The Spartans’ Craig Sauers missed a 3-pointer and Coltin Esposito’s tip-in attempt at the horn was off the mark in a 68-66 Section 3-2A home loss to the Chargers.

Desmond Ross drained a 3-pointer with nine seconds left to put Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (8-3, 12-5) up by two points.

“You want to win them all and you want to win on your home floor,” Laurel coach Ken Locke said. “We still control our own fate.”

The Spartans (6-5, 13-6) dipped into a fourth-place tie with Neshannock for the final playoff berth in the league.

Mason Mraz tossed in a team-high 21 points for the Spartans. He broke the all-time scoring record previously held by Mike Burkett.

Mraz, who has scored 522 points this season, currently has 1,584 points to rank 15th on the county’s all-time list. Burkett netted 1,571 career points from 2002 to 2005 for the Spartans.

“Mason has had a great career,” Locke said. “He’s one of the best players to come through here and it’s much deserved.

“He’s dedicated himself to the game of basketball; it’s an honor he’s earned.”

Esposito followed Mraz with 19 points for Laurel and Jordan Dantico delivered 11.
Ross registered a game-best 22 points for the Chargers.