JEFFERSON TWP — It wasn't your typical recipe for success.

But it worked.

None of the players on the Mars girls basketball team scored in double digits, and the Planets committed the same number of turnovers in the fourth quarter (six) as the points they scored the period.

But the team found a way to pull out a 35-29 win at Knoch Thursday night to grab sole possession of the Section 1-AAA lead.

Mars held a 33-29 lead with 17.8 seconds left in the game, but had just turned the ball over on a backcourt violation.

After calling a timeout, the Knights (10-4, 5-2) put the ball in the hands of junior guard Megan Gray.

Gray launched a 3-pointer that didn't fall and the Planets grabbed the rebound.

Mars' Haley Geyer then added two free throws to close out the scoring.

"I know this sounds too simple, but they just scored more points than we did," said Knoch coach Curt Vasas. "It was a defensive battle and they just made a couple more plays than we did."

Though their performance was far from perfect, the Planets (12-2, 6-1) accomplished what they set out to do.

"Our goals coming into tonight were to be physical, rebound and take care of the ball," said Mars coach Dave Sylvester. "And I think we did all three well for the most part."

Especially the rebounding, as Mars grabbed 34 boards to Knoch's 20.

The Planets had no scorer stand out, but seniors Maggie Bulman (nine points), Haley Geyer (eight) and sophomore Lily Grenci (nine) combined for 26 points.

Gray, who had a game-high 17 points, was Knoch's only player with more than six points.

She scored all seven of Knoch's points in the second quarter, keeping the Knights in the game by halftime as Mars led 20-14.

In the fourth period, Gray again put up all seven of her team's points, including a layup that cut Mars' lead to 31-29 with 1:32 left.

Grenci followed with a 2-pointer to push the Planets' lead back to two possessions.

Gray matched her season-high with her 17-point performance.

"Megan really stepped up tonight," said Vasas. "And she could've shot the ball more than she did."

Mars arrived to Knoch's gym — always a hostile atmosphere — with three battle-tested seniors in guards Megan Gibson and Cara Hudac and Marshall, a forward.

All three played in the WPIAL Class AAA title game in 2004 as freshmen and they all played well in Thursday's win.

"Maggie came up big with her rebounds and she played tough defense," said Sylvester. "Megan took care of the ball, and Cara guarded Abby (Marshall) tonight and held her to just two points."

Since moving into Knoch's section for the 1998-99 season, the Planets have taken 17 straight games from the Knights.

"I hate to say that a team has another team's number, but we're talking about a decade of basketball," said Vasas. "This is a tough loss, but we can't dwell on it."

MARS 35Megan Gibson 1 0-1 2, Cara Hudac 2 0-0 5, Haley Geyer 1 5-6 8, Karly Takach 1 0-0 2, Lily Grenci 3 3-4 9, Maggie Bulman 4 1-4 9, Justine Funk 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 12 9-15 35.

KNOCH 29Megan Gray 6 3-4 17, Abby Marshall 1 0-0 2, Pam Gagen 3 0-0 6, Sarah Cooper 1 0-0 2, Lizz King 1 0-0 2, Sara Montgomery 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 12 3-4 29.

Mars 12 8 9 6—35Knoch 7 7 8 7—293-point goals: Knoch 2 (Gray 2); Mars 2 (Hudac, Geyer)

JV: Mars 25-23 (K-Hutterer 8 points; Mars-Gressang, Pelles, Hasek 6)

Monday: Saltsburg at Knoch; Mars at Pine-Richland