We've become better at passing the ball, moving from a good shot to a great shot. And our team defense has done a good job of limiting other teams' best player.”

Sports editor John Enrietto contributed to this report