26 top moments in 26 years of the Les Schwab Invitational
The Les Schwab Invitational produced a number of magical moments over its first 26 years of existence.
The 2023 edition, which will run Dec. 26-30 at Liberty High School in Hillsboro, Oregon, is all but certain to add to the prestigious tournament’s legacy.
Two-time defending Class 6A state champion Tualatin and West Linn, winner of the 2022 LSI, are among the 12 Oregon teams that will battle with out-of-state powers Christopher Columbus (Florida), Harvard-Westlake (California), Mt. Spokane (Washington) and Perry (Arizona).
Below is a list of 26 of the best moments and events in LSI history.
Photo by Naji Saker: The West Linn Lions celebrate after their magical run to the 2022 LSI tournament championship.
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26. The LSI’s return
After the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the 2020 tournament, the LSI returned in 2021 with Missouri’s Link Academy cruising to the title with an average margin of victory of 29.5 points. Tualatin gave Link Academy a solid test in the final, but the star-studded Lions were too much for a field that was thinned in the lead-up to the tournament because of the Omicron outbreak.
25. Oak Hill makes waves
Oak Hill was the first out-of-state power to appear in the LSI, winning the 1997 title. The team started five Division I players, including future Xavier star Lloyd Price. There was no shot clock in the tournament’s early days, but any stall tactics failed to work as Oak Hill went a perfect 4-0.
24. LSI adds dunk contest
The LSI added a slam dunk contest for the 2008 tournament, and the event was an immediate success. Dominguez’s Robert Mandingo won the contest with a spectacular alley-oop dunk off the balcony railing. The dunk still holds up.
23. Rainier Beach wins one for the Northwest
Rainer Beach and Chicago’s Whitney Young played one of the best semifinals in LSI history at the 2013 tournament. Future Washington star David Crisp netted 33 points in an 89-82 Beach victory. Jahlil Okafor had 28 points and 13 rebounds for Whitney Young, but it wasn’t enough to take down the Seattle power. The Vikings went on to defeat Bishop Gorman in the final.
22. Keldon Johnson’s historic performance
Oak Hill won its seventh LSI title in 2017, defeating Mater Dei in the final. Keldon Johnson was the star of the tournament with several strong performances during the team’s four games. Johnson, who now plays for the San Antonio Spurs, is the only player to win the slam dunk contest and tournament MVP honors.
21. Westview stuns Fairfax
Ranked 13th in the country entering the 2004 LSI, Fairfax was expected to cruise to the final. That did not happen. In a first-round stunner, Westview buried 12 three-pointers in a 77-71 victory over Fairfax. Gabe Palone made five of those threes and led the Wildcats with 27 points.
20. Ndudi Ebi becomes a star
Playing for Houston’s Westbury Christian, Ndudi Ebi averaged 27 points and 12 rebounds en route to MVP honors at the 2002 LSI. His biggest moment came in the semifinals when he flew in and pinned a dunk attempt by Jefferson’s Thomas Gardner against the backboard. Westbury Christian won that game before falling to Bishop O’Connell in the final.
19. Deloney breaks LSI scoring record
The LSI single-game scoring record belongs to Aaron Deloney, who poured in 47 points in a consolation game loss to Skyview during the 2018 tournament. Deloney, the 2022 and 2023 America East Sixth Man of the Year winner for Vermont, led Grant to the 2018 state title and is one of the most prolific scorers in Oregon history.
18. Crusaders nearly take down No. 1
In a national broadcast on ESPNU, Jesuit pushed national No. 1 Oak Hill to the brink in the 2011 LSI final before ultimately succumbing, 57-50. It was one of the closest results for Oak Hill during a perfect 44-0 season. Future Georgetown star D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera led the way for Oak Hill with 23 points in the championship game.
17. A milestone win
Legendary Oak Hill coach Steve Smith earned his 1,000th victory at the 2015 LSI with a blowout semifinal win over West Linn. Smith, who retired in 2022, finished with 1,231 wins during his 37-year career. There was an on-court celebration following his 1,000th victory that featured a video tribute from former players, including Carmelo Anthony.
16. Tweety Carter goes on a heater
Future Baylor star Tweety Carter scored 40 points in his LSI debut and netted 41 more the next night against Kyle Singler-led South Medford. Carter demonstrated some of the deepest shooting range in the history of the tournament. With Carter tearing up the court, Louisiana’s Reserve Christian won the 2005 tournament title.
15. High-flying Crenshaw
One of the most entertaining teams to ever participate in the LSI was Los Angeles’ Crenshaw in 1998. The Cougars ran up and down the court and averaged 95 points per game. Head coach Willie West used a platoon substitution system as his team eventually wore down the competition en route to the championship.
14. Gordon dazzles, but Jesuit scores a big upset
Current Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon was a dunking machine for Archbishop Mitty at the 2012 LSI, but the Monarchs were stunned by Jesuit, 76-72, in the quarterfinals. The Crusaders were led by Khyan Rayner’s 32 points. Gordon averaged 30 points and 16 rebounds during his LSI run.
