Mars heats up for 5A playoff win
ADAMS TWP — Speaking of his team's penchant for attempting a high number of 3-pointers, Mars boys basketball coach Rob Carmody said: “It's who we are.”
So when the Planets scored just 18 points in the first half of Wednesday's WPIAL Class 5A first-round playoff game — due in large part to a 2-of-14 showing from the outside — they didn't shy away from their long-range agenda.
They continued to put the shots up ... and they began to fall.
The Planets drained seven of them in the second half to help keep a gritty Franklin Regional team at bay as Mars advanced with a 54-45 victory on its home floor.
Mars will host Trinity, which pulled off a 76-56 upset of Highlands, in a quarterfinal at noon Saturday.
The Planets (15-3) regularly made 12-plus treys in games this season.
“We were getting terrific looks in the first half,” said Carmody. “If we had shot the ball the way we're capable of, this would have been a different game.”
Even with the Planets' improved shooting, Franklin Regional found a way to remain within striking distance.
The Panthers used a 6-0 spurt, including treys from Caden Smith and Jake Nader, to cut Mars' lead to 47-42 with 1:14 left. They would get no closer, however.
It was a theme for coach Steve Scorpion's team. Its only lead of the night came at 3-0 in the first minute of the game. The Panthers regularly cut their deficit to between six and eight points before hitting a wall.
“Missed layups. We had to have missed seven or eight point-blank layups tonight,” Scorpion said. “We knew Mars was going to make us pay and they did.”
Mihali Sfanos began the assault from the outside, making a trey with 5:40 left in the third quarter. His brother, Tasso, joined in and they combined for four treys in the period, which ended with Mars leading 36-25.
Zach Schlegel and Bryce Cunningham both drained one in the fourth quarter. Schlegel, who has made 90 percent of his free throws this season, sealed the game with an 8-for-8 effort from the line in the closing minutes.
Mars was led by Schlegel's 22 points and Mihali Sfanos added 16.
Luke Kimmich and Smith both scored 11 for the Panthers (8-8).
“Franklin knows us well. We knew this was going to be a tough, physical, grind-it-out type of game,” said Carmody.
Two of Mars' three losses this season came against Highlands, but the Golden Rams are now out of the tournament.
“I think a lot of people were looking for a third meeting with Highlands,” added Carmody, “but nothing's a given, especially this season.”
Like all teams still alive, Mars is walking a tight rope. Only district champions will advance to the state playoffs, but the Planets are a confident bunch.
“With our shooting, we just have to find our zone,” said Schlegel. “There's still room to improve. It comes down to keeping our poise each game.”
FRANKLIN REGIONAL 45Luke Kimmich 3 4-6 11, Cam Rowell 2 0-2 4, Caden Smith 5 0-0 11, Jake Nader 1 0-0 3, Jeff Downs 1 0-0 2, Aidan Carlisle 1 0-0 2, Kadyn Hannah 4 1-1 9, Luke Treloar 1 1-1 3, Ben Rosenberg 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 6-10 45.
MARS 54Zach Schlegel 6 8-8 22, Chris Dvorak 2 0-0 4, Tasso Sfanos 3 0-0 9, Mihali Sfanos 5 3-4 16, Bryce Cunningham 1 0-0 3, Anthony Vargo 0 0-1 0, Nate Roush 0 0-0 0, Austin Cote 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17 11-13 54.Franklin Reg. 3 11 11 20 — 45Mars9 9 18 18 — 543-point goals: Franklin Regional 3 (Kimmich, Smith, Nader); Mars 9 (M. Sfanos 3, T. Sfanos 3, Schlegel 2, Cunningham).Saturday: Trinity at Mars, noon
