ADAMS TWP — The largest youth basketball tournament in Western Pennsylvania gets under way today in Mars.

The Mars Basketball Tournament consists of 56 teams and 179 games spread out over five gyms. Teams are in grades 3 through 6. Games run today through Sunday.

All seven tourney title games — one bracket in third grade, two each in fourth, fifth and sixth — will be played in the Mars High School gym Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m.

“This is by far the biggest youth tournament in the region,” said Eric Cunningham, president of Mars youth basketball. “Nothing else comes close to this.”

This tournament began as a 12-team event in 2013. It expanded to 36 teams in 2014 and 42 teams last year.

Mars has 100 kids in its youth basketball program and the district charges for gym time.

“We began this tournament to help defray some of those costs,” Cunningham said.

Teams are coming from Ohio and the Erie area to compete. Norwin, Upper St. Clair, Avonworth, Franklin Regional and Deer Lakes are among participating teams in Western Pennsylvania. Local teams include Mars, Karns City, Butler, Pine-Richland and Seneca Valley.

“Many of these programs are very good,” Cunningham said. “Our sixth-grade team is undefeated and just won the New Castle Shootout, a 15-team event. Upper St. Clair, Norwin and Butler are all very good.”

Cunningham credits Mars athletic director Scott Heinauer, varsity boys basketball coach Rob Carmody and school board member Bill Pettigrew for being “very supportive of this event.”

The tournament requires 30 officials to work games. The Mars girls basketball boosters will provide 15 volunteers and the boys basketball boosters does the same.

Members of the Planet boys and girls varsity basketball teams help out as well.

“They are still involved in their own (WPIAL) tournaments, yet they still lend a hand,” Cunningham said.

“We’re proud of this event. Every team is guaranteed three games and it’s high-level competition. The size of it has gotten out of control, but a lot of people in the community come together to make it work.”

More information on the tournament can be found at www.marsbb.org.