Tournament Highlights

Great Moments in LSI History

December 30th, 2021 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Tualatin puts a scare into top ranked Link Academy - After breezing through the first three rounds of the Les Schwab Invitational Presented by Express Employment Professionals, nationally ranked Link Academy faced their toughest test in senior-laden Tualatin. Behind a raucous crowd, the local Timberwolves cut the lead to single digits and forced a timeout seeming to have momentum in the second half. The dominating inside presence of Tarris Reed and Tournament MVP Jordan Walsh proved too much, and the Lions pulled away in the fourth quarter securing their first LSI Championship. The Lions went on to play in the National Championship game narrowly losing to former LSI Champion Montverde Academy. Tualatin went on to win the Oregon 6A State Championship.

December 29th, 2019 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Third Time is a Charm for Mater Dei Monarchs - In their third trip to Oregon for the Les Schwab Invitational Presented by Express Employment Professionals, the Mater Dei Monarchs won their first Championship in convincing fashion, winning all four contests by double figures. Mater Dei was led by tournament MVP Devin Askew who averaged 17.8 points and 6.3 assists including an impressive 22 point performance in the title game.

December 29th, 2018 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Sierra Canyon Trio Too Much For University School. - In front of a star-studded crowd featuring NBA All-Stars Jimmy Butler, John Stockton and Scottie Pippen - The trio of Kenyon Martin Jr., Scottie Pippin Jr., Cassius Stanley combined to score 59 points outpacing the talented University School duo of Scottie Barnes and Vernon Carey. Sierra Canyon captured their first LSI Championship avenging their loss in the 2016 title game.

December 30th, 2017 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Oak Hill outduels Mater Dei in battle of two heavyweights! - After three games apiece picking apart Oregon teams, tournament favorites Mater Dei and Oak Hill squared off in the LSI Championship Game in front of a sold out crowd. After trailing at the end of the first quarter, tournament MVP Keldon Johnson came alive finishing with 18 points and 6 rebounds leading Oak Hill Academy to an impressive double digit victory. Johnson, a fan favorite all weekend, became the first player in tournament history to win both the Express Employment Slam Dunk Contest and LSI Tournament MVP.

December 30th, 2016 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

LSI Championship: Marvin Bagley III vs. Michael Porter Jr. - With the gym at capacity and as raucous of an environment as you will ever see in high school basketball, Nathan Hale defeated Sierra Canyon 67-65 in the LSI Championship. Michael Porter Jr. capped off one of the greatest performances in tournament history, scoring 27 points and pulling down 15 rebounds out-dueling Marvin Bagley III who led the way for Sierra Canyon finishing with 22 points and 10 rebounds. At the time Porter Jr. was the #1 senior in the country and Bagley III the #1 junior. Nathan Hale would go on to finish the season undefeated and #1 in the nation en route to winning their first ever 3A Washington State Championship.

December 29th and 30th, 2015 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Oak Hill Makes History – Liberty High School was at capacity to witness history as Oak Hill defeated West Linn in the first semi-final game of the evening. The win was career victory number 1,000 for legendary Oak Hill Head Coach Steve Smith. Smith was mobbed by his current team and celebrated over the Big Screen in a video tribute, made by the Jordan Brand, featuring a number of former Oak Hill players including Carmelo Anthony. Oak Hill would go on to defeat a Markelle Fulz led DeMatha squad in the Championship Game the next evening winning their 6th Les Schwab Invitational trophy.

December 29th, 2014 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Oregon Teams Make a Statement! In front of an electric crowd with NBA Players Damian Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Will Barton, CJ McCollum, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan on hand, Central Catholic battled eventual National Champion Montverde Academy down to the wire. The game was filled with highlights including Ben Simmons alley-oop to himself which brought praise from the NBA stars in attendance. Simmons knocked down a clutch free throw to tie the game with 27 seconds and Marquez Letcher-Ellis who won the slam dunk competition earlier in the day, sank the winning free throws with under a second to play in regulation. Earlier in the evening West Linn stunned nationally ranked Wheeler 70-62 behind the incredible performance of Anthony Mathis who scored 38 points – 18 in the fourth quarter to rally the Lions from an eight point deficit in the final period.

