What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Dec. 3, 2024: Mars boys tip off with new coach

By: Don Rebel
Monday, December 2, 2024 | 10:00 PM

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For the first time in over two and a half decades, the Mars boys basketball team is set to hit the court without Rob Carmody as head coach.

Carmody resigned in August after 26 years leading the Fightin’ Planets.

His teams won two WPIAL championships and were PIAA runners-up twice.

Now a new era begins as Mars opens up the season Tuesday at home in a nonsection game against North Allegheny.

The game marks the debut of Kobe Phillippi as Fightin’ Planets coach.

Phillippi is a former assistant at West Allegheny and spent the last three seasons as head coach at Springdale.

In his three campaigns, he had a combined record of 34-33 and led the Dynamos to one postseason trip.

Mars finished 10-13 a year ago and saw its season end with a WPIAL Class 5A first-round playoff loss to eventual district runner-up Franklin Regional, 67-50.

This is the season opener for both the Fightin’ Planets and the Tigers.

Familiar foes

The Shaler and Fox Chapel boys basketball teams spent the last two seasons as Section 2-5A foes.

In fact, these two finished 1-2 in the section a year ago with the Titans winning the title with a 9-1 section record, two games ahead of the second-place Foxes at 7-3.

Shaler defeated Fox Chapel in both regular season meetings by 13 and by 12 points.

Two years ago, the Titans ended up in second place and again finished two games ahead of the third-place Foxes in the standings. They split their two section matchups.

Both programs are looking for more success as they tip off the new season against each other in a nonsection matchup at Fox Chapel.

The Titans are still in Section 2-5A while the Foxes have moved up to Section 1-6A.

Shaler will have a new coach making his debut as former Chartiers Valley coach Brandon Sensor takes over the Titans following Rob Niederberger’s resignation after last season.

Golden memories

Ten years ago this season, one of the most unlikely WPIAL boys basketball championship runs took place when Indiana finished a 20-2 regular season and went on to capture the district Class 3A crown.

Despite a strong regular season, few gave the Little Indians a chance at the start of the postseason due to a lack of playoff success.

That changed when they defeated three teams to reach the 2015 Class 3A finals, and then stunned favored Beaver Falls on a last-second shot to win their only WPIAL title.

Indiana is coming off an eight-win season a year ago but is 1-0 after rolling big over Marion Center on Friday.

Now they host a Highlands team that split their first two games this season in the Ambridge Tip-off Tournament, beating Armstrong but losing to District 6 River Valley.

Ten year ago, the Little Indians defeated the Golden Rams in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals, 71-54.