Basketball: Week 3 MVPs
Daily Herald report
Benet senior guard Madeline Eilers and Vernon Hills senior guard Darren Hoveydai have been chosen as high school basketball MVPs by the Daily Herald in the third group of players selected for the honor this season.
Girls MVPMadeline Eilers, Benet: The Redwings#146; senior guard shot her team to three wins. Eilers hit a school-record nine 3-pointers in the first half, 11 total, for 33 points in a 84-52 win over Plainfield North, then hit 5 of 6 from the arc for 15 points to beat St. Viator 68-41. She capped things off by hitting a 3-pointer as time expired to beat Fenwick 67-66, Benet#146;s first win over the Friars since 1999.
Girls runners-upAdriane Falagario, Prospect: Prospect made 35 of 43 free throws in a 75-70 overtime win at Wheeling. Incredibly, 21 of them were by Falagario from 22 attempts. The 5-6 junior guard finished with a career-high 29 points, sandwiched between team highs of 11 points Maine South against 10 in a 45-42 win over state-ranked Stevenson.
Lindsey Gofron, Antioch: She ached. Lakes ached more. The senior guard, eight months removed from Achilles tendon surgery, limped after the Sequoits#146; 36-35 win over their crosstown rival. She had walked off a winner, toughing it out to hit the game-winning three-point play with 2.4 seconds left and scoring a season-high 18 points.
Olivia Jakubicek, Cary-Grove: The Trojans#146; 5-foot-10 junior forward had a banner week in leading her team to 3 wins. In victories over Prairie Ridge (43-35), Crystal Lake South (43-25) and Grant (39-32) she had 35 points, 20 rebounds, 9 steals, 2 blocks, 2 assists and shot 15 of 20 (75 percent) from the free-throw line.
Sami Pawlak, Geneva: Pawlak continued stepping into a big role as a junior for undefeated Geneva with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 3 steals in a 60-45 win over St. Charles East. She also had a team-high 17 points in a dramatic 64-62 win over Springfield Southeast at the Illinois Basketball Services Girls Prep Classic in Springfield.
Boys MVPDarren Hoveydai, Vernon Hills: The Cougars went down swinging against North Chicago, as their #147;DH#148; kept hitting shots to keep them in the game. The senior guard went 9 of 11 from the field and sank a school-record 12 free throws in as many attempts, nearly helping his team pull off the upset. The Cougars fell 77-65, despite Hoveydai#146;s career-high 32 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. He played all 32 minutes.
Boys runners-upDominic Adduci, St. Charles East: The sophomore point guard hit his stride in a pair of Upstate Eight Conference River Division wins. Adduci scored 14 points in the Saints#146; 68-58 win over Batavia and came back with a career-high 25 in a 56-43 victory over Geneva. Adduci made four 3#146;s against Geneva, and for the two games totaled 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals.
Kory Brown, Elgin: The 6-foot-6 senior led the Maroons to a pair of solid road victories. The reigning honorary captain of the Daily Herald All-Area team in the Fox Valley scored 10 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked 5 shots in a 47-25 Upstate Eight crossover at South Elgin. In a 53-41 UEC River victory at St. Charles North, he scored 13 points, snared 11 rebounds, dished 5 assists and blocked 3 shots.
Riley Glassman, Fremd: Fremd was down to its last shot to hand Huntley its first loss. Glassman took it from 27 feet and nailed it to give the Vikings a 41-40 victory as they improved to 7-2. The sophomore finished with 9 points and also scored 10 against Palatine and 13 against Dundee-Crown in weekend victories.
Michael Mache, Glenbard West: The 6-foot-6 senior forward led the Hilltoppers to a pair of impressive road victories. Mache scored 20 points as Glenbard West rallied for a 64-63 win over Hinsdale South and he added 19 points in a 59-46 West Suburban Silver win at Lyons Twp. In the two games Mache made 19 of 23 free throws and grabbed 11 rebounds.