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The St. Bernard’s boys will get the opportunity to play for a second North Coast Section championship in four seasons this weekend.

On Wednesday night, the Crusaders won their semifinal matchup against Mendocino at St. Bernard’s, 53-42.

The win sets up a Saturday night championship showdown for the top seeds against No. 2 St. Vincent de Paul, which will also be played at St. Bernard’s.

It took the Crusaders a little while to get going, but once they did they found their rhythm and began to exert their influence on the game.

“It took us a few possessions to settle into ourselves in the beginning of the game,” St. Bernard’s assistant coach Pat Shanahan said. “When we did, we shared the ball well and got some open looks.”

Several players impressed in the win, including influential juniors Liam Dyer and Carson Costa, each of whom is enjoying an outstanding season.

The sharpshooting Dyer scored a game-high 25 points, while Costa added 14 points and also had five assists.

“Carson had a great night and sparked us with his passing and shooting,” Shanahan said. “Liam responded well and once again displayed how much of a competitor he is.”

Prince Latimer also impressed and added six points, while the always dangerous Garrett Shanahan continued to impress with his all-around game and presence in the paint and added seven rebounds and six rebounds.

Tyler Hinrichs also had five rebounds in the win, as the Crusaders won their second straight playoff game and improved to 21-5.

“Proud of the team coming together here in the playoffs and figuring out ways to win,” Pat Shanahan said. “Looking forward to prepping tomorrow for the game on Saturday.”

The championship game will tip off at 7 p.m.

St. Vincent de Paul defeated Point Arena 68-51 in the other semifinal on Wednesday.

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