Central Catholic looks the part of Les Schwab Invitational (and OSAA state) title contender vs. Cascade Christian

“We all want it, we’re all competing, and we just make each other better.”

Bob Lundeberg | Dec 27, 2023

HILLSBORO — Is Central Catholic the state of Oregon’s best shot for another local representative in the Les Schwab Invitational final?

The Rams certainly looked the part Tuesday evening in a 93-43 opening-round rout of Cascade Christian at Liberty High School, getting 21 points from Pepperdine signee Marley Zeller and 19 more from Oregon commit Isaac Carr.

Boasting size, athleticism, shooting ability and defensive prowess, few teams at the 27th LSI appear to be as deep and well-rounded as Central Catholic.

“This is a great group,” said Zeller, a 6-foot-5 swingman. “It’s for sure the deepest team I’ve played on here. Personally, I feel comfortable with about one through eight in the game at any given time because we can all hoop. We all want it, we’re all competing, and we just make each other better.”

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Carr and Zeller are the headliners, but Central Catholic — ranked No. 1 in the latest Oregon Class 6A coaches poll — has plenty of depth behind its two stars. Junior wing Duce Paschal is receiving Division I interest while his younger brother, sophomore point guard Zamir Paschal, is on track to become a national recruit for the class of 2026, head coach David Blue said.

Newcomer Jalen Nicholson, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, rounds out the Rams’ starting lineup. The bench unit features seniors Tony Angelo and Miles Berry, sophomore Robbie Long and others.

“We have some talented guys; it always starts with that,” Blue said. “Isaac and Marley are who they are and they showcased themselves tonight, but we have some other guys who are really good basketball players around them. … We have shooting and defense, and everything always starts on the defensive end.”

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The Rams’ lone loss this season came to tournament host De La Salle at the Vontoure Classic, 57-56, in California. They already have wins over in-state powers Jesuit and West Linn.

Blue, who took over the Central Catholic program in 2015, feels this group could be as talented as the 2019-20 team that didn’t get a chance to play for a state title because of COVID.

“We’ve had some really good teams over the years, and I’d say this one is up there,” Blue said. “The difference with this group compared to some of the others is we have talent and experience. These guys are now seniors and juniors as opposed to talented freshmen and sophomores. We have the skill and the athleticism, plus the experience. That’s the difference with this team.”

The Rams showcased that talent and experience Tuesday against two-time defending Class 3A state champion Cascade Christian (2-4), racing to a quick 10-2 lead behind six early points from Duce Paschal. Carr and Zeller made 3-pointers to make it 18-4, and the rout was officially on.

Central Catholic led 28-11 after one quarter and 55-21 at the break.

“They’re just a tough team,” said Challengers senior center Austin Maurer, a four-star Grand Canyon signee. “They’re deep, they press, they’re athletic, they get out and run, and they shoot.

“It was a tough first game, but we wanted to come to this tournament. We knew it would be tough and will make our team better.”

The 7-foot Maurer did everything he could for Cascade Christian, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds and two assists.

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“He was all over our scouting report,” Zeller said of Maurer. “I haven’t watched him that much and I’d played against him once a long time ago. I hadn’t seen their team play, so we just came in expecting to get their best.”

Carr had six rebounds, four assists and a steal to go with his 19 points. The state’s top junior prospect, Carr committed to Oregon in October.

“I think the biggest change for him has been his athleticism,” Zeller said of Carr’s growth as a player. “When he first came here freshman year, he couldn’t even dunk. And now he’s flushing everything.”

With one victory banked at Liberty High School, Central Catholic now turns its attention to a Thursday quarterfinal against Mt. Hood Conference rival Barlow. The Bruins (6-0) took out Mountainside, 67-34, in their LSI opener.

Florida power Christopher Columbus could await the winner in the semifinals for a trip to the title game. Tualatin (2021 runner-up) and West Linn (2022 champion) made it all the way to the final in recent seasons, and the Rams are looking to become the latest Oregon team to play in the championship game.

“Honestly, I think we can compete,” Zeller said. “I’m really excited that we’ve got Barlow next up. We’re going to focus on that, and then I’m expecting to go pretty far and compete.”

Photos by Leon Neuschwander