Les Schwab Invitational: 2022 Top Prospects

<p>The Les Schwab Invitational is often a time for younger players to really make a name for themselves, and a number of guys from Oregon's sophomore class made an impact for their teams during the tournament. Here's a look at the top prospects from the Class of 2022 from the event.</p> <p><strong>Luke Johnson (2022 Central Catholic)</strong></p> <p>Johnson went up against guys both bigger and older than him during the Les Schwab Invitational and more than held his own. He ran the floor, fought hard on the glass on both ends and defensively, tried his hardest to hold his ground even though he battled some foul trouble. Offensively is where the 6-foot-7 sophomore might have shown the most promise. He has a very soft touch on his face-up jumper and has range up to the three-point line. And Johnson wasn't a black hole either as he ended up third on the team in assists. With his combination of size, athleticism, and emerging skills there's no question Johnson is a hoops prospect - the only question will be if he pursues that or football at the college level.</p> <p><strong>Samaje Morgan (2022 Churchill)</strong></p> <p>After seeing Morgan at the LSI, we are pretty convinced of one thing - there may be no quicker player in the state in any class, at any age. The 5-foot-8 listed point guard was a blur on the court with his quick first step and burst to the hole, and at times he'd add a little spin move in the lane to really keep defenders off their feet. It's clear that over the years he's learned to finish over taller players so he does that pretty well but he also has the court vision to find teammates for open shots down low or around the perimeter. Morgan was also a surprisingly good rebounder on the defensive end. He didn't show much in terms of his perimeter shooting and he'll need to cut down on turnovers but there's a lot of great potential for him as a floor leader.</p> <p><strong>Aidan Slater (2022 Central Catholic)</strong></p> <p>Slater has quickly found a niche on the floor for the Central Catholic - come off the bench and get buckets, especially from long range. The 6-foot-2 sophomore has a quick trigger and deep range from beyond the arc and the fact that he isn't afraid to fire away is a good thing - especially in the way that the Rams are hoping for him to contribute. While Slater definitely excels off the catch and shoot or coming off of screens, he's not just a shooter as he can also create off the dribble a bit. But shooting from beyond the arc is definitely his speciality and he ended up nailing 8-for-17 from three in the LSI - tops on the team.</p> <p><strong>Max von Arx (2022 Grant)</strong></p> <p>von Arx made his ascent into the Grant starting lineup last season and his role appears to be much of the same this year. The now 6-foot-4 continues to anchor the post for the Generals, where his motor and length really help out with rebounding (4.8 rpg) and defense. On the offense end, von Arx has a really good feel around the hoop and finishes plays at the basket (.550 fg%). von Arx ran the floor well and had the ability to step out and guard on the perimeter. Another football prospect, how his development continues as a player will depend on if he keep growing because if not he'll need to hone more of his perimeter skills.</p> <p><strong>Lamar Washington (2022 Jefferson)</strong></p> <p>It definitely wasn't the greatest shooting performance for Washington at the LSI and it didn't end great being suspended for the third place game due to a violation of team rules. But one thing became clear during the tournament - the 6-foot-3 sophomore is going to be relied upon by the Demos for his ball-handling and passing skills. While Washington struggled with his normally reliable deep ball (2-for-15 from three), his ability to dribble and pass - especialy against pressure - were critical in Jefferson's first three games. He ended up ranking second on the team in assists (5.3) and was also a key guy on the glass (6.0 rpg) and despite the shooting woes still managed to end up being a key scorer (8.7 ppg).</p> <p><strong>Mason VanBeenan (2022 West Linn)</strong></p> <p>VanBeenan continues to develop as a player and West Linn is bringing him along in a nice manner. The 6-foot-9 sophomore actually made the biggest impression when he posted up down low, displaying some really nice footwork and a soft touch around the basket. Despite his lean frame, he really worked hard on the glass - especially the offensive boards - in particular after senior Joe Juhala hurt his shoulder and was out the last couple of games. Defensively, VanBeenan also used his length to either block (1.2 bpg) or alter shots.</p>