Alex Gruber made a free throw with a .5 seconds remaining to help Mars avoid being upset by Highlands, 61-60, in a Section 1-AAA boys basketball game Tuesday night at home.

The Planets (17-1, 10-0) trailed 45-41 after three quarters before rallying to win. Gruber finished with a game-high 21 points for Mars.

Robby Carmody (18 points), John Castello (12) and Christian Schmitt (10) also finished in double figures.

HIGHLANDS 60

Ryan Bosco 3 5-6 14, Tyler Alworth 3 0-0 7, Lovenne Martin 1 2-4 4, Mitch Dezort 3 0-0 6, Brayden Timons 6 2-2 14, Kason Branch 4 4-6 12. Elijah Jackson 1 0-0 3. Totals: 21 13-18 60.

MARS 61

Aaron Gruber 0 0-0 0, Alex Gruber 9 2-4 21, John Castello 4 4-4 12, Ryan Giallonardo 0 0-0 0, Christian Schmitt 4 2-4 10, Robby Carmody 6 6-10 18. Totals: 23 14-22 61.

Highlands 18 14 13 15 — 60

Mars12 15 14 20 — 61

3-point goals: Highlands 5 (Bosco 3, Alworth, Jackson); Mars 1 (Al. Gruber)

Friday: Mars at Deer Lakes

Slippery Rock 63, George Junior Republic 56 — Brady Kadlubek scored 21 points and hit five 3-pointers for the Rockets.

Ryan Dutton added 16 points for Slippery Rock (8-9, 5-7).

GJR 56

Barnes 8 1-2 18, Johnson 4 0-1 8, Abdullah 3 0-0 6, James 6 3-6 16, Baker 4 0-0 8. Totals: 25 4-9 56.

SLIPPERY ROCK 63

Jake Whitmer 2 8-8 13, Brady Kadlubek 6 4-6 21, Nate Popejoy 1 0-1 2, Ryan Dutton 7 2-3 16, Cam Neal 4 2-4 10, Mark Cessar 0 1-2 1. Totals: 20 17-24 63.

GJR 10 15 16 15 — 56

Slippery Rock13 12 23 15 — 63

3-point goals: GJR 2 (Barnes, James); Slippery Rock 6 (Whitmer, Kadlubek 5)

Friday: Slippery Rock at Oil City

Karns City 64, A-C Valley 27 — David Olszak scored 17 points and Ethan Conto added 15 points on five 3-pointers for the Gremlins (7-7).

A-C Valley (1-14) was led by Austin Heeter, who scored 15 points.

A-C VALLEY 27

Kody Wolfe 0 0-0 0, Jake Edwards 2 2-2 6, Ivan Pennington 0 1-2 1, John Anderson 0 0-1 0, Joe Manculich 0 0-0 0, Zach Muhl 1 0-0 3, Brady Terwilliger 0 0-0 0, Aaron Busch 1 0-0 2, Austin Heeter 7 1-6 15. Totals: 11 4-11 27.

KARNS CITY 64

David Olszak 6 3-3 17, Ethan Conto 5 0-0 15, Holden Martin 0 0-0 0, Christian Turner 2 3-5 8, Jimmy Thompson 0 0-0 0, Ben Ealy 0 1-2 1, Colton Hawk 0 0-0 0, Reese Barger 0 0-0 0, Brendan Waltman 6 1-1 14, Chandler Turner 0 0-0 0, Dalton Callihan 3 0-0 6, Marcus Lantz 0 0-0 0, Ian McElroy 1 0-0 2, Caleb McNany 0 0-0 0, Dom Callihan 0 1-2 1. Totals: 23 9-13 64.

A-C Valley 8 6 4 9 — 27

Karns City16 20 19 9 — 64

3-point goals: A-C Valley 1 (Muhl); Karns City 8 (Olszak 2, Conto 5, Waltman)

Today: Keystone at Karns City

Knoch 64, Deer Lakes 36 — Matt Zanella scored 17 points in the Knights' rout.

PJ Gourley added 11 for Knoch (10-7, 7-4).

DEER LAKES 36

Alex Nichols 2 3-4 7, Scott Ventura 5 2-2 16, Cory Pampena 1 0-0 2, Jake Spirnock 1 0-0 3, Zach Butler 0 2-4 2, Noah Darsie 1 1-2 4, Dan Duddy 0 2-2 2. Totals: 10 10-14 36.

KNOCH 64

Aidan Albert 3 1-2 9, Ben Lucas 1 0-0 2, Troy Hixson 2 1-3 5, Matt Zanella 8 1-4 17, Mac Christy 1 2-3 4, Josh Knochel 1 0-0 3, Devin Campbell 2 0-0 4, Jackson McKee 3 1-2 9, PJ Gourley 1 9-11 11. Totals: 22 15-25 64.