December 29th and 30th, 2013 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Rainier Beach puts on a show, Payton Pritchard earns national respect: In one of the best high school basketball games ever played, west coast powerhouse Rainier Beach High School defeated nationally ranked Whitney Young in front of a packed gym. Beach dunked in traffic, threw half-court lobs and absolutely blew the nets off hitting 14 threes and scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter. Whitney Young played to its strength feeding Jahlil Okafor who finished with 28 points on 12-16 shooting. The next night Rainier Beach continued the hot shooting, notching an impressive 28 point victory over national power Bishop Gorman to win the Championship. In the third place game Jahlil Okafor scored 33 points on 13-14 shooting but it was standout sophomore Payton Pritchard who made headlines rattling in a jumper at the buzzer to defeat Whitney Young sending the “tournament favorites” back to Chicago with a 2-2 record and fourth place finish.

December 28th, 2012 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Aaron Gordon Unveils the “Double-Double” in a Dramatic Dunk Contest Win. Aaron Gordon lived up to the hype and then some during his four-days at the 2012 LSI. As one of the top-ranked players in the country, Gordon averaged 30 points and 16 rebounds during the LSI with an arsenal of rim-shattering dunks on his way to earning All-Tournament honors. But it was his jaw-dropping performance at the Slam Dunk contest where Gordon truly left his legacy for LSI Fans. Gordon wowed the crowd with an array of powerful dunks and perfect scores leading up to the Dunk Contest Final. For his final and most impressive dunk, Gordon unveiled the “Double-Double” specifically created to win his first dunk contest. Gordon pulled off the extraordinary dunk that left no doubt to anyone in the gym who had won the 2012 LSI Dunk Contest!

December 26-30, 2011 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Jesuit Nearly Pulls off the Upset of Eventual National Champion. In a game broadcast nationally on ESPNU, Portland’s Jesuit High School gave Oak Hill Academy a run for their money in the 2011 LSI Championship. Oak Hill escaped with a 7-point victory and ran the table the rest of the season en-route to a 44-0 season and winning their 7th National Championship. The LSI Championship was one of the closest games the Warriors had all year and were lucky to escape with win. Jesuit nearly pulled off the upset, but couldn’t get 4th quarter shots to fall.

December 26-30, 2010 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

The two semi-final matchups as well as the championship game were nail-biters. Ultimately DeMatha Catholic prevailed in a championship game where Bishop Gorman lead for 3 quarters. DeMatha's full-court-press produced 18 points off turn-overs and changed the tide for DeMatha's first LSI Championship.

December 26-30, 2009 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Westchester wins the 2009 LSI. Oak Hill finished second. This is Westchester's first LSI title, and their second overall trip to the LSI. They finished 2nd to Reserve Christian in 2005. Oak Hill is now 19-1 at the LSI. They won the tourney title in 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2004. They are the only team to win the title more than once.

December 28th, 2008 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

The 1st Annual Slam Dunk Contest featured an incredible winning dunk by Robert Mandingo of Dominguez HS. "Behind the back, off the balcony railing, one court bounce, and single hand throw-down. Unbelievable, but we have the video!

December 28th, 2007 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Drew Gordon’s Four Dunks in Four Possessions. LSI fans either loved or hated watching Archbishop Mitty’s Drew Gordon lead his team to the 2007 LSI Championship. In the 2007 quarterfinal game vs. Grant, Gordon electrified the crowd by throwing down thunderous dunks on four consecutive possessions that brought the fans at Liberty to their feet and amazed at Gordon’s athletic ability.

