LSI Finals – Mater Dei 70, Eastside Catholic 58: Five Takeaways

<p>The 24th annual Les Schwab Invitational was primed to have a strong finish as national powerhouse Mater Dei faced off against upstart Eastside Catholic in the finals on Monday evening. The game was competitive early as Eastside Catholic hung tough despite giving up a lot in terms of size. But in the end, that advantage was too much as Mater Dei was able to utilize that and more to capture the 2019 LSI title, 70-58.</p> <p><strong>Mater Dei is... Big</strong></p> <p>From the very first time we saw them take the court at the start of the Les Schwab Invitational, the immediate impression Mater Dei made was with their size. With three guys starting in the frontcourt at 6-foot-8 and taller in <strong>Wilhelm Breidenbach</strong>, <strong>Harrison Hornery</strong>, and <strong>Nick Davidson</strong>, the Monarchs took control of the boards all night long and very much limited any second chances from Eastside Catholic.</p> <p><strong>Mater Dei is... Skilled</strong></p> <p>As big as they are, Mater Dei is skilled as well. In addition to dominating inside, all three of the Monarchs bigs are capable of scoring on the perimeter and each of them hit at least one three-pointer - Hornery himself hit four of them. Add in the incredible skills of point guard <strong>Devin Askew</strong> and the shooting acumen of wings such as <strong>Aidan Prukop</strong> and <strong>Ryan Lewis</strong> and it was incredibly tough to match up with Mater Dei in every area.</p> <p><strong>Askew is Special</strong></p> <p>If there were any doubters about Askew being a Kentucky-level recruit, all those were put to rest at the Les Schwab Invitational. In the final he had his offense down on lock. He really couldn't be guarded getting to the basket and of course was devastating in transition. In the end he ended up with 22 points but as a point guard, he certainly didn't forget about his teammates either as he finished with 7 assists as well.</p> <p><strong>2021 Strong in the Sound</strong></p> <p>Overall the Class of 2021 is strong in the Pacific Northwest and in the Seattle area, three of the best are on Eastside Catholic's roster. <strong>Shane Nowell</strong> was active on both ends of the floor all tournament long and he did his best to try and carry the Crusaders in the final scoring 13 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. <strong>Nolan Hickman</strong> came alive in the final and tallied 11 points and 7 assists. And big man <strong>J.T. Tuimoloau</strong> was a force in the paint with 12 points and 5 boards.</p> <p><strong>Crusiders Should Contend in Washington</strong></p> <p>Despite their loss to one of the top teams in the country, Eastside Catholic showed that they will be a serious candidate for the 3A title in Washington. With the aforementioned juniors as well as some solid seniors such as <strong>Syon Blackmon</strong>, <strong>Grant Hunt</strong>, and <strong>Chika Nduka</strong>, the Crusaders have a rock-solid core that is not only talented but experienced. With their combination of talent and depth, they should be right there in the championship mix along with teams such as Garfield, O'Dea, and Rainier Beach - and they will be playing all three in the upcoming weeks.</p>