Deer Lakes 8 3 12 13 — 36

Knoch19 10 17 18 — 64

3-point goals: Deer Lakes 6 (Ventura 4, Spirnock, Darsie); Knoch 5 (Albert 2, Knochel, McKee 2)

Today: East Allegheny at Knoch

Valley 61, Freeport 39 — Mason Eddinger led the Yellowjackets (11-8, 4-7).

FREEPORT 39

Mason Eddinger 4 2-4 12, Kevin Lynch 1 2-2 5, Kris Keppel 3 2-4 9, Marshall McCormick 2 0-0 4, Brandon Hochbein 0 0-0 0, Codey Digiacobbe 1 0-0 2, Josh Beale 2 2-2 7, Jon Wise 0 0-2 0. Totals: 13 8-14 39.

VALLEY 61

Davis 6 1-1 13, McNabb 5 0-0 14, Richey 5 0-2 10, Hill 8 2-5 18, Lloyd 1 0-0 2, Johnson 2 0-0 4, Ray 0 0-0 0. Totals: 27 3-8 61.

Freeport 11 10 3 15 — 39

Valley16 14 19 12 — 61

3-point goals: Freeport 5 (Eddinger 2, Lynch, Keppel, Beale); Valley 4 (McNabb 4)

Friday: Freeport at Hampton

Sharon 70, Grove City 57 — The Eagles struggled to score after the first quarter in a region loss to the Tigers.

Kaiden Young (14 points) and Brendan Record (13) both scored in double figures for the Eagles (9-7, 7-3).

GROVE CITY 57

Jamie Hall 3 0-0 7, Kaiden Young 6 0-0 14, Kameron Patterson 2 0-0 5, Spencer Marnich 4 1-2 9, Brendan Record 5 1-2 13, Danny Torok 4 0-0 9. Totals: 24 2-4 57.

SHARON 70

Phillips 2 1-2 6, Jennings 7 3-3 18, Stovall 6 4-6 16, Austin 6 0-0 14, Waller 6 4-5 16. Totals: 27 12-16.

Grove City 22 9 12 14 — 57

Sharon21 13 18 18 — 70

3-point goals: Grove City

JV: Grove City 37-36 (Tanner Glenn 14)

Friday: Conneaut Area at Grove City

Summit Academy 67, Mohawk 64 — Dennis Richardson scored 19 points as the Knights (3-13, 2-9) won this section tilt.

MOHAWK 64

Hirvatine 1 0-0 2, Shaster 9 3-3 24, McConahy 6 1-2 13, Zagotti 1 0-0 2, Malutic 6 5-8 19, Kurtz 1 2-2 4. Totals: 24 11-15 64.

SUMMIT ACADEMY 67

Bilal Muhammad 2 0-0 4, Anthony Rentas 6 2-3 16, Terrell Turner 5 2-4 13, Shakir Hunley 7 1-7 15, Dennis Richardson 9 1-2 19. Totals: 29 6-16 67.

Mohawk 17 20 7 20 — 64

Summit Academy14 16 18 19 — 67

3-point goals: Mohawk 5 (Shaster 3, Malutic 2)

Today: Summit Academy at West Shamokin

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic 55, Leechburg 40 — Tristan Newcamp scored 16 points to lead the Trojans (10-7, 8-2).

Girls Basketball

Sara Getsy and Ali Goetz each scored 14 points and the Planets used a hot start to remain perfect in the section with a 52-42 win over Highlands.

The Planets (16-2, 11-0) led 14-5 after the first quarter.

HIGHLANDS 42

Bernardi 4 4-4 13, Boda 3 2-4 9, Cebula 0 0-0 0, Jonczak 7 0-2 14, Cochran 0 0-0 0, Borkowski 0 0-0 0, Thomas 3 0-5 6. Totals: 17 6-15 42.

MARS 52

Sara Getsy 7 0-0 14, Nicole McCloud 3 1-2 7, Jess Bunner 0 1-4 1, Ali Goetz 5 4-6 14, Elise Sheehy 2 3-4 7, Lauren Wasylson 1 0-1 2, Bri Buzard 1 0-0 2, Bonnie Workman 2 0-0 5. Totals: 21 9-17 52.

Highlands 5 15 13 9 — 42

Mars14 14 18 6 — 52

3-point goals: Highlands 2 (Bernardi, Boda); Mars 1 (Workman)

Thursday: Mars at Deer Lakes

West Shamokin 53, Freeport 41 — Zoe Soilis scored 13 points, but the Yellowjackets (5-12, 3-8) dropped this section matchup.

