Merquiche Lewis isn’t one to chase accolades, seek notoriety., strive for the limelight.
But when it comes his way, it is a reward for hard work and perseverance.
Lewis, a 2023 graduate of Burlington High School, was richly rewarded last week when he was named NJCAA Division I honorable mention All-American.
Lewis, a 6-foot-7 sophomore forward for the Southeastern Community College men’s basketball team, battled through injuries and a roster decimated by injuries to help the Blackhawks to a 21-11 record.
For Lewis, the honor is a by-product of hard work, good teammates, excellent coaching and outstanding medical care from SCC athletics trainer Sheena Abbott.
“Honestly, going into the season I never even thought about All-American honors. I just wanted to improve my game, help my team win and get ready for the next level, whatever that might be,” Lewis said. “When I got the news from (assistant coach Malik Kelly) it caught me off guard. This is a big honor to have my name in history. It was nice to see all of my hard work pay off.”
In 31 games, Lewis averaged 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He also had 47 assists and 34 steals and blocked nine shots. He connected on 56.4 percent of his shots and 69.7 percent of his free throws.
Lewis battled through a shoulder injury and a sprained ankle the second half of the season. With many of the Blackhawks sidelined with injuries, Lewis fought through the pain to help SCC succeed.
“I played through a lot of pain,” Lewis said. “A lot of credit goes to Sheena for giving me the workouts and helping me with rehab so I could keep playing. I really appreciate her.”
Lewis said he gets his relentless work ethic from his parents.
“My Dad works hard. He works multiple jobs. I see how hard he works with his landscaping business,” Lewis said. “My Mom was pregnant with my brother and she was working a full-time job and going to school to get her bachelor’s degree. They both work very hard.”
Lewis is set to graduate next month and already is looking at four-year schools to finish his education, and his college basketball career.
Lewis hopes to make his decision by the end of the month. He wants to make sure his girlfriend and their daughter, Tatum Lea, are part of the package.
“Every school I talk to I tell them I want to make sure my girlfriend and our daughter can come with me,” Lewis said.
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