Les Schwab Invitational Quaterfinal Preview
The Les Schwab Invitational is considered one of the most prestigious holiday high school basketball tournaments in the nation. This year will mark the 24th anniversary of the tournament, and it once again will feature the type of likely future…
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Continue ReadingThe Les Schwab Invitational is considered one of the most prestigious holiday high school basketball tournaments in the nation. This year will mark the 24th anniversary of the tournament, and it once again will feature the type of likely future college and NBA stars the LSI has been accustomed to showcasing for more than two decades. The first round had some thrilling games. In this article, PH previews the four quarterfinal games.
Churchill vs Norcross 4pm – Norcross escaped with a 4 point victory over West Linn in the first round. They were lead by the trio of JT Thor, Josh Taylor, and Quincy Ademokoya who combined for a total of 59 of the teams 62 points. They will take on a balanced Churchill squad. Point Lama signee Brian Gorcke led the team with 16, but he also got help from Eastern Washington signee Kaelan O’neil who nearly finished with a double-double. Churchill went 3-18 from behind the arc in their first-round contest and will need to shoot better to have a chance against the size and length of Norcross. Norcross will once again rely heavily on their big 3 for production.
Crater vs Jefferson 5:30 PM – Crater has Nate Bittle so they have a chance. Bittle finished with 41 and 14 to carry Crater to a first-round victory. He will have to be equally as effective today as they take on a big physical Jefferson squad led by Kamron Robinson, Washington St signee Nate Rawlins-Kibonge and freshmen Marquis Cook. This should be a tremendous test for Bittle who is viewed by many as the best player in the state of Oregon regardless of class. Jefferson is one of the favorites to take home the title, and another performance from LV transfer Keyshawn Hall would go a long way to helping them reach that goal.
Central Catholic vs Mater Dei – Central Catholic had no problem with a young Grant squad, dispatching them by 44 in the first round. The competition ratchets up in the quarters however as they take on Mater Dei and Kentucky signee Deven Askew. Isaiah Amato only played 25 minutes and took 9 shots in the first round, and they will probably need more from him to get by the Monarchs. Mater Dei used a 26-9 third-quarter run to separate from a pesky Jesuit squad. Askew finished with 21 but he was helped by efforts from Will Breidenbach, Nick Davidson and Harrison Hornery who combined to chip in 44 points. The Monarchs will have to shoot better from behind the arc to advance as they went 1-17 against Jesuit.
Eastside Catholic vs Bishop Gorman – This game is dripping with drama, questions, and matchups. Gorman is the 8 time defending Nevada state champs. The core of this roster had La Lumiere on the ropes last year in the Geico National Championship. However, the Gales are wounded. It took a brilliant performance from junior guard Zaon Collins for them to escape a determined Lake Oswego team. Now they prepare to face one of the top teams in the nation in Eastside Catholic. Which features Nolan Hickman and Shane Nowell, two power 5 prospects. Eastside Catholic has won 29 out of their last 32 games, so both these teams are used to winning. Neither is used to losing this early in any tournament. This will be a high-level High School Basketball game. The player that I’ll be watching closely in this one is Gales forward M’Wani Wilkinson. He is quietly putting together a state player of the year type season. What is so unique is that he has rarely been the best player on the floor in any game, however he has been the second-best in most of them. I expect his motor and athleticism to have a major impact on this game.