Les Schwab Invitational tips off with Beaverton taking down Tualatin; are Beavers this year’s Cinderella?

“If you shoot well, you never know what can happen. West Linn did it last year.”

Bob Lundeberg | Dec 26, 2023

HILLSBORO — Beaverton kicked off the 2023 Les Schwab Invitational with a statement victory over the two-time defending Oregon Class 6A state champions.

In Tuesday’s opener of the 27th LSI at Liberty High School, Aidan Rice and Max Elmgren erupted for 44 combined points as Beaverton held off Tualatin, 65-60, in a wire-to-wire win. Rice finished with 26 points, three assists and three steals, and Elmgren added 18 points, four rebounds and two steals.

The seasoned backcourt of Elmgren and Rice helped the Beavers (6-2) snap a four-game losing streak to Tualatin (6-4). The Timberwolves defeated Beaverton in the state quarterfinals each of the past two seasons and scored a victory in the 2021 LSI semis.

“This was a personal game for us, a game that we really wanted,” Rice said. “We went out there hungry, were making good shots and played with really good energy. They went on a little bit of a run, especially at the end, but we were able to respond.

“We found a way to win, and that’s always good to see.”

Beaverton Tualatin boys basketball Les Schwab Invitational December 26 2023 Leon Neuschwander 21

Beaverton opened the fourth quarter with six consecutive points to go up 54-41, a scoring run that included a Chance Winter perimeter block and coast-to-coast layup. Winter, a 6-foot-11 senior center, nearly had a double-double with 13 points, nine rebounds and three blocks.

Tualatin rallied back to make it a game and got two open looks at a tying 3-pointer in the closing seconds while trailing 63-60. The Timberwolves missed both, and Winter knocked down two free throws at the other end to ice it.

Though shorter and lighter at nearly every position, the Beavers out-rebounded Tualatin 33-32. Beaverton also went 14 of 18 from the line while the Timberwolves shot just 11 free throws, making eight.

“Our mindset coming in was to dominate the glass and to shoot more free throws than them,” Winter said. “And we won both of those. We wanted to be the more physical team and make a statement.”

Beaverton Tualatin boys basketball Les Schwab Invitational December 26 2023 Leon Neuschwander 17

Added Rice: “That just shows something we talk about at Beaverton, which is the heart muscle. That’s what helps us get it. We’re going to fight for every single board, we’re going to take charges, and we’re going to do whatever it takes to win.”

Rice and Max Campbell canned early 3-pointers for the Beavers, who raced to a 6-0 lead. Both senior guards knocked down another later in the period as Beaverton led 18-14 after one.

The Beavers made four more triples in the second period — three by Rice — en route to a 38-35 halftime advantage. Rice netted 19 first-half points.

“It feels like nobody can beat us when we’re shooting like that,” Rice said. “We are such a dynamic team, and when we shoot that well, it opens up Chance in the post and driving lanes. It’s kind of demoralizing for the other team when we’re making those hard shots like that.”

Jaden Steppe had 13 points in the first half to pace Tualatin, but the Colorado State signee picked up his third foul on a charge in the final seconds. He finished the game with 18 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three blocks while being hounded by Winter, sophomore Oliver Luebkert and others.

Beaverton Tualatin boys basketball Les Schwab Invitational December 26 2023 Leon Neuschwander 29

“Oliver is a defensive pest out there,” Rice said. “It’s been really cool to see guys stepping into those roles.”

The Beavers have a distinct blend of experience and new blood as they look to improve upon last year’s sixth-place state tournament finish.

Rice, now in his third season with the varsity team, is one of the state’s top shooters. Elmgren is a four-year varsity player, and Winter, a rising Division I prospect, is a returning starter in the middle. After that, Beaverton is mostly counting on junior varsity call-ups such as Campbell, Aidan Gellatly and Will Shields.

“We have two really skilled guards with Aidan and Max, and our bench is deep with guards and shooters,” Winter said. “We have a really good team this year.”

Beaverton, which placed fourth at the pre-Christmas Capitol City Classic in Salem, is making its third consecutive LSI appearance.

The Beavers took third in 2021 after falling to Tualatin in the semis and went 2-2 last year with losses to Duncanville and the Timberwolves. After watching West Linn’s magical run to the tournament title a year ago, Rice is hoping the Beavers can capture the Cinderella magic this time around in a likely quarterfinal matchup with Florida power Christopher Columbus.

“We came in here talking before the tournament that our goal was to go 4-0,” Rice said. “We’re going to roll the dice. If you shoot well, you never know what can happen. West Linn did it last year.”

Sophomore Jemai Lake, the younger brother of former Timberwolves standout and current Oregon State guard Josiah Lake, added 15 points for Tualatin, and AJ Noland had 14 points and three assists.

Beaverton Tualatin boys basketball Les Schwab Invitational December 26 2023 Leon Neuschwander 4 — Photo by Leon Neuschwander

The Timberwolves’ quest to three-peat at the 6A state tournament will not include forward Jayden Fortier, an Arizona State football signee who is out for the season with a knee injury.

Fortier helped Tualatin go 3-1 at last year’s LSI, the lone loss coming in overtime to eventual tournament champion West Linn in the quarterfinals, 73-69. Tualatin lost to the Lions twice more in the regular season but won the most important meeting in the 6A final, 60-47, to claim their second consecutive state title.

Photos by Leon Neuschwander