No Les Schwab Invitational repeat for West Linn Lions as Mt. Spokane takes down the 2022 tournament darlings

“West Linn is the defending champs. ... Getting a chance to play those guys the first game, we wanted to perform with a little higher expectation for ourselves.”

Bob Lundeberg | Dec 27, 2023

HILLSBORO — The first 26 Les Schwab Invitationals came and went without a repeat champion.

The prestigious holiday boys basketball tournament’s 27th edition tipped off Tuesday and includes reigning champion West Linn, which lost all five starters from a team that knocked off nationally-ranked Sierra Canyon and Duncanville during a memorable 2022 title run. The Lions don’t possess the same firepower this time around, and any hope of recapturing last year’s LSI magic was zapped in an opening-round matchup with seasoned Mt. Spokane.

Behind 20 points from senior guard Ryan Lafferty, the Wildcats sent West Linn to the losers’ bracket by holding on for a 60-57 victory Wednesday at Liberty High School. Jalen Snook got a look at a tying 3-pointer in the final seconds, but his off-balance shot spun out just before the buzzer sounded.

“West Linn is the defending champs of this tournament. Getting a chance to play those guys the first game, we wanted to perform with a little higher expectation for ourselves,” said Mt. Spokane coach David Wagenblast, who noted that his team struggled at times on the offensive end.

“Because West Linn doesn’t have Jackson Shelstad, it’s easy to look ahead and go, ‘Hey, we could play Perry,’ not quite remembering that we have the defending champs for this game. I would hope we will be a better version of ourselves tomorrow.”

a West Linn Mt. Spokane boys basketball Les Schwab Invitational December 27 2023 Leon Neuschwander 8

Shelstad, a point guard who is now at Oregon, was one of five senior starters on last season’s team that went 4-0 at the LSI and placed second at the Class 6A state tournament.

Current senior starters Nick DiGiulio and Max Juhala were key reserves a season ago, but the rest of the roster is full of inexperienced pieces with promise.

“I was definitely a little nervous at first,” said Pat Vialva Jr., a freshman point guard who led the Lions with 22 points in his LSI debut. “The crowd here was just amazing. I came out here smiling because I was so happy to be here.

“I feel like we could’ve had this one for sure, but we just have to learn from our mistakes, come back tomorrow and get better.”

Trailing 41-40 after three quarters, West Linn (3-4) jumped back in front on Juhala's layup to open the fourth.

Mt. Spokane (7-0) appeared to put it away with an 8-0 run in the middle of the period. The scoring spurt was capped by Lucas Dickau's and-one with 2:22 remaining that made it 57-50 Wildcats.

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The Lions pulled within two on a 3-pointer by DiGiulio — his fifth of the game — and trimmed it to 58-57 with 14.5 seconds remaining on a basket by Vialva Jr. Lafferty made both free throws at the other end, and Mt. Spokane played excellent defense on the final possession to close it out.

“I was really proud of the guys in terms of facing some adversity in the fourth, buckling down and being us on our defensive possessions at the end of the game,” Wagenblast said.

DiGiulio buried three first-quarter triples, but Lafferty knocked down a straight-on 3-pointer that gave Mt. Spokane a 16-13 lead after one quarter.

Lafferty made two more from long range in the second as the Wildcats’ advantage swelled to 30-21. West Linn scored the final two baskets of the period to cut the deficit to five by halftime.

“West Linn did a nice job today,” Wagenblast said. “They hit some shots and (DiGiulio) really got it going at the start of the game. But after that, he didn’t have as many looks.”

a West Linn Mt. Spokane boys basketball Les Schwab Invitational December 27 2023 Leon Neuschwander 16

The Wildcats, who placed fourth at Washington’s Class 3A state tournament a season ago, have an experienced group led by Lafferty and senior post Andrew Rayment. Lafferty is a Division I St. Thomas (Minnesota) signee, and Rayment is headed to Santa Clara for baseball.

“We have a really senior-heavy class with a couple of great juniors,” Wagenblast said. “We don’t have any transfers. These guys have all been playing together for a while, and hopefully in the next couple of days you’ll get a chance to really see that.”

West Linn is on the opposite end of the spectrum with just three seniors on the roster: DiGiulio, Juhala and reserve Mitchell Rowe. After going 28-2 last season, the young Lions are off to a 3-4 start this season.

“We just need to keep learning from our mistakes, that’s really the main thing,” Vialva Jr. said. “We’ve got great leaders for sure and I think we have a great squad. Coming up, we’re going to do something special.”

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Vialva Jr. finished with 22 points, two rebounds and two steals. DiGiulio added 17 points and three assists.

Rayment notched a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two assists for the Wildcats, who will face Arizona power Perry in a Thursday quarterfinal.

Photos by Leon Neuschwander