Just as in the second half of its Wednesday game with Cleveland Heights (Ohio), Gilbert Highland picked up its shooting on Thursday at a very opportune time.

The Hawks’ opponent Thursday was three-time defending 5A boys basketball champ Mesa Mountain View.

Highland made a good impression, warding off a late Toros surge in defeating the hosts 64-61 in the Arizona Basketball Challenge at Mountain View High School.

“We got very good leadership tonight out of Nick (Witherill),” Highland coach Mark Carlino said.

“His play allowed us to gain a comfort zone. That was important in this game.”

Highland (12-3) opened the game blazing, shooting 65 percent from the field (17-of-26). Witherill shot the most and made the most in the first half.

He connected on 6 of 8 shots, including a pair of 3-pointers that helped Highland pull away from a 19-19 tie with 7:45 left in the first half to a cozy 40-29 lead at intermission.

Witherill, a 6-foot-3 senior guard headed to Washington State next fall, scored 14 of his team-high 18 points in the first half.

Eight first-half points from Josh James, including a pair of 3-pointers, kept Mountain View (10-2) on the defensive much of the night and in catch-up mode.

Strong play inside from Chris Johnson (12 points and seven rebounds) was an added boost.

“They really shot it well,” Mountain View coach Gary Ernst said.

“They came out with more energy than we did. We’re still pretty young, but I told our kids we have to play with energy because everyone is going to come after us.

“They outrebounded us, especially the first half. That and their shooting were the keys.”

Senior guard Brendon Lavender kept Mountain View in the game in the first half with 15 points.

The Toros, who trailed by 15 points in the second half, whittled the gap to four at 51-47 with 5:30 to play.

Neither team shot well in the second half, and that hurt the Toros more since they were the ones playing to overtake.

Lavender was 2-for-13 in the second half.

Sixth man Nathan Murphy scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half.

His final basket with 1.2 seconds left pulled Mountain View to within 63-61.