ADAMS TWP — The players on the Mars basketball team seem to enjoy these nail-bitting games, but not everyone likes these Palpation Planets.

"No, I really don't," said Mars coach Rob Carmody.

The Planets coach would rather the wins come much easier than the one he notched againstKittanning Friday night.

It took clutch free throws, tenacious defense, just seven players and three grueling overtime periods to topple the Wildcats 68-62.

"I'm not sure in all my years of playing and coaching I have ever experienced a triple overtime game," Carmody said. "I think this was the longest game I have ever been involved in."

The win made it easier to stomach.

Mars (3-0, 1-0) has played three games and has won them by a combined margin of 13 points.

Christian Lochner continued his torrid start with 26 points. He hit five 3-pointers and every one was a dagger.

"He's really, really expanded what he does as a basketball player," Carmody said of Lochner, who is averaging 23 points per game. "He definitely has the mentality of a guy who wants to be your leader. He takes big shots and he'll take them time and time again."

Perhaps the biggest shots came from a senior.

VinnySmith stepped to the line with one second remaining in the second overtime and the Planets down 60-58.

He swished the first free throw, then had to think about the second one during a Kittanning time out.

"We tried to ice him there," said Kittanning coach Bill Henry. "But he's a senior and one of the best players in the section. You don't expect him to miss those.Y ou just hope he does."

Smith didn't, sending the game into the third and decisive extra period.

Smith finished with 16 points for Mars and several blocked shots.

In the final overtime, Mars won the war of attrition.

Lochner had seven points in the period, including 3-of-3 from the free throw line.

Sophomore guard Nathan Stolitza led the way as Kittanning (2-3, 0-1) forced the marathon.

With several Wildcats in foul trouble, Stolitza was the show in the second half and overtime.

He didn't take a shot in the first quarter, but made up for it with 25 attempts in the second half and overtime. Stolitza finished with 23 points.

"He's a very good shooter," Henry said. "He can create. We started running things through him. I can't say enough of the job he did, to take the leadership role as a sophomore as he did. You just dream of that."

Mars didn't shoot particularly well from the field or the foul line, had many turnovers and gave up 15 offensive rebounds.

"You go to any coach in the country who knows anything about basketball and give them those stats, he'll say that team lost," Carmody said. "But we won. That speaks volumes about our kids' toughness."

KITTANNING 62Dan Ohm 1-2 0-0 2, Tyler Rumbarger 5-6 1-3 11, Dillan Klingensmith 1-5 4-5 6, Mike Rettig 0-1 0-0 0, NathanStolitza 8-28 5-7 23, Ryan Risch 5-7 1-4 11, Cody Kilgore 0-0 0-0 0, Mike Hickman 1-6 3-4 5, Jordan Martin 2-5 0-1 6.

Totals: 23-60 14-24 62

MARS 68Chris Herold 2-9 1-2 6, Christian Lochner 8-16 5-5 26, Alec Mahon 2-6 2-6 7, Dante DeTillio 4-13 1-3 9, Vinny Smith 6-15 4-7 16, Luke Gruber 1-4 0-0 2, Ian Hindley 1-2 0-1 2.

Totals: 24-65 13-24 68

Kittanning 10 9 16 15 4 6 2—62Mars 10 15 10 15 4 6 8—683-point goals: Martin 2; Herold, Lochner 5, Mahon

JV: Mars 55-31

Tuesday: Mars at Hampton