The Eisenhower boys basketball team is not going to sneak up on anyone this season after finishing last season with a 14-11 record and earning a playoff berth.

The good news for head coach Ryan Mangini is the upperclassmen are “stepping up and playing well.”

“They all have shown tremendous improvement in the offseason,” he said. “These players are Gavin Lindemuth, Austin Hanson and Derek Guiher.”

The Knights do have holes to fill, however, as they lost 1,000-point scorer Wyatt Lookenhouse and starting guard Kael Hunt to graduation, but Mangini feels they can compete in the region this year as he will bring back height and experience in the 6-foot-4 Kris Bunk, the 6-3 first-team all-region Kyler Black and the 6-4 Lindemuth, who gained valuable experience last season and will step into a starting role this season.

“We have the talent,” Mangini said. “We need to play with intensity and focus consistently, especially on the defensive end. If we do this, we can be a good team this year.”

Eisenhower’s goals are to win its region and make it into the state playoffs this season. Mangini believes their tip-off tournament in Bradford this weekend will be a good test.

“I think the opening tournament will be a good barometer for us early on,” he said. “Bradford has gotten the better of us the last two years. It would be a great way to start our season with a win right off.”