The Mars boys basketball team has a lot of familiar faces back this season.

But the Planets are hoping for unfamiliar results.

Coach Rob Carmody has seven lettermen returning from a team that went 9-14 last season and that finished

in a three-way tie for fifth place

in Section 1-AAA.

Mars hasn't qualified for the WPIAL playoffs in the last four years.

"We've got a lot of guys coming back, about 1,100 points worth," said Carmody. "That kind of experience has to help somewhere down the road."

The team's leading scorer from last season, Tim Frye, is coming off a torn ACL in his right knee suffered in June.

Frye averaged 16.8 points per game last year as a sophomore.

"He's got a doctor's appointment on (Tuesday)," said Carmody. "That's when he'll find out if he's cleared to play."

Just like last season, the Planets have no true center. In fact, you won't find a true forward among their returning letterwinners.

Frye is the squad's tallest player at 6-feet-4, but is listed as a guard.

"When he's not in there, it really limits what we can do," said Carmody. "Teams will have a size advantage over us, especially teams like Knoch and Hampton."

The only player who has been penciled in to a specific position is junior point guard Charlie Jaicks, who averaged 8.5 points per contest last year.Junior Robbie Herold is also returning from an injury, but figures to play a key role."He was returning from a stress fracture in his back last year," said Carmody. "He played in every game, but the injury never really had time to heal. He took a few months off and we're hoping he can make an impact this season because he's got a nice shot."Herold, and seniors Scott Martinelli (11.3 points per game), Sean Gallagher (7.0) and Mark Lucas should all see time at shooting guard.The Planets can match 3-pointers with any team. Last year, they drained 172 trifectas, which accounted for 37 percent of their offense.Mars did lose Colin Zedreck's 37 three-pointers to graduation, but still have long range capability with Frye (57), Jaicks (32) and Martinelli (27)."It would be nice if we had somebody inside to get the rebounds when the outside shots aren't falling," said Carmody. "But we are what we are. It's not going to be that different from last year."Sophomores D.J. Cannon and Zach Zollner, along with freshman Steve Cress, all look to make the Planets' bench a productive one.One area where the team hopes to improve is defense. In their 14 losses last season, the Planets surrendered an average of 70 points, including four games in which the opposition scored at least 80 points."I thought for the most part last year that we played solid defense," said Carmody. "It was literally a matter of giving up a rebound here and there and letting a team get a second or third shot."All of a sudden, we spend 30 seconds playing solid defense, but end up giving up a big basket."The Planets' section opponents include Highlands, Valley, Deer Lakes, Hampton, Kittanning and Knoch.

2004-05 Boys ScheduleDec. 3-BEAVER, 6 p.m.; Dec. 7-at Highlands, 6 p.m.; Dec. 10-at Valley, 7 p.m.; Dec. 11-at Pine-Richland, 8 p.m.; Dec. 14-DEER LAKES, 6 p.m.; Dec. 15-GRADED SCHOOL BRAZIL, 7 p.m.; Dec. 17-at Rock Holiday Classic; Dec. 23-HAMPTON, 6 p.m.; Dec. 28-29-MARS HOLIDAY TOURNAMENTJan. 4-at Neshannock, 6 p.m.; Jan. 7-KITTANNING, 6 p.m.; Jan. 11-at Knoch, 6 p.m.; Jan. 14-at Deer Lakes, 6 p.m.; Jan. 18-VALLEY, 6 p.m.; Jan. 19-at St. Joseph's, 6:30 p.m.; Jan. 21-HIGHLANDS, 6 p.m.; Jan. 25-at Hampton, 6 p.m.; Jan. 28-NESHANNOCK, 6 p.m.Feb. 1-at Kittanning, 6 p.m.; Feb. 4-KNOCH, 6 p.m.