Mars Area High School Boys Varsity Basketball Team will take on the Hampton Talbots in the first round of the 2017-2018 PIAA Class 5A Boys Varsity Basketball Championship at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 9, at Fox Chapel Area High School.

The Fightin’ Planets earned their first WPIAL title with a 54-44 win over the Franklin Regional Panthers in the final game of the 2017-2018 WPIAL Class 5A Boys Varsity Basketball Championship on March 2. The team topped the Trinity Hillers 56-39 in the WPIAL semifinals on Feb. 27 and defeated the Hampton Talbots 70-51 in the quarterfinals on Feb. 23.

The team ended the 2017-2018 regular season with an overall record of 18-4 and 11-1 in section play, earning Section 2-5A title.

Tickets for the PIAA basketball games are $6 for adults and $3 for students and are available for purchase from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Mars Area High School’s Athletic Office. (Note: No student tickets will be sold at the gate.)

For more information, call (724) 625-9380 or visit www.piaa.org.