Mikey Lewis’ breakout performance at Saint Mary’s during the WCC, NCAA tournament
That’s why Mike Lewis stayed at Saint Mary’s.
The portal promised more minutes. Lots of shots. Guarantees are not offered by Gaels coach Randy Bennett, whose track record is making promises.
As Lewis stood in the center court of the University Credit Union Pavilion on Saturday night, raising his arms, pressing into the student section, playing to their raucous orchestra, he was overwhelmed by the reason to stay. For a chance to put his stamp on Bay Area basketball history, at one of its proudest institutions. With such games. A career-high 31 points, in front of his parents, friends and family, just miles from his hometown of Oakland, in a thrilling upset of rival Gonzaga.
With one promise available to him at Moraga – that he will grow as a player as his talent and performance allow.
“I felt comfortable that I was going to grow as a player,” said Lewis, who is 20 years old. “I think the other thing that went into it, like, I knew I was going to have expectations. I want to be able to play with those expectations.”
His performance against Gonzaga revealed the fruits of his labor. Lewis provided the spark the Gaels needed with the West Coast Conference trophy in mid-table. He punished the Bulldogs’ defense with turnovers by attacking bigs off the dribble, and getting under screens by draining seven 3-pointers. Lewis not only gave life to his Gaels; snatched it from the national team ranked ninth.
His signature performance was his eight consecutive double-digit rushing touchdowns and provided his biggest statement yet for All-WCC honors.
This was more than a party for Lewis. This was to ensure his patient work. As a top 100 recruit, he turned down a big NIL salary and took a small role as a freshman because he hoped the growth would outweigh the guarantee.
Not many make that decision. The last time the site was open, about 2,700 players jumped in, a new record. But not Lewis. He chose the road less traveled. The hard way. That meant he would earn his starting role instead of being given it.
As a result, Lewis’ place in the team is set in stone. And now he has a game, a moment, that confirmed his ambition.
His playing has changed. You can see when teams try to take him out of the game. He knows how to pick his spots to attack. He knows what his job is: an assassin.
“I think he’s back to his natural starting role,” his father, Mike Lewis Sr., said. “It takes a special kind of player to come off the bench with limited time and limited touches to affect the game, and I think he did. In his new role, he has more leadership to show and I think he’s made the transition well. He still has a lot of room to grow, but, you know, he’s used to his role now.”
As the WCC and NCAA tournaments approach, Lewis is playing his best basketball. He is averaging 22.5 points in his last four games, raising his season-long average to 13.9. And if the 2-seeded Gaels are going to win the conference championship, Lewis will obviously need some of those games.
But it’s not just the goals that are coming. His overall performance has improved.
Last year, his assist-to-turnover ratio was, as he put it, “way down” — more turnovers (28) than assists (21). A spark plug off the bench, Lewis’ role was simple: Make shots when open. Play defense. The looks didn’t come often as he operated around the edges of the Gaels’ offense. He ranked sixth on the team in field goal attempts with 259 last season while averaging 8.2 points.
But the intensity in the middle of most of the film drilled down important lessons about how to create shots and where to attack. A point guard for every high school — including Napa’s Prolific Prep and NBA lottery picks AJ Dybantsa and Tyran Stokes — Lewis was talented. He just had to learn to direct the offense instead of just fueling it.
Bennett’s case is not designed for independent work. The Gaels move the ball, feed the post and clear the ball. There is room for isolation and reduction in screens. But knowing when and where requires knowledge.
And development.
“I wouldn’t say it’s really changed,” Lewis said, explaining his mindset this season. “It’s at a higher level. But, I mean, I feel like the goal is the same. Just go out and do whatever we need to do to help us win, and just play my game the best I can.”
He finished the regular season second on the team with 343 shots. His 64 assists ranked third on the Gaels, thanks to his improved driving ability and still seeing the floor.
It wasn’t easy. Lewis hit the gym early. He wakes up a shot before most have had their morning coffee. Then comes a one-on-one workout with his coach, Elimane Diallo, who has worked closely with Lewis since the seventh grade. He saw every iteration of what Lewis was and is. He is still working closely to fine tune his game. Team practice follows. After that, it is better to train the weight. And when most players would retire for the day, he finds a way back down to get more shots. A bigger role didn’t just mean more opportunity; it meant more work to prove himself.
It can be seen in the way he attacked this season. Has seven 20-point games this year after surpassing that mark just once last season. It can also be seen in the way the guards are guarding him.
“It’s more physical, it’s more aggressive,” Lewis said of the defense he faces now. “Last year, it was like setting up the second half. I would definitely say it’s a lot like the opening tip now.”
Lewis responded by attacking that violence. Last season, he took 59.8 percent of his shots from behind the arc. This season, 47 percent. He also tripled his free throw attempts while increasing his percentage from 72.4 last season to 87.6 this season.
The increase in driving stats, however, pales in comparison to his growth over time. It didn’t show Gonzaga what it looked like when he put it all together.
As the clock wound down, the fans inside University Credit Union could only roar and celebrate their opponent’s upset. They were singing. Another 3,500 shouted “Mi-key Lew-is!” to emphasize his performance.
And this was the incident that showed why he stayed at Saint Mary’s. Because such a night is not guaranteed. They have been earned.