13. Pritchard hits a game-winner
In the third-place game at the 2013 LSI, a sophomore Payton Pritchard knocked down a last-second jumper to defeat pre-tournament favorite Whitney Young, 68-67. Pritchard had 13 points and seven assists, and Jahlil Okafor dominated with 33 points and 15 rebounds. It was one of many big moments in Pritchard’s decorated West Linn career.
12. Love’s LSI debut
In an all-Oregon final, future Oregon State players Josh and Seth Tarver led Jesuit to a title game romp over Lake Oswego and star freshman Kevin Love. The Crusaders outscored Lake Oswego 54-26 over the last three quarters, but Love was still voted MVP of the 2003 tournament. For the next three years, Love was a huge draw that people loved to root for or against.
11. Jesuit sends Mater Dei spiraling
Jesuit has pulled off multiple upsets at the LSI, including a 78-74 second-round victory over Southern California power Mater Dei in 2001. Joe Kaempf, D.J. Jackson, Scott Doughtery and Zach Tarver scored in double figures for the Crusaders. Mater Dei went on to lose its next two games to Little Rock and Thurston as Oak Hill won the title.
10. Love breaks Jesuit’s heart
In a rematch of the 2005 state title game, Lake Oswego avenged its loss from months earlier with a dramatic LSI quarterfinal victory over Jesuit. Kevin Love hit a layup as time expired to give the Lakers a 52-51 win. The packed house had a pro-Jesuit lean, and the wild finish sent many home unhappy.
9. The Tyson Chandler show
Tyson Chandler was one of the biggest recruits in the country in 2000, and the star center lived up to the hype at the LSI. Chandler had a tournament-record 26 blocks and several highlight dunks as Dominguez earned the LSI title. Chandler, who went straight to the NBA, won MVP honors.
8. Jefferson pushes Durant, Oak Hill
Jefferson nearly pulled off one of the tournament’s biggest surprises in 2004 against an Oak Hill team led by Kevin Durant. The Democrats held an eight-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but No. 3 Oak Hill outscored Jefferson 28-15 in the final period to seal the semifinal win. Ty Lawson led Oak Hill, which routed Hillsboro in the championship game the following night, with 16 points against a tenacious Jefferson team.
7. Bishop O’Connell wins at the buzzer
The 2002 LSI final came down to a true buzzer-beater. Bishop O’Connell’s Dave Neal made a shot with no time on the clock to defeat Westbury Christian, 59-57. It’s the only time the LSI title has been decided by a buzzer-beater.
6. No. 1 Rice goes down
In one of the biggest upsets in tournament history, Jesuit knocked off national No. 1 Rice, 75-62, in a 1999 second-round game. Brian Michaelson, who is now an assistant coach at Gonzaga, led the Crusaders with 30 points and 12 rebounds. Jesuit went on to upset No. 9 Southern Lab in the semifinals before falling to Jefferson in the title game.
5. Jefferson’s perfect season
The 1999 championship game was one for the ages between Oregon powers Jesuit and Jefferson. The Crusaders scored two big upsets on their way to the final while Jefferson went 3-0 against in-state competition. A tight game throughout, the Democrats survived 76-75 as Jesuit missed a late free throw. Jefferson went on to win the state title and finish 28-0.
4. Mathis, Pritchard upend Wheeler
Payton Pritchard defeated future Boston Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown in a semifinal stunner at the 2014 LSI. Anthony Mathis had 38 points for West Linn and Pritchard added 11 with nine assists in a 70-62 victory over Wheeler. The Lions then faced Montverde Academy, which survived a semifinal upset scare of its own against Central Catholic, in the championship game. West Linn hung tough against the Florida power, but Ben Simmons and company prevailed by double digits.
3. A Love vs. Singler rematch
Kevin Love’s Lake Oswego defeated Kyle Singler’s South Medford in the 2006 state championship game, and the two rivals faced off later that year in an LSI semifinal. Michael Harthun (24 points) and Singler (16) led the way for the Panthers in a wire-to-wire victory. The Panthers went on to play a close contest with Oak Hill in the final and won the 2007 state championship against the Lakers.
2. The Bagley vs. Porter Jr. showdown
Arguably the best game in LSI history was the 2016 final between Seattle upstart Nathan Hale and Sierra Canyon. Michael Porter Jr. scored a game-high 27 points in a 67-65 comeback victory for Brandon Roy-led Nathan Hale. Marvin Bagley was dominant all tournament for Sierra Canyon and finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds in the final. At the time, Porter Jr. was rated the No. 1 senior in the country while Bagley was the top-ranked junior.
1. West Linn’s Cinderella run
With future Oregon point guard Jackson Shelstad leading the way, West Linn had a tournament run for the ages in 2022. The Lions took down reigning 6A champion Tualatin in overtime, routed Bronny James and Sierra Canyon in the semifinals (86-69) and then pulled off one of the biggest shockers in LSI history by defeating national No. 1 Duncanville in the championship game, 62-50. Shelstad averaged 33 points per game in the four LSI wins for the Lions, who finished 28-2 after falling to Tualatin in the 6A final.
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