Poll results: Columbia standout forward Boys Player of the Week in southwest Illinois

Dylan Murphy of Columbia High School is the winner of this week’s Belleville News-Democrat Boys Player of the Week high school basketball poll, as selected by readers of bnd.com.

In recent games, Murphy, a senior forward, posted 19 points in a win against Steelville; 25 points and 4 rebounds in a victory against Monmouth-Roseville; and 20 points and 6 rebounds in a loss to Taylor Ridge Rockridge.

Overall, Murphy, who secured 58% of the votes, entered the holiday break averaging 21.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, while shooting nearly 50% from beyond the arc.

Here were the other candidates for the week of Dec. 12-17:

• Malik Allen, Edwardsville High School, junior, G. Allen posted 19 points, 22 points, 15 points and 24 points during a recent stretch while helping the Tigers to 3-straight wins.

• Jake Ottensmeier, Highland High School, junior, G. Ottensmeier posted 14 points in a win against Litchfield and 17 points in a victory against Triad and also helped the Bulldogs to a victory against Chatham Glenwood.

• Jordan Pickett, Belleville East High School, senior, G. Pickett notched 21 points, 7 steals and 7 rebounds in a win against Mater Dei and 20 points and 6 rebounds in a victory against Alton.

• Macaleab Rich, East St. Louis High School, senior, F. Rich posted 23 points and 8 rebounds in a win against Belleville West and 21 points in a victory against Jefferson City, Missouri.
  
  

• Zane Schrage, Breese Central High School, junior, F. Schrage averaged 17 points and 4 rebounds per game while shooting 62% from the field and 56% from 3-point range in helping the Cougars to victories against Civic Memorial and Altmont.

• Cole Stuart, Freeburg High School, junior, G. Stuart posted 17 points in a win against Waterloo and 12 points in a victory against Salem.

The poll ended at 8 a.m. Friday.

To be clear, this poll is not scientific. In fact, we invite you to vote as many times as you want. It’s all for fun, BND readers.

The next poll will appear on the BND’s website — www.bnd.com — at 5 a.m. Monday and will be a vote for your favorite holiday basketball tournament.

Previous poll winners: Cole Stuart of Freeburg High School.

This story was originally published December 24, 2022 at 8:00 AM.