Photos by Taunya Caldwell Brunton – The Crusaders in action in Phoenix on Thursday.

The St. Bernard’s boys won their opening two games at the Nike TOC in Phoenix this week, stretching their winning streak to nine straight.

On Thursday, the Crusaders opened tournament play with a 70-46 win over Westwood of Arizona, and they followed that with a closer 55-49 win over Oregon’s North Salem on Friday morning.

The SB boys started fast on Friday, holding a physical and defensive Vikings team to just 12 first-half points and opening up a sizable lead.

The second half, however, was a different story as the Oregon boys came storming back.

But the Crusaders weathered the storm and held on late for the victory.

“So proud of our guys and their resolve,” St. Bernard’s head coach Pat Shanahan said “We gave up a large portion of our lead and we didn’t get frazzled. 

“We stayed under control and continued to move the ball. Again, a testament to having mature, smart players who have a team-first mentality.”

Garret Shanahan, who has been hugely influential in the team’s 11-1 start to the season, finished with a double-double in Friday’s win, scoring 17 points and pulling down 13 rebounds.

Liam Dyer also played a big role in the win, finishing with 17 points and six boards, while Carson Costa added 12 points and Prince Latimer chipped in nine points.

On Thursday, the high-flying Crusaders, who are the top-ranked Division-5 program in California, got the new year off to an impressive start with a dominating 24-point win.

The ever-consistent Dyer scored a team-high 25 points, to go with nine rebounds and three blocks, while Garrett Shanahan had another double-double, finishing with 15 rebounds and 10 points.

St. Bernard’s, however, had to overcome a slow start to the game before settling in.

“The gym facilities in Arizona are excellent. Our play in the first quarter was not,” Pat Shanahan said. “But once we got our travel legs loosened up we played much better in quarters 2-4.”

Dyer and Garrett Shanahan both continued to play at a high level for the team.

“Liam was a problem for the other ream. His versatility is hard to game plan for,” the St. Bernard’s head coach said. “Garrett was a force on the glass and set a confident tone whenever the bal was is this hands.”

Senior guard Burke Morrow helped the Crusaders settle into the game with his play off the bench.

“Burke provided a huge spark for us in both halves,” Pat Shanahan said. “He dove multiple times for loose balls, which was contagious. Our collective effort went up a few notches when Burke was on the floor.”

Costa added 14 points in the win, while Latimer finished with 10 points.

“Carson hit some outside shots with such ease it looked like a layup for him,” the St. Bernard’s coach said. “Prince moved the ball well and attacked when he saw the opportunity present itself.”

Several other players also impressed in the lopsided win, including senior forward Tony Pena, who “spaced the court well,” according to the coach, as well as Dang Le, who gave the team some strong minutes and was aggressive in the paint.

Luke Brunton and Braylon Johnson also gave the Little 4 school some solid minutes, while Trenten Hagler and Tyler Hinrichs continue to play key roles on a deep and talented roster.

“Trenten hustled and played extremely well, as did Tyler moving the ball and finding teammates,” Pat Shanahan said, 

Now ranked No. 14 overall in the North Coast Section, the Crusaders look like the team to beat in this year’s Little 4, which tips off next week.

“It is great to see the guys be open to these type of experiences,” the coach added. “Playing a team we don’t know much about and learning on the fly in a new environment with just each other. Really happy with their communication.”

The Crusaders will continue tournament play against Queen Creek out of Arizona on Saturday at noon.