Tasso Sfanos (11) drives the court under pressure from Highlands defense at Knoch High School. (Steven Dalton Photo)

ADAMS TWP — Mars knew what was at stake and it got the job done.

Entertaining second-place Highlands on Tuesday night, the Planets laid claim to their ninth section title in 10 years with a 75-68 triumph over the visitors.

With a win, Highlands would have kept pace with Mars (17-2, 11-0) atop Section 4-5A. Instead, the Planets completed a season sweep of the Golden Rams, who last year halted their run of eight straight boys basketball crowns.

“We always want to win all of our home games and win the section,” Mars coach Rob Carmody said. “We were able to accomplish those two things tonight.”

It wasn’t without a slight scare, however. Nursing a dozen-point edge with 7:19 to go, the Planets watched their guests climb back within five four times.

On two of those occasions, senior Austin Cote responded to the surges with treys in response. Yet, with 0:38 remaining, Highlands (14-6, 8-2) clawed within three.

Zach Schlegel, Tasso Sfanos, and Chris Dvorak then iced the contest by going six-of-six from the stripe, making up for the team’s inability to convert the front end of three one-and-ones minutes earlier.

“It was everything we thought it was going to be,” Carmody said. “We kind of had a little hiccup (and) missed some free throws. That really cost us here against them last year, but (we) righted the ship. One or two missed free throws didn’t become five or six.”

The Planets held the lead for the entirety of the second half, thanks in large part to Sfanos’ stellar second stanza. The junior bucketed 13 points in the quarter, including six in the final 1:17.

“I thought in the second quarter there, we let a couple things get away from us,” Highlands coach Corey Dotchin said. ”We had a chance at the end and it just didn’t go our way tonight.”

Schlegel’s and-one moments into the third pushed Mars’ advantage to nine points. This all came after Highlands ended a back-and-forth first quarter up by two.

“A younger team maybe panics a bit, but these guys just kept with it,” Carmody said. “Any time you can start a quarter, end a quarter and kind of get a double possession, you get a chance to go on a mini run.”

Both of Highlands’ section losses this year have come to the Planets.

“They’re a group that’s played together,” Dotchin said of Mars. “We’re still trying to figure ourselves out a little bit. I know we’re late in the season, but really, we’ve only had 20 games together, where they (Mars) have had 80 or whatever they’ve had together.”

HIGHLANDS 68

Carter Leri 5 4-6 17, Jimmy Kunst 7 0-0 15, Chandler Thimons 6 0-0 12, Bradyn Foster 6 0-0 12, Cameron Reigard 3 2-2 8, Caliel Long 1 0-0 2, Jordon Taverez 1 0-0 2. Totals: 29 6-8 68.

MARS 75

Tasso Sfanos 8 6-7 26, Zach Schlegel 6 7-8 19, Austin Cote 6 0-2 14, Chris Dvorak 2 4-4 8, Bryce Cunningham 3 0-0 8. Totals: 25 15-19 75.

Highlands 15 14 15 24 — 68

Mars 13 22 19 21 — 75

3-point goals: Highlands 4 (Leri 3, Kunst); Mars 8 (Sfanos 4, Cote 2, Cunningham 2)

Friday: Mars at Hampton