Crystal Lake Central’s boys basketball team peppers opponents with plenty of players, including twin brothers who double up on their names.

Michael Bud Shanahan is a second-year varsity player whose outside shot can be lethal, whether he’s starting or coming off the bench. Joseph Sonny Shanahan, who’s 20 minutes younger than his fraternal twin, is a varsity rookie who also can score and starts for the Tigers.

“A lot of my family goes by their middle name,” Bud Shanahan said.

While Central has increased the number of Shanahans on its roster this season, the Tigers have been growing their win total exponentially.

Bud Shanahan’s pair of 3-pointers in the second quarter sparked a 16-2 run to end the first half, as Central went on to beat visiting Woodstock 66-50 in a nonconference game Monday night.

Central, which surpassed its 2024-25 win total of six in December, improved to 11-3. Max Beard scored a game-high 18 points, including one-handed and two-handed dunks on breakaways, for Woodstock (10-4). Liam Laidig had 16 points and six rebounds for the Blue Streaks.

Bud Shanahan scored 13 points coming off the bench, sinking 3 of 4 shots from beyond the arc, while also going 4 of 6 from the foul line, including 3 of 4 in the fourth quarter to help put the game away.

“He had a great performance,” Tigers coach Brian Seaver said. “Those [second quarter] shots were huge.”

Avery Lee led a balanced Central attack with 15 points, while Aidan Watson joined Bud Shanahan in double figures with 10. Danny Spychala, the Tigers’ 6-foot-7 forward, had nine points and nine rebounds. Sonny Shanahan scored only four points, but his double move on the baseline that resulted in a layup drew loud cheers from the home crowd.

“I would say the biggest difference [this season] is everyone is playing together,” Bud Shanahan said. “There’s no more selfishness.”

Rian Hahn-Clifton’s 3-pointer had Woodstock up 22-16 with 4:35 left in the second quarter. But Bud Shanahan buried a 3 off a pass from Spychala, after splitting two free throws, and Central kept scoring, often in transition.

“I don’t know what that run was, but it felt like a million to zero,” Blue Streaks coach Ryan Starnes said. “Credit to them. We talked at the half about mentally being a little bit soft when things didn’t go our way and that we got to be better than that. Against a good team, you got to play four good quarters.”

Central’s run included another 3 by Bud Shanahan “from the train station,” said the PA announcer.

“We had shoot around earlier in the day, and I just felt confident in my shot,” Bud Shanahan said after his third double-digit scoring effort of the season.

The 6-4 Watson scored all of his points in the second half, twice converting three-point plays off putbacks. The senior finished with five rebounds, including three offensive.

“I know that I’m a good rebounder, and I know that offensive rebounds can be a huge turning point in the game,” Watson said. “This year, a lot of guys are very selfless, and we know that a different guy each night can go off. It’s not just one guy. We’re all willing to pass the ball.”

Central, which increased its 32-24 halftime lead to 54-41 after three quarters, had 10 players score.

“We’re continuing to play hard,” Seaver said. “We have a lot of guys that can play. Getting them off the bench, getting them some time and finding somebody who’s hot is what we’re looking for.”

The lefty Spychala showed off his versatility. While his length and athleticism altered shots down low, he also had three assists and a blocked shot. The junior and second-year starter is a team captain along with seniors Lee and Johnny Geisser.

“As a team captain, I try to play hard early and set the tone for my teammates,” Spychala said. “If I’m playing super hard, then I know that the guys I trust and I practice with every day will do the exact same thing.”

Woodstock committed 14 turnovers and trailed by as many as 19 points in the second half.

“Their pressure got to us,” Starnes said. “When you play 10 guys, that can wear you down a little bit, and that’s certainly what happened.”