ADAMS TWP — The game had already seen 12 lead changes.

Rob Carmody didn't want to see a 13th.

So despite his team holding only a two-point lead, the Mars boys basketball coach instructed his players to foul Highlands senior guard Micah Mason with 11 seconds remaining.

Mason made both free throws to knot the game. But Planet sophomore Owen Nearhoof drained two foul shots of his own with 2.1 seconds left to give Mars a 69-67 win Friday night on its home floor.

Mason's free throws marked his 48th and 49th points of the night.

“I know it was unconventional coaching to foul him there,” Carmody said. “But the way the kid was lighting it up, I didn't want to see them set a screen for him to hit a 3 to beat us.

“They were setting nice screens for Mason all night. I wanted the ball in our hands at the end. The worst that could happen was we go overtime.

“Sometimes, your kids make coaching decisions look good,” Carmody added.

Nearhoof took care of that one.

He aggressively drove to the hoop and was fouled while his layup bounced off the rim, then calmly sank the game-winning shots.

Nearhoof had hit one of two free throws with 16.2 seconds left to extend Mars' lead at the time to 67-65.

“That miss put us in that situation,” Nearhoof said. “I wanted to make it up to my team. I wanted the ball in my hands there.”

After the Nearhoof free throws, Mason — who hit six treys — got off a desperation shot from half-court that sailed wide of the rim as time expired.

The Planets (13-6, 9-3) sank 13 of 16 free throws in the fourth quarter. Their biggest lead all night was six points.

Trailing 59-58, Mars took the lead for good when Garrett Ashbaugh drained both ends of a one-and-one with 3:16 remaining. That began a run of 10 of 11 successful free throws for the Planets down the stretch.

Ten of the game's 12 lead changes occurred in the first half.

“There was a disparity of free throws in this game, but they made a lot of them — certainly enough to win,” Highlands coach Shawn Bennis said.

The Rams (7-13, 5-7) had six more field goals than Mars, but sank four of five free throws compared to the Planets' 20 of 30.

Mason is averaging 28 points per game this season. His 49 Friday did not mark a season-high. He struck for 51 in a game earlier in the year and scored a career-high 64 in a game last season.

“He can go off like that,” Bennis said. “Both teams played hard tonight. We just came out on the short end.”

Carmody agreed.

“We were balanced and it's tough for one kid to beat that,” he said. “Mason scored 49. He needed 52.”

No other Highlands player scored more than six. Starters Gage Clark and Glenn Saunders fouled out in the fourth quarter. Clark, Mason and Tyler Szymkiewicz all had five rebounds for the Rams.

Zach May paced Mars with 16 points. Nearhoof added 15, Ashbaugh 13 and Mitchell Buzard 12. Josh Goetz grabbed 13 of 29 Planet rebounds.

Both teams had nine turnovers.

“This game was close throughout and we took care of the ball. That was a key,” Carmody said.

Mars is second in Section 1-AAA despite having no seniors on its roster.

“I've got a bunch of fighters,” Carmody said.

Highlands entered the game tied with Kittanning for the fourth and final playoff spot in the section.

“We're in a real dogfight now,” Bennis said. “This was a tough one to watch get away.”

HIGHLANDS 67Tyler Kazmierczyk 0-5 0-0 0, Gage Clark 1-3 1-2 3, Alan Crise 2-2 0-1 4, Micah Mason 20-30 3-3 49, Tyler Szymkiewicz 2-4 0-0 5, Nathan Virag 0-1 0-0 0, Glenn Saunders 2-4 0-0 6.

Totals: 27-50 4-5 67.

MARS 69Garrett Ashbaugh 3-6 4-4 13, Owen Nearhoof 3-7 7-10 15, Matt Getsy 3-4 0-0 6, Mitchell Buzard 4-6 4-4 12, Zach May 6-12 2-2 16, Josh Goetz 2-9 3-6 7.

Totals: 21-44 20-30 69.

Highlands 16 21 11 19—67Mars 19 23 9 18—693-point goals: Highlands 9 (Mason 6, Szymkiewicz, Saunders 2); Mars 7 (Ashbaugh 3, Nearhoof 2, May 2).

Junior varsity: Mars, 66-33 (M: Brett Kloc 11, Gabe Spurlock 11, Matt Getsy 10; H: Michael Calfe 8)

Tuesday: Mars at Kittanning