JACKSON TWP — You can't judge a team's season based on the first game.

The Seneca Valley boys basketball team is hoping to buck that trend while Mars will gladly take any reassurance it can get.

The Raiders jumped out to a 16-2 first-quarter lead and then outscored the Planets 17-2 in the third quarter en route to a 55-35 victory in the first round of the Seneca Valley Tip-Off Tournament.

The Raiders will take on Montour, a 56-35 winner over Ringgold, in the tournament championship at 7:30 Saturday night.

Mars will face Ringgold in the consolation game at 4 p.m. Saturday.

The Raiders' fast start was aided by nine Mars turnovers in the first quarter.

"We came out in a full-court press, and that affected them," said Raiders coach Vic Giannotta. "They had to call a timeout on their first possession."

The Planets' first points of the period came with 4:34 left in the quarter when Vinny Smith found Steve Cress down low for an easy layup, which cut the Raiders' lead to 10-2.

By the start of the second period, SV's edge had ballooned to 20-7.

"We kind of expected that we'd struggle at the beginning of the season," said Mars coach Rob Carmody. "We started some inexperienced kids. But we weren't planning on struggling to the extent that we did tonight."

The Planets were able to match the Raiders' output of seven points in the second quarter and trailed 27-14 at halftime.

But the third quarter proved to be eight frustrating minutes for Mars.

While the Raiders received points from five different players in the period, including seven from senior forward Kevin Mayberry, Mars managed just two free throws from Cress.

The Planets were outrebounded 15-2 in the third quarter and missed all eight of their attempts from the field.

"We didn't turn the ball over, and that was the key," said Giannotta of his team's run in the third period. "Plus, we weren't taking 3-pointers every time down the floor like Loyola Marymount. We took way too many 3s in the second quarter."

Mayberry led the Raiders with 14 points, followed by point guard Pat Heery (11) and Shawn Eagle (eight).

Cress, a junior forward, led all scorers with 23 points, with 13 of them coming in the fourth quarter.

"This was the first time he's played in two weeks," Carmody said. "He was out with an ankle injury and missed our scrimmage. But people got to see a bit of the explosiveness he brings to the floor."

Of the Planets' 10 field goals in the game, Cress had eight of them. The others were a layup by Smith and a 3-pointer from Dave Petruska.

"We've got two inside guys, Smith and Cress, who have the experience," said Carmody. "We're going to have some growing pains until our guards come along, and they will."

Seneca Valley's 6-feet-5 senior forward Jarrett Shotts did not play because of an undisclosed injury.

"We hope to have him back by our first section game," said Giannotta of his team's Dec. 15 game at Pine-Richland.

MARS 35Dan Colbert 0 1-2 1, Ryan Schroth 0 4-6 4, Dave Petruska 1 0-2 3, D.J. Cannon 0 2-2 2, Vinny Smith 1 0-0 2, Steve Cress 8 7-7 23, Chris Herold 0 0-1 0, Ryan Nearhoof 0 0-1 0, Justin Stadelmyer 0 0-0 0, Chris Cassidy 0 0-0 0, Brandon Stadelmyer 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 10 14-21 35.

SENECA VALLEY 55Gabe Grinder 2 2-3 7, Kevin Mayberry 5 3-4 14, Tony Treser 1 1-2 3, Kevin Rohm 1 4-4 6, Pat Heery 4 1-2 11, John Bryant 1 1-2 3, John Fitzpatrick 0 3-4 3, Shawn Eagle 4 0-0 8, Nate Hermann 0 0-0 0, Drew Deitch 0 0-0 0, Brandon Durbin 0 0-0 0, Sean Gress 0 0-0 0, Dustin Anewalt 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 18 15-21 55.

Mars 7 7 2 19—35Seneca Valley 20 7 17 11—553-point goals: Mars, Petruska. Seneca Valley, Heery 2, Grinder, Mayberry.

Saturday: Consolation game: Mars vs. Ringgold, 4 p.m.; Championship game: Seneca Valley vs. Montour, 7:30 p.m.