ADAMS TWP — Quick starts have been Mars' thing lately.

So has scoring points in bunches. So has winning.

The Planets girls basketball team did it again Wednesday night at home against Aliquippa, putting 23 points on the board in the first quarter, 42 by halftime, and cruising to a 67-50 victory.

The scoring outburst was by no means new for Mars (10-2). On Monday, the Planets netted 57 points in the first half against Valley.

It's a stark contrast from the early part of the season when Mars struggled to break 50 points in an entire game.

What has changed?

"We're getting to the point where we have seven confident girls who can score," said Mars coach Tony Howard. "As a team, we are shooting the ball really well right now."

Three Planets cracked double-digits, led by senior Lily Grenci, who scored a game-high 25 points in a little more than three quarters of action.

Kehle Pelles, an imposing inside presence at 6-feet-3, added 14 and Elaine Hasek came off the bench to score 12.

"(Hasek) played extremely well since Christmas," Howard said. "She's become more aggressive on offense the last couple of weeks."

There's no problem with Grenci's aggressiveness.

The Mars star, who has committed to Siena College, was determined to get to the hoop, sometimes fighting her way through two or three Aliquippa bodies.

Grenci also was strong on the glass, pulling down 10 rebounds. She also dished out six assists.

Grenci had 14 points, nine boards and five assists in the first half as Mars built a 42-26 lead.

"She made some great passes," Howard said. "A lot of teams like to collapse on her. Now we have some girls who can hit some shots from the outside."

Grenci, who earlier this season became the all-time leading scorer at Mars, is closing in on another milestone that Howard calls even more impressive.

With 80 more rebounds, Grenci will surpass 1,000 in her career, joining the very exclusive 1,000-1,000 club.

"To me, that's more impressive than the points she has scored," Howard said. "I'm sure it has been done, but I don't know anyone who's had 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds."

Grenci played sparingly in the second half as Mars led by as many as 24 points late in the third quarter.

Grenci and most of the starters spent the majority of the final period as spectators.

Shameka Carter and Jaclyn Watkins each scored 13 points to pace the Quips (7-3).

ALIQUIPPA 50Markeata Gates 0-3 1-2 1, Kennisha Walker 3-8 1-5 7, Davia Perry 1-8 0-1 2, Nakira Emerson 4-11 1-2 9, Shameka Carter 6-12 0-0 13, Jaclyn Watkins 6-12 1-4 13, Dineshia Campbell 2-4 1-1 5, Diamond Ware 0-0 0-1 0. Totals: 22-58 5-15 50

MARS 67Lily Grenci 9-21 7-10 25, Ally Demetriadis 0-0 2-2 2, Kehle Pelles 7-13 0-0 14, Alexa Lee 2-14 2-4 7, Ashley Lynch 2-5 0-0 6, Carly Clark 0-0 0-0 0, Maureen Cress 0-2 0-0 0, Lizz Tumminello 0-0 1-2 1, Corrine Gressang 0-0 0-0 0, Elaine Hasek 6-9 0-0 12. Totals: 26-64 12-18 67

Aliquippa 11 15 7 17—50Mars 23 19 12 13—673-point goals: Carter; Lee, Lynch 2

JV: Mars 43-22

Monday: Mars at Knoch