Who had the area’s top prep basketball performances last week?
It’s never easy.
Picking the area’s top prep basketball performances is always difficult, but last week’s efforts may have been the best of the season so far. Between the boys and girls games, it was incredible.
This edition of the High Five takes its shot at the best from last week, with slight cheating on the no-repeat rule because one of our superstars was just too good.
5. Peyton Hoffmann, Grayslake Central
The Rams kept their hopes alive for at least a share of the Northern Lake County Conference girls basketball championship with a 45-30 victory over Wauconda spearheaded by their 6-foot junior guard.
Hoffmann scored 17 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and had 5 steals while keying a late 14-1 run. Wauconda and Grayslake Central enter the week tied for first in the NLCC at 12-1 with one game remaining.
Earlier in the week, Hoffmann had 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 60-45 win over Grant.
4. Cooper Mellican, St. Charles North
The 6-5 senior forward played a pivotal role in a 56-45 DuKane Conference victory over St. Charles East, scoring 9 points in the third quarter and the first 6 points of the fourth quarter to help the North Stars pull away.
Mellican scored 26 points and had 7 rebounds in the win. He also scored 28 points in a loss to Batavia.
3. Nick Czerak, Aurora Central Catholic
The young Chargers struggled to a 1-3 record during an awfully busy week, but Czerak’s effort stood out in each game.
The junior guard averaged 20.5 points in the four games, highlighted by his double-double in a 71-51 win over St. Edward. Czerak scored 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
In a tough 63-61 loss to East Aurora, Czerak scored 21 points.
2. Jaxson Davis, Warren
An honoree from the holiday season, Davis used three games last week to soar past the 2,000-point mark for his three-year high school career.
The junior guard reached the feat with a 32-point outburst in a 79-60 win over Evanston. Davis also scored 18 points in a victory over Stevenson and 20 points in an 87-30 win over Mundelein.
Warren enters the week with a 24-2 record.
1. Bella Silva, Maine East
Speaking of 2,000 points, Silva hit the milestone and pushed toward 3,000 with a career-best performance.
The 5-7 junior guard scored 38 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in a 56-50 victory over Maine West. Not to be outdone, she then scored 46 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in a 66-49 win over Niles West.
Heading into the final game of the regular season on Tuesday, Silva is averaging 29 points per game.