Gill St. Bernard’s pulled off a major upset on Sunday night by defeating Ranney School 62-60. Led by McDonald’s All-Americans Scottie Lewis and Bryan Antoine, Ranney entered the game with a perfect record against opponents in New Jersey.
The upset win for Gill St. Bernard’s was a major statement for the New Jersey prep school. At the beginning of the season, most people picked Ranney and Roselle Catholic as the favorites to win the New Jersey Tournament of Champions. However after this recent victory, it’s time to talk about Gill St. Bernard’s as a legitimate contender.
Senior point guard Paul Mulcahy has been the catalyst for Gill St. Bernard’s this season. The Rutgers commit plays the game with an undeniable swagger. He’s listed at 6-foot-6, which is an imposing height for a player with such speed and skill at the point guard position.
I 👀 you @paulmulcahy_3 💪#GardenStatement #HeadBandHighlights #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/oPqAsj59G2
— Ben Asher (@Ben__Asher) January 28, 2019
The Rutgers basketball program is badly in need of some identity. The Scarlet Knights haven’t appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 1991. It’s also been 13 years since Rutgers recorded a winning season, and the team has finished last in the Big Ten for four consecutive seasons.
Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell is in his third year at the helm. And under his guidance, the Scarlet Knights are beginning to see some improvement.
Rutgers came close to defeating No. 6 Michigan State (78-67) and No. 24 Wisconsin (69-64) in 2018. And in early January, the Scarlet Knights gained a program-shifting win over then No. 16-ranked Ohio State (64-61).
Paul Mulcahy is the type of player that can continue to push Rutgers in the right direction. He’s listed at No. 151 in the 247Sports Composite rankings. He passed on offers from schools such as Florida, UConn, Xavier, Virginia Tech and Marquette to pick Rutgers.
He was a huge pick-up for the Rutgers program when he signed, and he is continuing to show his value in his last year at Gill St. Bernard’s. He was averaging a triple-double ahead of Sunday’s game against Ranney, and he’s looking to challenge those who would overlooked his squad.
Final Stats:
Gill St. Bernard’s senior Connor Murphy led the way with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Mulcahy stuffed the statsheet with 13 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 steals.
Scottie Lewis (Florida signee) led the way for Ranney with 18 points. Bryan Antoine (Villanova signee) was limited to just two points in the first half— and nine points on the game. Alex Klatsky (Florida signee) and Ahmadu Sarnor both went for 12 points.
What’s Next?
Ranney will need to pick-up the pieces quickly. The team will play at home against Keansburg tonight (1/28), followed by a Wednesday game against Roselle Catholic.
Roselle Catholic will enter the highly-anticipated showdown ranked at No. 15 in the USA TODAY Super 25.
Ranney School will check-in at No. 16.
Michael McLamb is the High School Hoops Editor at Mars Reel. You can follow him: @McLambSays
