Those nerves were on display early, and Sharpsville and Claire Staunch pounced.

Staunch scored a game-high 24 points in leading the Blue Devils to a 52-28 victory.

“We were as nervous as could be,” said Eisenhower coach Mike Logue. “They didn’t do anything that we hadn’t expected or weren’t prepared for. We were just nervous, we didn’t want the ball and on the offensive end kept turning it over.”

The Lady Knights (9-14) managed just a Maddie Sleeman free throw in the first quarter, as Sharpsville (8-12) jumped out to a 13-1 lead.

Eisenhower’s Lydia Giannini looks for an open teammate during the first half.

Emiley Wheeler opened the second quarter with an old-school 3-point play, but that momentum was short-lived.

Staunch simply took over.

The junior guard scored every which way imaginable, converting a steal to a layup, burying a 3 and twisting for an impressive spin move off-glass.

When the dust settled, Sharpsville led 26-6 at halftime, with 17 of those points coming from Staunch.

“At halftime, we talked about, win or lose, what can we learn from this,” Logue said.

Eisenhower’s Delaney Chase puts up a shot during the first quarter of Saturday’s first round playoff game.

Delaney Chase opened the scoring for Eisenhower in the second half, but it was more of a repeat of the first half the rest of the way in the third quarter, as the lead swelled to as much as 35.

In the final eight minutes, the Lady Knights played their best basketball.

“In the fourth quarter we settled down and started playing the way we knew we could,” Logue said.

Wheeler converted her second 3-point play of the game, part of a team-high 15 point-effort, and Giannini buried a 3 which sent the Eisenhower bench jumping for joy.

“She’s been waiting to shoot a 3 all year,” Logue said. “It was nice to get her a play for it.”

The senior leader and captain finished with eight points, 14 rebounds and four steals in her final game as a Lady Knight.

“You couldn’t ask for a better senior leader,” Logue said. “What a great captain she’s been. She worked hard at getting the soccer players to come out. She made sure everybody had rides. She kind of became our team mother almost, making sure everybody was at practice and things like that.

“She worked so hard every day

at practice. She comes out in the games and works hard and is one of the top rebounders in the state.”

And while Giannini will graduate, the rest of the team will be back next season.

“This was a great experience,” noted Logue. “Our bench was soccer players that came out. Some of them had played in elementary school, but that’s about it. From where they started the season until now, it’s amazing how much basketball they learned and how their skills improved.

“As far as the other girls, they improved tremendously as well. They learned to play as a team. They gelled into a good offensive ball club. Where we were at the beginning of the year to where we are now, it’s an amazing difference.”

Wheeler and Chase added seven rebounds each.

Staunch had eight rebounds, six steals and three blocks to go along with her points, and freshman Alli Davis finished with nine points for Sharpsville, which will meet Cambridge Springs in the quarterfinals.

– – –

EISENHOWER (28)

Wheeler 5-5-8-15, Renninger 0-0-0-0, Chase 0-4-6-4, Courtney 0-0-0-0, Giannini 3-1-4-8, Sleeman 0-1-2-1, Mohney 0-0-0-0, Beaver 0-0-0-0, Olsen 0-0-0-0, Smith 0-0-0-0, Totals 8-11-22-28

SHARPSVILLE (52)

Commisso 1-1-2-3, Wansack 3-0-0-6, Blair 1-1-2-3, Davis 3-1-4-9, Staunch 11-1-2-24, Kratko 1-0-0-3, Hopson 0-0-0-0, Anzcvino 0-1-2-1, Tonty 0-1-2-1, Barnes 0-0-0-0, Bootz 1-0-0-2, Totals 21-6-14-52

By Quarters

Eisenhower 1 5 1 21 – 28

Sharpsville 13 13 16 10 – 52

Three-point FGs: Eisenhower (1) – Giannini; Sharpsville (4) – Davis 2, Staunch, Kratko