JEFFERSON TWP — Why is the Mars boys basketball team headed to the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs?

Coach Rob Carmody says it's his squad's intangibles, which were on display Friday night.

The Planets weren't playing their best game, but they found a way to hang around against backyard rival Knoch for three quarters.

Trailing 40-36 early in the final quarter, Mars set out on a 17-7 run to close the game, claiming their eighth Section 1-AAA win of the season with a 53-47 decision.

It was a Planets sweep, as the girls team claimed a 36-32 win over the Knights earlier in the evening.

The Planets boys victory keeps the team in sole possession of second place in the section with a record of 8-3, 11-6 overall.

"The kids just wouldn't give up," Carmody said. "They fight and fight and fight. There were so many things we didn't do well tonight. We missed seven layups. But we started to force the action in the fourth quarter and the guys found a way to win."

Facing the four-point deficit in the final period, the Planets managed back-to-back 3-pointers by Brad Weischedel and Ian Hindley to grab a 42-40 lead.

Knoch answered when Chris Cetnar hit a 3-pointer from well behind the arc for a 43-42 Knights edge.

But that would be the Knights' last lead.

A Hindley basket, followed by five free throws between Locher and Weischedel, negated Jake McTighe's four points from the line in the final 25 seconds.

Knoch (3-7, 8-11) committed 21 turnovers in the game, including miscues on three of the team's final five possessions.

"That's what it came down to: turnovers," said Knights coach Chris Andreassi. "We have to do a better job of handling the ball."

Knoch led 23-20 at halftime and was strong out of the gate in the third quarter, thanks to senior forward McTighe, who scored his team's first nine points in the period, helping the Knights build a 32-27 lead.

McTighe ended the contest with a game-high 21 points.

Locher led the Planets with 18 points and Weischedel contributed 14.

Note: Knoch senior forward Robert Zanella became the 26th Knights boys player to receive the Karen Shoop Award before the game. The award is presented annually to the senior who best exemplifies heart, courage and sacrifice.Girls Basketball Mars 36, Knoch 32Just as turnovers played a crucial role in the outcome of the boys game, the Mars girls took advantage of 14 second-half turnovers by the Knights to push their section record to 8-4, 12-9 overall.The Planets already had cemented a WPIAL playoff berth, but Friday's win improves the team's chances of getting a better seed. The team had lost four of six games, but has now reeled off three straight wins."It's a testament to the girls' resiliency and desire to compete," said Mars coach Tony Howard. "Surviving our schedule, mentally and physically, we should be able to compete with anyone in the playoffs."The Planets struggled to find their groove for much of the game and didn't hold their first lead until Alexa Lee's free throw late in the third period gave them a one-point edge.The Knights did keep the Planets within range and trailed by three points after Taylor Zonts' basket with 20 seconds left in the game, but Corinne Gressang's steal led to one final free throw by Lee, making it a two-possession game with 2.8 seconds left.Mars shot just 56 percent from the free throw line (18-of-32), but it was a big advantage over Knoch (5-of-7).The Knights (3-8, 6-13) beat Mars, 44-40, in the teams' first meeting Jan. 18."In that game, they pressed us the whole game, but we handled it," said Knoch coach Rob Greenleaf. "Tonight, they didn't press until the second half, but we couldn't handle it."Ashley Lynch and Elaine Hasek both scored nine points to pace Mars, while Knoch was led by Haley Hutterer's 11 points.

Boys BoxscoreMARS 53Brad Weischedel 4 6-10 14, Christian Locher 5 6-8 18, Luke Gruber 3 0-0 8, Mike Lindenbaum 1 0-0 2, Ian Hindley 4 1-2 9, Tim Vandall 1 0-0 2.

Totals: 18 13-20 53.

KNOCH 47Nathan Junk 1 2-2 4, Andrew Wirtz 2 0-0 4, Chris Cetnar 3 0-0 8, Jake McTighe 8 5-7 21, Robert Zanella 2 0-3 4, Jake Hickey 0 2-2 2, Adam Seger 1 2-3 4, Kevin Wood 0 0-0 0, Corey Miller 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 17 11-17 47.

Mars 10 10 15 18—53Knoch 16 7 15 9—473-point goals: Mars 4 (Locher 2, Gruber 2); Knoch 2 (Cetnar 2).

Saturday: Mars vs. Ellwood City at North Catholic; Knoch at Valley

Girls BoxscoreMARS 36Ashley Lynch 2 5-7 9, Meghan Kelly 2 1-2 5, Lizz Tumminello 1 5-6 7, Elaine Hasek 2 5-9 9, Alexa Lee 2 2-8 6, Carly Clark 0 0-0 0, Corinne Gressang 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 9 18-32 36.

KNOCH 32Emily Protzman 2 2-3 6, Hannah Novotny 4 1-2 9, Haley Hutterer 4 2-2 11, Taylor Zonts 1 0-0 2, Taylor Tresatti 2 0-0 4, Heather Cooper 0 0-0 0, Samantha Logan 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 13 5-7 32.

Mars 3 11 11 11—36Knoch 7 10 7 8—323-point goals: Mars (none); Knoch 1 (Hutterer).

Saturday: Knoch at Valley

Tuesday: Chartiers Valley at Mars