It was a tale of two halves for the Knights.

They started out driving to the hoop for the first points of the game by Casey Seymour. Austin Hanson had 6 points and Jaydon Chase drained a 3-pointer to give Eisenhower a 14-9 lead after one quarter.

The second quarter was back and forth between the teams. Eisenhower ontinued to attack the lane as Hanson added 6 more points and Seymour 2 to pace the Knights. Rocky Grove began to chip away at the lead, cutting the Eisenhower lead to just 4 points, 22-18, at the half.

The Orioles started to hit from outside in the third quarter making three 3-pointers and outscoring the Knights 21-13 to take the lead for the first time in the game.

Times Observer photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Austin Hanson rises up for a shot during Tuesday’s District 10 Class 2A semifinal against Rocky Grove at the Hagerty Family Events Center in Erie.

The teams matched baskets early in the fourth quarter. With three minutes remaining, Chase hit his second 3-pointer to tie the game at 46. The Orioles got a defensive rebound and sent a pass to Noah Baughman, who drained a 3-pointer to give his team a 49-46 lead with 2:46 remaining.

Hanson went to the line and sank both of his free throws to pull the Knights within a point with 1:10 left in the game.

Rocky Grove’s Schaffer Anderson hit a short jumper to make it 51-48 with 37 seconds on the clock.

Hanson, who has been clutch for the Knights all season, drained a 3-pointer to tie the game at 51.

Schiffer had another short basket to give the Orioles the lead 53-51 with 7 seconds remaining. The Knights had one final chance, but Hanson’s shot at the buzzer wouldn’t drop.

“Our guys played hard and I was proud of how they came back in the last four minutes of the game,” Eisenhower head coach Ryan Mangini said. “Defensive transition really hurt us in the third quarter. We rebounded well today and the effort was good; that’s what we asked of them.”

The Knights will play in the consolation game against Mercyhurst Prep, which lost to Lakeview 68-65, Saturday at a time and location to be determined.

Hanson led all scorers with 25 points.

Rocky Grove was led by Baughman, who had 16 points.

EISENHOWER (51)

Chase 3 0 8, Seymour 3 0 6, Hanson 9 6 25, Guiher 0 0 0, Lindemuth 4 1 9, Mandeville 1 0 3. Totals 20 7 51.

ROCKY GROVE (53)

Focht 1 0 3, Carter 3 3 12, Hughes 0 0 0, Ritchey 3 0 7, Baughman 6 2 16, Anderson 6 2 15. Totals 19 7 53.

3-point goals–Chase 2, Hanson, Mandeville, Focht, Carter 3, Ritchey, Baughman 2, Anderson.

Eisenhower 14 8 13 16 — 51

Rocky Grove 9 9 21 14 — 53