Senior battles 5-star talent, sets single-game record for Watchung Hills boys basketball

Mackenzie Mgbako (24) of Gill St. Bernard’s scores over Watchung Hills’s Bryan Zhang (4) and Riley McCann (20) during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s tries to score against Zac Anderson (32) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Geancarlo Pejuero (21) of Gill St. Bernard’s battles for a rebound with Riley McCann (20) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Mackenzie Mgbako (24) of Gill St. Bernard’s battles for the ball with Elijah Lewis (13) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Naas Cunningham (4) of Gill St. Bernard’s drives past Aleck Graf (2) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s dribbles up court against Brayden Kolakowski (14) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Geancarlo Pejuero (21) of Gill St. Bernard’s tries to score as Elijah Lewis (13) of Watchung Hills gets a piece of the ball during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mergin Sina gives Denver Anglin (2) a commemorative basketball after he scored his 1000th point in a game on January 13 before the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s hits a three pointer over Aleck Graf (2) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Geancarlo Pejuero (21) of Gill St. Bernard’s with a slam dunk during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Peter Mauro (5) of Gill St. Bernard’s defends against Aleck Graf (2) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Mackenzie Mgbako (24) of Gill St. Bernard’s scores over Elijah Lewis (13) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Former Gill St. Bernard’s star and current Rutgers player Paul Mulcahey (left) takes in the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s tries to steal a pass from Tommy Morris (22) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Mackenzie Mgbako (24) scores past Ryan Trecozzi (20) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Mackenzie Mgbako (24) of Gill St. Bernard’s and Elijah Lewis (13) of Watchung Hills battle for a rebound during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mergin Sina during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s dribbles up court during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Elijah Lewis (13) of Watchung Hills gets his hand on an alley-oop pass from Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s attempts a three pointer in front of Aleck Graf (2) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s defends against Ryan Trecozzi (10) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Watchung Hills head coach Justin Salton during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Naas Cunningham (4) of Gill St. Bernard’s scores against Ryan Trecozzi (10) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Mackenzie Mgbako (24) attempts a three pointer over Aleck Graf (2) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Giancarlo Pejuero (21) of Gill St. Bernard’s tries to score against Riley McCann (20) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s tries to get to the basket as he’s fouled between Watchung Hills’s Tommy Morris (22) and Zac Anderson (32) during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Gill St. Bernard’s head coach Mergin Sina during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Aleck Graf (2) of Watchung Hills dribbles against Peter Mauro (5) of Gill St. Bernard’s during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Naas Cunningham (4) of Gill St. Bernard’s and Elijah Lewis (13) of Watchung Hills try to chase down the loose ball before going out of bounds during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Elijah Lewis (13) of Watchung Hills runs the offense during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Elijah Lewis (13) of Watchung Hills tries to drive past Naas Cunningham (4) of Gill St. Bernard’s during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Naas Cunningham (4) of Gill St. Bernard’s scores over Watchung Hills’s Zac Anderson (32) and Brayden Kolakowski (14) during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Former Gill St. Bernard’s great and current Rutgers player Paul Mulcahey (left) takes in the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Elijah Lewis (13) of Watchung Hills tries to drive past Luke Ruggiero (22) of Gill St. Bernard’s during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Mackenzie Mgbako (24) of Gill St. Bernard’s scores against Zac Anderson (32) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s attempts a free-throw during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s tries to drive past Zac Anderson (32) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Naas Cunningham (4) of Gill St. Bernard’s grabs a rebound in front of Zac Anderson (32) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s scores on a layup during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Naas Cunningham (4) of Gill St. Bernard’s tries to drive to the basket against Watchung Hills’s Zac Anderson (32) and Brayden Kolakowski (14) during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Aleck Graf (2) of Watchung Hills tries to drive past Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Watchung Hills head coach Justin Salton during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Elijah Lewis (13) of Watchung Hills tries to dribble past Naas Cunningham (4) of Gill St. Bernard’s during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Denver Anglin (2) of Gill St. Bernard’s makes a pass down low past Bryan Zhang (4) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Peter Mauro (5) of Gill St. Bernard’s tries to drive past Zac Anderson (32) of Watchung Hills during the boys basketball game between Gill St. Bernard’s and Watchung Hills at Gill St. Bernard’s High School in Gladstone, NJ on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

By

Watchung Hills came in as a big underdog on Thursday night against Gill St. Bernard’s.

The Warriors knew they would have their hands full against a squad featuring a Georgetown commit and a pair of 6-foot-7 five-star prospects. Watchung Hills beat this program a year ago on its way to winning a Skyland Conference title, but four of the key starters from that team graduated.

Only one full-time starter returned this year and all eyes were on him.

And it’s a good thing they were because 6-foot-4 senior Elijah Lewis put on a show.

In an 86-53 loss on the road, Lewis set a single-game program record, outscoring every other player on the floor and ending the night with a jaw-dropping 39 points. Gill St. Bernard’s knew who Watchung Hills wanted to get the ball to all game and it couldn’t do anything to stop it.

Lewis dribbled through defenders into the lane throughout the night and either pulled up and shot or beat his man and finished at the rim. The senior also created space for himself on the perimeter and launched some gorgeous 3-pointers. He hit one falling away late in the game that was awe-inspiring.

The star guard left it all on the floor and put together an unforgettable game.

“I’m so proud of Elijah. He didn’t back down and that’s just a special performance,” said Watchung Hills coach Justin Salton. “He had a tough game against Franklin the other day and then he comes back in a game against two 5-stars who might be lottery picks one day and a Georgetown commit, and he took it to them. He’s come a long way since he was a freshman and he’s a great player.”

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Brandon Gould can be reached at bgould@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrandonGouldHS.

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