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League champs

Ike rolls Erie Prep 81-39 to clinch Region 3 title

Times Observer photo by Steve Younger The Eisenhower boys basketball team poses together after clinching the Region 3 championship Friday.

RUSSELL — In front of a packed gym, the Eisenhower Knights left no doubt that they were the best team in Region 3 this season as they won their 10th game in a row — in the process winning the region championship — defeating Erie Prep Academy 81-39 on Friday evening.

The Knights entered the game undefeated at home and from the start had every intention of keeping that streak intact.

Eisenhower junior Rylan Benton drained a pair of 3-pointers and fellow junior Austin Hanson added another as the Knights took a quick 9-2 lead and never looked back, racing to a 21-12 first-quarter lead.

Eisenhower’s defense converted turnovers into points, holding the Yetis to just 4 points in the second quarter, which led to a 48-16 halftime lead.

The Knights came out of the locker room determined to put the game away. The offense took over as Eisenhower dropped seven 3-pointers in the third quarter: two by senior Derek Guiher, two by Liam Hanson and one apiece by Austin Hanson, Kymani Vine and Will Mandeville, as the Knights led 73-33 heading into the fourth quarter.

Times Observer photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Paul Mandeville drives the baseline while being defended by Erie Prep Academy’s Terrence Yu during Friday’s Region 3 boys basketball game in Russell.

With the mercy rule in place and the playoffs looming, Knights head coach Ryan Mangini pulled his starters.

“I thought the guys really tightened up in the second and third quarter,” he said. “We talked about playing with playoff intensity and I think they did in those two.”

Eisenhower claimed its first outright league title since 2003. The Knights were co-champions in 2023-24.

Liam Hanson led Eisenhower in scoring with 17 points, including four 3-pointers. Austin Hanson added 13 points.

Erie Prep’s Matteo Morganti led all scorers with 21 points.

ERIE PREP ACADEMY (39)

Batjargal 1 0 2, Song 0 0 0, Morganti 9 0 21, Wang 1 0 2, Lawal 0 0 0, Redd 0 0 0, Yu 3 0 6, Yang 3 2 8. Totals 17 2 39.

EISENHOWER (81)

Reynolds 2 1 5, Vine 4 0 10, Boozer 0 0 0, AHanson 4 2 13, Guiher 2 0 6, Benton 3 0 8, LHanson 6 1 17, Lindemuth 2 0 4, Steinberg 0 0 0, Pikna 1 0 3, WMandeville 3 1 8, PMandeville 3 0 7.

3-point goals–Morganti, Vine 2, AHanson 3, Guiher 2, Benton 2, LHanson 4, Pikna, WMandeville, PMandeville.

Erie Prep Academy 12 4 17 6 — 39

Eisenhower 21 27 25 8 — 81

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