The St. Anthony boys’ basketball team has had plenty of run-and-gun teams under head coach Allen Caveness. This year’s Saints team is not one of them. St. Anthony proved Monday in their Bosco Tournament opener that the identity of the squad this year is its defense, allowing just eight second-half points in a 45-37 win over Hesperia.
“That’s who we are,” said Caveness. “We’re not a high-scoring team this year, but we have three really high-level defense, and that’s our identity this year, that’s how we’re going to win.”
The Saints are ranked No. 9 in this week’s Division 1 CIF-SS poll and were certainly expected to win their tourney opener against Hesperia. But the result of the game was in doubt for most of the contest as both teams struggled to score the ball. The Saints trailed 29-28 at halftime after a late three from Hesperia, but responded by allowing just two points in the third quarter, and just six points in the fourth as they locked down.
Offensively, the Saints fed it to Corry Brown down low, and his eight points in the third quarter (10 in the game) put them ahead 39-31 after three quarters. Makaih Williams (17 points) led the Saints in scoring, backed up by Brown and Elijah Price (eight). Hesperia was led by Rashawn Burrell (10 points).
St. Anthony (9-0) will face Gahr on Wednesday in the second round of the Bosco Tournament at 6 p.m.
