St. Charles North's Marlowe earns MVP nod

Ethan Marlowe of St. Charles North is this week's Daily Herald MVP for boys basketball.

Ethan Marlowe, St. Charles North: This 6-foot-7 sophomore delivered his best varsity performance yet in a 63-52 victory over crosstown rival St. Charles East that gave the North Stars sole possession of first place in the DuKane Conference. The forward came off the bench and set a new career high by scoring 12 of his team-best 21 points in the third quarter. Marlowe made 7 of 9 field-goal attempts and finished with 6 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Damian Zivak, Barrington: In a defensive battle, this 6-foot-5 junior stepped up offensively, scoring 13 points to lead the Broncos to a 44-33 win over Mid-Suburban West co-leader Palatine. He also had 11 rebounds in helping his team inch closer to a 20-win season.

Jeff Grace, York: Grace stepped up in two West Suburban Silver victories with leading scorer Nate Shockey out due to illness. The 6-foot-2 junior scored 11 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in a 37-32 win over Downers North. Grace added 20 points and 5 boards in a 53-42 win at Oak Park that clinched a share of the Silver title.

Jack Barszcz, Vernon Hills: He's a nightmare for both Spelling Bee contestants and basketball defenders. The 6-foot-5 senior forward has shown an ability all season to score both inside and at the arc. He poured in a career-high 31 points in the host Cougars' win over Lake View on Senior Night and followed up with a 19-point effort in a loss to Maine West. He's averaging 23.6 points in the Cougars' last five games.