December 30th, 2006 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Kyle Singler’s Dunk vs. Oak Hill Academy. In what has now become a “YouTube Sensation,” South Medford’s Kyle Singler spun baseline on his defender and threw down a ferocious dunk to bring the game within 7 points in the 4th quarter of the 2006 Championship game vs. Oak Hill Academy. The dunk brought the raucous crowd to its feet as South Medford mounted a late 4th quarter rally to try and upset the #1 ranked team in the country. The game was broadcast nationally on ESPNU, but tournament MVP Brandon Jennings and Oak Hill prevailed despite Singler’s energetic play and 30 points by Michael Harthun. The win secured Oak Hill’s 4th LSI Championship.

December 29th, 2006 -- Liberty High School, Hillsboro, OR

Kyle Has No Love For Kevin In a Classic Singler vs. Love Rematch. In a rematch of the 2006 Oregon State Championship, the defending State Champion Lake Oswego Lakers battled South Medford in front of the biggest crowd ever assembled at Liberty High School. The game featured two of Oregon’s most decorated basketball players in history in Lake Oswego’s UCLA bound Kevin Love and Duke bound Kyle Singler of South Medford. The Panthers jumped out to an early lead and never looked back to get revenge on the Lakers with a convincing 71-63 victory. The win prompted South Medford’s coach Dennis Murphy to dance a jig on the court as time winded down and the win was secure.

December, 27-30, 2005

The Tweety Show Wins Over the LSI Crowd. “Tweety” Carter made his LSI debut by scoring 40 points in Reserve Christian’s opening round game vs. Evergreen high school and then scored 41 the next night against South Medford. Tweety hit shots from all over the court and his range was described by coach Tim Byrd as, “as soon as he enters the gym.” Tweety’s impressive play, long-range shots, friendly smile, and southern charm won over the LSI crowd who stood in long lines to get a signed autograph of the future Baylor star.

December 28th, 2005

Love’s Layup at the Buzzer Stuns Jesuit. In front of a capacity crowd at Liberty High School, Kevin Love grabbed a full court in-bounds pass and hit a layup as time expired in the quarter-final game to stun Jesuit in a game in which they thought they had won. The crowd went into a frenzy with the majority of fans in attendance partial to Jesuit and wishing the Crusaders could win the rematch of the 2005 4A State Championship at MAC Court in Eugene in March.

December 29th, 2004

Jefferson Nearly Pulls Off the Upset Against Oak Hill. Fresh off a victory against Montrose Christian the night before, Jefferson carried an 8 point lead into the 4th quarter against an Oak Hill Academy squad that entered the 2004 LSI as the 3rd ranked team in the country. Fans in attendance were urging the Democrats to pull off the upset, but Oak Hill’s tough lineup was too much to handle. The 2004 Oak Hill team featured Kevin Durant, Tywon Lawson, Eric Devendorf and Jamont Gordon and they outscored Jefferson by 13 in the decisive 4th quarter to secure the 63-58 victory. It was a valiant effort by a gritty and determined Jefferson team, but unfortunately could not pull off the upset.

December 27th, 2004

Westview Stuns Fairfax in Opening Round. Fairfax entered the 2004 LSI ranked #13 in the country, but was upset in the 1st round by a well-coached Westview team. The Wildcats had the outside touch going as a series of three pointers clinched their 77-71 victory.

December 22nd, 2003

Jesuit over Lake Oswego in an All-Oregon Final. Seth and Josh Tarver led Jesuit to a 64-42 victory in the Championship Game at the Chiles Center. Jesuit overcame a tournament MVP performance by Lake Oswego freshman phenom, Kevin Love. The win by Jesuit was only the 2nd time in the LSI’s history that an Oregon school has captured the title.

December 21st, 2002

Buzzer Beater Clinches 2002 Championship. Despite many fantastic finishes in the LSI’s history, the first and only time the LSI Championship has been decided by a shot at the buzzer came in the 2002 finale. Bishop O’Connell’s Dave Neal scored as time expired to clinch a 59-57 victory against Westbury Christian who was led by tournament MVP Ndudi Ebi.

