ADAMS TWP — It was a simple defensive adjustment — but it worked like a charm.

Trailing Mars 23-22 at halftime, the Hampton girls basketball team switched to a box-and-1 defense in the second half.

The Talbots held the Planets to three field goals and nine points in the final 16 minutes of play in a 42-32 Section 1-AAA win Monday night.

It was Mars' first section loss of the season.

Hampton's scheme in the second half held Mars' Lily Grenci in check. The senior forward scored her team's first 18 points of the game before tallying four in the final two quarters for a game-high 22.

"The box-and-1 seemed to throw them off," said Hampton coach Mary Bukovac. "Grenci is a great player and so much of Mars' offense runs through her. But we forced them to look for other players to score."

The Planets had several open looks late in the game, but they couldn't convert enough times. Ashley Lynch's 3-pointer with 3:04 left in the game cut Hampton's lead to 36-30, but the Talbots hit crucial free throws down the stretch.

Hampton outscored Mars in the second half 20-9 as the Planets had 18 turnovers in that span.

"We've faced that defense a number of times and we were prepared for it," said Mars coach Tony Howard of the box-and-1. "We just didn't execute and we forced things."

The Talbots (12-2, 7-1) received 13 points from sophomore forward Emily Gally and 10 second-half points from senior forward Laurel Hansen.

"She usually gives us about 10 points per game," Bukovac said of Hansen. "But her biggest strengths are rebounding and defense. She's a steady force inside for us."

Grenci kept her team in the game early and when her steal led to Ally Demetriadis' 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer, Mars had the one-point lead.

Both teams grabbed 26 rebounds.

In the teams' earlier meeting Dec. 15, Mars (12-3, 7-1) came away with a 47-35 victory.

Mars and Hampton entered Monday's game as the only two teams with winning records in the section.

"We've talked about being able to hang a section title banner this year," said Howard. "That goal is still within our control."

HAMPTON 42Breanne Goodman 1 2-2 4, Laurel Hansen 3 4-6 10, Danielle LeFevre 1 0-0 2, Mallory Schaffer 1 1-2 3, Adrianna Ferraro 2 1-4 5, Brooke Goodman 1 0-2 3, Kiersten Wilson 1 0-0 2, Emily Gally 5 3-4 13, Emilee Goodman 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 11-20 42.

MARS 32Lily Grenci 9 4-4 22, Ally Demetriadis 1 0-0 3, Kehle Pelles 0 2-2 2, Elaine Hasek 1 0-0 2, Ashley Lynch 1 0-0 3, Maureen Cress 0 0-0 0, Alexa Lee 0 0-0 0, Lizz Tumminello 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12

6-6

32.

Hampton 10 12 10 10—42Mars 8 15 4 5—323-point goals: Hampton (B. Goodman); Mars 2 (Demetriadis, Lynch).

JV: Hampton 38-29

Thursday: Mars at Franklin Regional