Grayslake North's Connolly earns MVP honor

Ryan Connolly of Grayslake North is this week's Daily Herald MVP for boys basketball.

Ryan Connolly, Grayslake North: It took the Knights' highflying, 6-foot-2 guard/forward just seven games into his junior season (his third on varsity) to reach the 1,000-point milestone. He finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds to help the Knights beat Highland Park 41-34. He followed up by recording 24 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in a 65-60 victory over Wauconda.

Jeremiah Hernandez, St. Viator: The Lions' 6-foot-5 senior had a monster game last Saturday in leading his team to a 72-69 win over previously unbeaten Class 4A Oswego East. He scored 36 points in the win including going 11-for-14 from the free-throw line. He also scored 11 points the previous night in a 60-26 rout of Marian Central.

Elisha Basnight, Lisle: The 6-foot-2 senior guard scored 53 points with two double-doubles in three Lisle wins. Basnight totaled 16 points, 12 rebounds in a 61-43 victory over Manteno and 16 points, 10 rebounds in a 47-36 win at Reed-Custer. His 21 points in a 63-54 win at Indian Creek are the Lions' season high.

Kyle Johnson, Hampshire: Paying attention to small details made this senior guard invaluable in two victories. Johnson scored 10 points in Hampshire's 51-48 win at Jacobs on Friday, but it was the player control foul he drew in the final minute and his 2 free throws with 4.6 seconds left that helped seal the team's fourth straight win. Earlier in the week, he scored 11 points, including three 3-pointers, in a 61-55 victory over Crystal Lake South.