The Lady Knights are off to a great start with a 7-1 record, coming off winning the Barringer Christmas tournament. Pictured standing, from left to right, are Miranda Gates, Kaliann Waite, Laney Belcher, Keely Alcorn, Sam Childs and Morgan Zaffino. In front, Clara Steinberg, Tracy Jakubczak and Lainey Font. Submitted Photo

In case you haven’t noticed, the Eisenhower girls basketball team has quietly started out this season with a 7-1 record.

At 7 tonight the Knights will attempt to improve to 8-1 when they welcome Johnsonburg for a non-region game.

The Eisenhower program has been in a rebuilding mode the last few years. In fact, the Knights have had only one season with a winning record in the last 14 years and that was two years ago when they finished 12-10.

The rebuild started to take root three years ago when a talented group of freshmen began their varsity careers under new head coach D.J. Steinberg, who has coached this year’s junior class since they were in elementary school. The road to reach this point, however, hasn’t been easy. The last two years Steinberg didn’t have more than 10 players in the team and, when they played a junior varsity game, most of the girls played in both games.

This year the roster has grown to 12 players, and the numbers in the elementary and junior high are both strong.

“It is great to watch these girls excel on the court,” Steinberg said. “I wish I had the secret, but it is honestly just time. They have all worked tirelessly, both on and off the court. It has really been a pleasure to coach them and watch their improvement.”

How much of an improvement?

Well, the girls program hasn’t had a start like this in 17 years, and that team finished 21-7. This team has reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and they girls are hoping to make a deep postseason run this year, too.

The early season success in 2024-25 has truly been a team effort.

The Knights are led by junior Clara Steinberg, who is ranked eighth in the state with a 24.6 scoring average. She is also shooting 41% from beyond the arc, which is good for ninth; is 15th in field goals made; 29th in steals with 4.7 per contest; and is fifth in assists at 5.9 per game.

“Clara just lives this game,” Coach Steinberg said of his daughter, “and works so hard, but the one that stands out to me is her assists. She is just as happy for a teammate to score as herself. I’m super proud of her.”

But Clara Steinberg isn’t doing it alone.

Junior Lainey Font is 30th in 3-point percentage (44%), and is averaging 14.4 points, 2.8 assists, and 2.3 steals per game.

“Lainey is a great shooter and when she is hot she makes it very difficult for teams to defend against us,” Coach Steinberg said.

Tracey Jakubczak, the team’s lone senior, returned to basketball after two years away and has not skipped a beat.

A standout soccer goalie and softball at Eisenhower, she is providing a level of toughness to the Knights, averaging 9.6 rebounds per game, good for 41st in the state.

“Tracey has played so well for us,” Coach Steinberg said. “It was a huge plus for us when she decided to return to basketball and she has fit in seamlessly with the rest of the girls.”

The Knights are a close-knit team and the fun they have playing together shows.

Joining Font, Jakubczak and Clara Steinberg on the roster are Samantha Childs, Laney Belcher, Miranda Gates, Kaliann White, Morgan Zaffino and Keeley Alcorn.

“They each play a role in the team’s success,” Coach Steinberg said. “They are a very unselfish group and a lot of fun to watch. I feel honored to have coached this group for so long.”

Tonight’s game could be history-making as Clara Steinberg is just 32 points away from reaching 1,000 career points. She would be the second girl to reach the mark at Eisenhower.

And Steinberg might not be the only Knight to gain membership in the 1,000-point club as Font is chasing the milestone as well and could hit it next year.