PITTSBURGH — It was the shot Mars wanted.

Just not the outcome.

Mihali Sfanos's driving layup at the buzzer rolled out and the Mars boys basketball team fell to Laurel Highlands in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game, 52-51, Friday night at the Petersen Events Center.

“If I had to pick one guy on the team to go end to end to make a shot, it would be Mihali,” said Mars coach Rob Carmody, shrugging. “It just didn't go in.”

The miss culminated a frantic final minute that saw the lead change hands three times.

Rodney Gallagher gave Laurel Highlands a 50-49 advantage with a running jumper with less than a minute remaining, but the Planets took a 51-50 lead after a Sfanos steal and layup with 25 second left.

The Mustangs went ahead for good with 4.8 seconds on the clock on a pair of free throws by Gallagher.

“I was nervous,” Gallagher said. “The last game against (Thomas Jefferson) I missed a lot of free throws. I just made them. I can't explain it because it was just in the moment.”

“You have to give him credit,” Carmody said. “He made the free throws.”

The ending was fitting – the game was tight throughout.

Neither team led by more than four in the first half as Laurel Highlands (17-8) took a 31-29 lead at the half.

Mars (19-5) jumped ahead 39-33 – the biggest lead either team had in the game — with 2:55 left in the third quarter.

Michael Carmody, though, was called for an intentional foul and then picked up another for his fourth of the game just seconds later. That sent the 6-foot-7, 290-pound center to the bench.

Laurel Highlands took advantage, trimming the lead to one at 41-40 by the end of the quarter.

“I thought we played really well in the third quarter, had a lead, but couldn't extend it,” Rob Carmody said. “We had a lot of self-inflicted wounds. What we've done recently is when we've gotten leads, we've been able to extend it. We weren't able to do that (Friday).”

Michael Carmody scored 14 points and also had 17 rebounds. Chris Dvorak also had 14 points and Sfanos 10 for the Planets.

Gallagher led Laurel Highlands with 24 points.

This was the third straight trip to the WPIAL final for Mars, the two-time defending 5A champion.

“If this hurts, losing, then we've done everything right,” Coach Carmody said. “This game, most people will never get to feel for other people as much as these 16 guys care about each other, whether they played 20 seconds or 32 minutes.

“Not many teams get to be here, let along three years in a row,” the coach added. “There were times tonight when we could have folded up, but we didn't. What else could we possibly do as a group? Tip your cap to the other team. They made one more play than us.”

MARS 52

Zach Schlegel 1 0-1 2, Michael Carmody 6 2-3 124, Chris Dviorak 7 0-0 14, Joey Craska 2 0-0 5, Mihali Sfanos 5 0-0 10, Tasso Sfanos 2 0-0 6. Totals: 22 2-5 51.

LAUREL HIGHLANDS 52

Keandre Cook 4 2-2 12, Rodney Gallagher 9 5-6 24, Tyvaughn Long 4 0-0 8, Nick Egnot 2 0-0 4, Tim Smith 2 0-0 4. Totals: 27 7-8 52.

Mars 13 16 12 10 — 51

Laurel Highlands12 19 9 12 — 52

3-point goals: Mars 3 (T.Sfanos 2, Joey Craska); Laurel Highlands 3 (Cook 2, Gallagher)