December 20th, 2002

“Get Out Gardner”: Ndudi Ebi’s Block Against Thomas Gardner Secures Win For Westbury Christian. Late in the 4th quarter in the semi-final game featuring Jefferson vs. Westbury Christian, Jefferson’s Thomas Gardner drove to the basket hoping to tie the game. The future Missouri star looked to have a clear shot at the basket and elevated for a dunk, but out of nowhere came Ndudi Ebi who blocked Gardner’s Shot. Ebi pinned the basketball against the backboard three feet above the rim. Fans were in shock that Ebi not only was able to block the shot, but how high he elevated to do so. Ebi was dominant at the LSI, averaging over 27 points and 12 rebounds per game to secure the 2002 MVP award.

December 18-21, 2001

Mater Dei Meltdown. Coach Gary McKnight’s Mater Dei Monarchs traveled to Portland with intentions of winning the 2001 LSI and were focused to meet up with Carmelo Anthony’s Oak Hill Academy in the Championship. However, after an opening round victory over Roseburg, Mater Dei lost their final 3 games to Jesuit, Churchill and Thurston. The three losses to Oregon school’s to a Nationally ranked program sent shock waves to the national media and helped put Oregon High School basketball on the map.

December 20-23, 2000

The Tyson Chandler Show. In December of 2000, Tyson Chandler came to the Memorial Coliseum as one of the most talked about high school players in the country. He had already filmed a segment for 60 Minutes and there had been a feature story on him and the Dominguez Dons in Sports Illustrated. The national media buzz centered around Chandler’s 7-1 size and skills on the basketball court and his potential to forgo attending college and declare for the NBA draft, which at the time, only a handful of players had done (notably Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant). Chandler lived up to the hype and then some as he provided LSI Fans four solid performances in 2000 en route to the 2000 LSI Championship and subsequent Tournament MVP. Chandler’s ability to block shots with both hands helped him set a tournament record with 26 blocks in four games. He also threw down some monster dunks and finished remarkable alley-oops. Chandler decided to skip college and entered the 2001 NBA Draft where he was selected #2 overall.

December 18-21, 1999

Upsets by Jesuit, Last Second Free Throw Decides Championship. Rice from NY, the first #1 ranked team in the Nation participating in the LSI comes into Oregon and loses to Jesuit in the second round. Brian Michaelson leads the Crusaders with 30 points. Jesuit then goes on to defeat #9 ranked Southern Lab in the semis on a last second driving layup by Michaelson. Current Dallas Cowboy Marcus Spears leads Southern Lab with 22 points and 11 rebounds. In the finals, Jefferson knocks off Jesuit in a close one as the Crusaders missed a free throw with no time on the clock and a chance to tie.

December 19-22, 1998

Run n’ Gun Crenshaw. Legendary Los Angeles Coach Willie West brought his up tempo style to Oregon as Crenshaw averaged 95 points per game during the tournament. Subbing 5 new starters every 3 minutes, their margin of victory was 23 points over the Oregon schools. Games were competitive early on, but their full court pressure and fast breaks eventually wore teams down. Michael Dunleavy Jr. of Jesuit averaged 25 points per game during the tournament and Crenshaw’s Jonathan Stokes won Tournament MVP.

December 1997

Oak Hill Invades Oregon. Oak Hill comes to the event for the first time with 5 Division I scholarship players as starters and puts on a show. In the first game against a young Jefferson squad, the Warriors flashed their athletic ability with a highlight performance as many of their players threw down tremendous dunks. Without a shot clock, Oregon teams held the ball against Oak Hill however they still managed to win the championship game despite being up 12-9 at halftime against Churchill. Future Xavier star Lloyd Price won the Tournament MVP.

December 1996

First Year of the LSI (formerly the Oregon Holiday Invitational). The first year of the 16 team tournament was won by Beaverton as they defeated McNary at the University of Portland. Tournament co-founder Nick Robertson led the Beavers to victory. The event was played at 4 different venues including Westview, Beaverton, South Salem and the University of Portland for the semi-finals and finals.