“The girls on our roster can’t remember the last time a girls team from Eisenhower was in the state playoffs,” Eisenhower head coach DJ Steinberg said. “We have been preparing for this game all season by playing up against 3A teams, hopefully that will help us in tonight’s game.”

Eisenhower set four goals at the beginning of the season:

A winning record?

Well the Knights are 17-8 on the year.

Times Observer file photo Eisenhower’s Lainey Font picks up a steal during a game against Mercyhurst Prep earlier this season.

Beat Maplewood?

Eisenhower lost to Maplewood at the buzzer last season, but the Knights managed a 56-48 victory this year.

Win a playoff game?

The Knights got that done last week in their win over Maplewood.

Reach the PIAA state playoffs?

That will be officially accomplished tonight against Bishop McCort, achieving all of their lofty goals. It’s quite the turnaround for a team that three years ago was coming off a 2-20 season.

The turnaround began when Coach Steinberg began coaching a group of players that as freshmen led the team to a winning record and a return to the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. They have been to the playoffs every year since and even more impressive is the fact that they haven’t had a senior on the court since the end of the regular season when they lost Tracey Jakubczak due to a shoulder injury.

Eisenhower is led by junior Clara Steinberg who is the No. 2 scorer in all of District 10, averaging 23.1 points per game. She is also the top three-point shooter in all of District 10, but even more impressive she is also ranked No. 2 beyond the arc in all classes in the state of Pennsylvania (75-190, 39%).

ThIs Lady Knights also have fellow junior Laney Font who is the No. 3 three-point shooter in District 10 and is averaging 14.4 ppg.

Eisenhower will be taking the three hour bus ride for their opening round PIAA game against Bishop McCort which will be playing on its home court.

The Lady Crushers entered the tournament ranked No. 2 in all of Division A with a 22-4 record and finished third in the Laurel Highlands Conference. Coach Steinberg has nothing but respect for the Lady Crushers, but feels his team is well prepared for the game tonight.

“The name alone could be intimidating,” Steinberg stated. “Private, parochial school versus public school. They have an impressive record and don’t make a lot of mistakes, but watching film of them, we can compete. We have to play a fast paced game and be patient and make our shots count. We have to play tough defense and rebound well. We cannot have the mental mistakes that we had the last game.”

Coach Steinberg is counting on the fact that his team has played tough teams this season and done well in those games.

“We are prepared for this game,” Steinberg said. “But the girls have earned everything that they’ve accomplished, nothing has come easily for these girls, they aren’t intimidated, they are ready.”

For the Lady Knights just getting here was a goal they accomplished, but I’m sure that they’d like to accomplish one more, and as people say “that’s why they play the game.”

All tickets for tonight’s game can be purchased at PIAA.org. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Bishop McCort high school, 25 Osborne street, Johnstown, PA 15905. The game will be televised at www.deejayexperience.com