Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Austin Hanson, right, battles for a loose ball during Friday’s Region 2 basketball game at Union City.

UNION CITY — Behind a tenacious defense, the Eisenhower boys basketball team scored the first 16 points of the game and was never threatened the rest of the way in a 67-16 Region 2 victory over Union City on Friday night.

Derek Guiher led the way with 17 points and Austin Hanson added 16, all in the first half when the Knights opened up a 41-7 lead.

Guiher drilled three 3-pointers in the opening quarter, Hanson added another, and the defense of Gavin Lindemuth, Jayson Chase and Casey Seymour was smothering as they held Union City to a single point and led 21-1.

Joe Gigliotti and Hanson added another 3-pointer in the second quarter and the Knights forced several Union City turnovers that allowed them to build the huge lead at intermission.

With the mercy rule in play for the bulk of the second half, Eisenhower was able to rest its starters and get everyone of the varsity players into the game. The Knights’ bench, which will be relied upon with the playoffs, played well. Gigliotti added 5 points, Will Mandeville 6, Gavin Reynolds 4 and Michael Palmieri added a 3-pointer as Eisenhower improved its record to 10-8 overall and 4-2 in Region 2.

“I was really happy with our young players tonight,” Knights head coach Ryan Mangini said. “They stepped in and continued to play great defense and were patient with their shot taking. Gavin Reynolds did a good job with his decision making and always being in the right spots and Joe Gigliotti came in and did a good job with the press and in the half-court defense.”

The Knights, who return to action Monday when they welcome Brookville, lost the junior varsity game 39-38. Michael Palmieri led Eisenhower with 14 points.

EISENHOWER (67)

Hanson 6 2 16, Seymour 2 2 6, Lindemuth 4 0 8, Chase 1 0 2, Guiher 6 1 17, Gigliotti 2 0 5, Mandeville 3 0 6, Reynolds 1 2 4, Russell 0 0 0, Palmieri 1 0 3, Totals 26 7 67.

UNION CITY (16)

Capela 1 1 4, McNulty 0 0 0, Parkhurst 0 3 3, Trayer 0 0 0, Kibbe 0 1 1, Fox 3 0 8, Totals 4 5 16.

3-point goals — Hanson 2, Guiher 4, Gigliotti, Palmieri, Capela, Fox 2.

Eisenhower 21 20 9 17 — 67

Union City 1 6 6 3 — 16