“We were able to withstand their runs and stayed composed,” Knights head coach Ryan Mangini said. “Some things weren’t going our way, but we played through it. We had plenty of mistakes, but the guys showed their resilience.”

The win advances Eisenhower into the PIAA playoffs at 1 p.m. this Saturday when it takes on Bishop LaSalle, the No. 7 seed from the WPIAL, at Warren Area High School.

“Being able to host this game is a privilege and can be a huge advantage,” Mangini said. “Our fanbase has been great all season.”

The game against Cranberry (23-2) was a dandy, too.

Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger The Knights’ Austin Hanson and Cranberry’s Blake Marchinke chase a loose ball.

The Knights led 19-12 after the first quarter and 33-28 at halftime, helped by the Berries’ inability to take care of the basketball.

“We had 17 turnovers in the first half alone,” Cranberry head coach Ed McEntire said. “You can’t do that and win at this point of the season. (Eisenhower is a very good team and was exactly what we thought.”

To McEntire’s credit, Cranberry cut the deficit to 54-52 after three periods, thanks to 9 points by Cole Findlay and 6 apiece by Shia Sanchez and Landon Baker, but Hanson drilled a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter. He and Rylan Benton also added a trey apiece down the stretch and Hanson hit free throws in the closing moments to secure the win.

Derek Guiher added 10 points for the Knights and Liam Hanson finished with 8.

Findlay paced Cranberry with 24 points, Sanchez had 14 and Baker added 11.

Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Derek Guiher (15) shoots over Cranberry’s Shia Sanchez.

“I think our guys were able to absorb their efforts, because we have been in that spot earlier this season against Erie First and Corry,” Mangini said. “Our guys are mentally tough enough to not let the game gey too big and just play within our system.”

EISENHOWER (76)

Reynolds 0 0 0, Vine 7 1 18, Haight 0 0 0, AHanson 9 6 29, Guiher 4 0 10, Benton 1 0 3, LHanson 2 4 8, Lindemuth 0 0 0, WMandeville 3 0 6, PMandeville 1 0 2, Totals 27 11 76.

CRANBERRY (67)

Manchinke 2 2 6, Findlay 11 2 24, Baker 4 2 11, Morrow 1 1 3, Sanchez 7 0 14, Zerbe 3 3 9, Totals 28 10 67.

3-point goals–Vine 3, AHanson 5, Guiher 2, Benton, Baker.

Eisenhower 19 14 21 22–76

Cranberry 12 16 24 15 –67