ADAMS TWP — The effort was there.

But, as the case has been for much of the season, an important win eluded the Mars boys basketball team.

The Planets entered Tuesday's game against Hampton one-half game behind Knoch for the final playoff spot in Section 1-AAA.

The Talbots, undefeated in section play, made more clutch plays in the fourth quarter to escape Mars High with a 57-54 victory.

"The kids were very focused over the last few days," said Planets coach Rob Carmody. "We looked at this game as a great opportunity to put ourselves back in the playoff hunt.

"But we just couldn't knock down that big shot to put a lot of pressure on Hampton."

Carmody wasn't referring to a specific possession but to several chances his team had to take a stranglehold on the game.

The Planets' last lead came when senior guard Robbie Herold hit a basket with 4:19 left in the game, giving Mars a 50-49 advantage.

Hampton's Bob Bartley, who led the Talbots with 20 points, followed with a basket of his own, and the visitors had the lead for good.

With his team trailing 55-52, Mars' Charlie Jaicks attempted to tie the game from beyond the arc with 55 seconds left to play, but he missed and the Talbots gathered in the rebound.

Hampton's Brian Dandrea made two free throws to make it a two-possession game (57-52) and to doom The Planets with 21.3 seconds remaining.

Mars had all the momentum at the beginning of each half.

The Planets jumped out to a 12-4 lead after four minutes of play and led 14-10 at the end of the first period.

With Hampton holding a slim 25-24 edge at halftime, Mars' 11-6 run at the start of the second half put the Planets ahead 35-31.

Senior guards Charlie Jaicks (11 points) and Tim Frye (eight) scored all 19 of Mars' points in the third quarter.

"Offensively, we executed well," said Carmody. "But our guys knew that Hampton wouldn't quit."

Every time it appeared Mars was about to break the game open, the Talbots came back with a big defensive stand or a clutch basket at the other end of the floor.

Frye's 20 points led the Planets (11-9, 4-6).

When he drained a free throw with 7:27 left in the game, Frye became his school's all-time leading scorer with 1,102 career points.

Jaicks also had a strong game with a 16-point effort, including four 3-pointers.

The Planets' defeat, along with Knoch's win over Deer Lakes, puts the Planets 1½ games out of a playoff spot with two section games left against Kittanning and Knoch.

"We still have hope of making the playoffs," said Carmody. "But we no longer control our own destiny."

HAMPTON 57

Asa Braxton 4 0-0 9, Joe Cangilla 2 0-1 4, Brian Dandrea 6 2-2 15, Bob Bartley 9 2-2 20, Mike Bittner 1 0-0 2, Zach Ingoldsby 3 0-2 7. Totals: 25 4-7 57.

MARS 54

Robbie Herold 3 0-0 8, Tim Frye 7 4-4 20, Charlie Jaicks 6 0-0 16, Steve Cress 5 0-0 10, Vinny Smith 0 0-0 0, Bryan Humphreys 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 4-4 54.

3-point goals:

Ingoldsby, Dandrea, Braxton; Jaicks 4, Herold 2, Frye 2.

JV:

Hampton 53-44

Friday:

Mars @ Neshannock