Moon basketball uses ‘run the football’ strategy to defeat No. 1 Mars

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, February 3, 2018 | 12:53 AM

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With a slim lead and only a few minutes left, Moon’s boys basketball team embraced a Super Bowl-worthy strategy.

“We wanted to run the football and control the clock,” Moon coach Adam Kaufman said with a smile. “Why not? It’s Pennsylvania, right?”

Moon turned ultra-patient in the fourth quarter Friday and used long offensive possessions to disrupt and eventually defeat top-ranked Mars, 58-43, which scored just one point in the final six-and-a-half minutes.

The game ended on a 17-1 run by Moon, ranked fourth in WPIAL Class 5A.

“Credit Moon, they made us play at the pace they wanted to play at,” Mars coach Rob Carmody said. “But that’s not the (Mars) team I’ve seen all year. It looked like a very tired, lethargic team. Hey, you play 22 games, you’re bound to have one of them. They’re high school kids. We picked a very bad time to have it.”

However, despite the loss, Mars (15-4, 9-1) maintains a one-game lead over Moon (16-4, 8-2) in the Section 2 standings.

Each team has two section games left.

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Robby Carmody scored 27 points for Mars, but the Notre Dame recruit picked up five fouls in the fourth quarter and fouled out with 58 seconds left. Adding to Mars’ offensive woes, no teammate scored more than six points as Moon’s defense contained Mars’ secondary scorers.

Connor Ryan led Moon with 16 points including 10 made free throws in the fourth quarter. Austin Ryan scored 13, and D’Amico added 12.

“(The game plan) was basically to run our offense and stick to our DNA and what we do,” D’Amico said. “I thought it was the first time we really bought in and ran it. If we run long possessions, that’s less time they have to score the ball.”

Mars had led 42-41 with 6:34 left after two free throws by Carmody. Moon retook the lead 30 seconds later on a layup by Taru Jones.

After a two-minute lull when neither team scored, Moon extended its lead with five quick points from D’Amico on a 3-pointer and two foul shots.

With a six-point lead, Moon slowed the tempo even more.

“I give them all the credit, because they’re the ones out there playing and getting pressured (while) people are screaming and yelling,” Kaufman said. “Yeah, it’s very hard to do, and I’m proud of them for that. They did a good job of it. We thought it was the best chance for us to win the game.”

The slow pace bothered Mars, which scored just 16 points in the second half. The Planets average 76.5 points, second-best in the WPIAL behind OLSH, but scored only eight points each in the final two quarters.

Moon outscored Mars, 20-8, in the fourth.

The frustration showed itself in fouls. Carmody picked up three of his in a 43-second span. Moon led 52-43 when Carmody took a seat.

Mars teammate Cade Hetzler also fouled out.

Moon drew the fouls with its methodical pace. The Tigers attempted 13 free throws in the fourth quarter and made 12. The majority were by Connor Ryan, who went 10 for 10 from the foul line in the fourth.

“It’s not the officials (who decided the outcome), but they definitely changed how they were calling the game late,” coach Carmody said. “I thought the first half had great flow to it. But that’s on our guys to adjust to it. If you get called for one, you can question every call that’s made, but that’s no excuse. They didn’t make us throw the ball away 19 times.”

Moon is the first WPIAL team to defeat Mars this season. Mars had lost twice this season in Florida and once to City League leader Allderdice.

Moon hung close when the teams met Jan. 9 but lost 72-64 at Mars.

“We had the same game plan going into the first game at Mars,” Kaufman said, “but I think our guys were over-excited, over-hyped up, and they let their emotions and excitement affect the way they played. Tonight, I don’t think we forced a whole lot.”

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

Tags: Mars, Moon