WEST SHAMOKIN 53

Cornish 7 3-6 18, Orlosky 3 2-4 8, Glover 3 0-0 6, Schrecengost 0 3-3 3, Coulter 3 0-0 7, Fusaro 4 2-2 10, Wilson 0 1-2 1, Clousen 0 1-2 1. Totals: 20 12-19 53.

FREEPORT 41

Zoe Soilis 5 3-4 13, Asti Brestenski 0 0-0 0, Macy Smolic 2 5-6 9, Kim Mixon 0 0-0 0, Carli Schwickrath 0 1-5 1, Haley Conner 1 0-0 2, Victoria Delk 1 0-0 3, Brittany Kolek 0 0-0 0, Jenna Manke 2 3-4 7, Natalie Dell 2 0-0 4. Totals: 13 12-19 41.

West Shamokin 12 10 15 16 — 53

Freeport 9 7 10 15 — 41

3-point goals: West Shamokin 2 (Cornish, Coulter); Freeport 1 (Delk)

Thursday: Freeport at Shady Side Academy

Hickory 40, Slippery Rock 25 — Jenna Whitmer scored 16 points to pace the Rockets (9-6, 4-1).

SLIPPERY ROCK 25

Elena McDermott 0 1-2 1, Bailey Boyd 1 1-4 3, Macy McCall 0 0-0 0, Jenna Whitmer 7 4-4 16, Steph Croll 1 0-0 2, Hannah Willison 0 1-2 1. Totals: 8 9-14 25.

HICKORY 40

Not available.

Slippery Rock 4 8 6 7 — 25

Hickory6 8 13 13 — 40

3-point goals: Slippery Rock 2 (Whitmer 2)

Thursday: Meadville at Slippery Rock

Deer Lakes 39, Knoch 35 — Sarah Armahizer scored a team-high 13 points for the Knights (7-12, 2-9), but they couldn't overcome a slow first half in a Section 1-AAA loss.

DEER LAKES 39

Stanko 1 0-0 3, Burke 2 0-0 5, Chmura 0 2-2 2, Philistine 7 1-3 16, Kacsur 2 1-2 7, Gozzard 0 4-5 4, Hutchinson 1 0-0 2. Totals: 13 8-12 39.

KNOCH 35

Ally Riley 1 3-4 6, Alyssa Logan 1 0-0 2, Kayla Grafton 0 1-2 1, Allie Megahan 1 0-0 2, Emily Frazier 3 0-0 8, Casey Kretzer 1 0-0 3, Erica Hunter 0-0 0, Maddie Canal 0 0-0 0, Carly Burdett 0 0-0 0, Sarah Armahizer 6 1-2 13. Totals: 13 5-8 35.

Deer Lakes 6 12 9 12 — 39

Knoch6 7 9 13 — 35

3-point goals: Deer Lakes 5 (Laksur 2, Stanko, Birk, Fillistein); Knoch 4 (Frazier 2, Kretzer, Riley)

Thursday: Knoch at Ford City

Grove City 57, Sharpsville 35 — Brenna Deyarmin poured in 20 points for the Eagles.

GROVE CITY 57

Abby Fulkerson 1 0-0 2, Carla Cintron 1 0-0 2, Alexis Deyarmin 6 0-0 12, Brenna Deyarmin 9 1-2 20, Catie Jaskowak 1 0-0 2, Jordyn Wyllie 5 1-2 11, Rachel Hughes 2 1-2 6, Mekenzie Wolfe 1 0-0 2. Totals: 26 3-6 57.

SHARPSVILLE 35

Grandy 0 0-2 0, Shuttleworth 2 1-1 5, Davies 1 2-2 4, Przicina 3 0-0 6, Sloan 2 0-2 6, Roesch 1 1-2 3, Anderson 5 1-1 11. Totals: 14 5-10 35.

Grove City 11 9 17 20 — 57

Sharpsville9 2 9 15 — 35

3-point goals: Grove City 2 (B. Deyarmin, Hughes); Sharpsville 2 (Sloan 2)

JV: Grove City 33-30 (Wolfe 12)

Thursday: Grove City at Titusville

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic 57, Leechburg 28 — The Trojanettes improved to 13-4 overall and 9-1 in the section.

Rifle

Butler 800-56x, Plum 787-44x — Top shooters for Butler were Becca Frazier, Alissa Wulff, Wes McCurdy, Bryant Libler, Hayden Burd, Zane Barnett, Luke Montag and Emily Black.

Private Schools

First Baptist Christian (girls) 61, Faith Christian 33 — Hannah Roth scored 24 points, had six assists and five steals while Lydia Roth added 19 points, six rebounds and three assists for FBC.

First Baptist Christian (boys) 64, North Street Christian 28 — Javier Iglesia tallied 24 points, 12 assists and five steals for FBC. Trevor Barnhart had 22 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, Cameron Karnes 12 points and 16 rebounds.