Poll results: Breese Central star forward Boys Player of the Week in southwest IL
Chase Lewis of Breese Central 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 action, Lewis, a senior forward, averaged 15 points and 5 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from 3-point range and being the team leader in helping the Cougars place 2nd in the Nashville Invitational. Breese Central defeated Brentwood 90-28 and Mater Dei 54-41 while falling to the host Hornets 44-38 in the title game.
Lewis, who tallied 72% of the votes, entered the weekend averaging 8.7 points, 5 rebounds and 1.61 assists per game while shooting nearly 79% from the foul line.
Here were the other candidates for the week of Jan. 16-21:
Bennett Briles, Nashville High School, senior, F. Briles averaged 18 points, 7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 46% from the field in leading the Hornets to their 11th Nashville Invitational Tournament championship. His efforts helped Nashville defeat KIPP St. Louis (56-40), Mascoutah (52-38) and Breese Central (44-38) in tournament action. Briles also was the leading all-tourney vote getter.
Daylen Byrd, Belleville West High School, junior, G. Byrd posted 20 points in a 57-52 loss to Belleville East in the Chick-Fil-A Classic championship at Belleville East High School. In other tournament action, Byrd had 19 points in a 58-48 win against Hazelwood Central and averaged 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal per game in helping the Maroons to 2nd place. He also was selected to the all-tournament team.
Zach Chambers, Collinsville High School, junior, F. Chambers posted 16 points and 3 blocks in a 62-35 win over Hazelwood Central and 20 points and 5 blocks in a 60-24 victory over McCluer to help the Kahoks claim the consolation championship of the Chick-Fil-A Classic at Belleville East High School.
Lane Otten, Freeburg High School, senior, F. Otten averaged 17.7 points and 7 rebounds per game in helping the Midgets claim the Sparta Mid-Winter Classic championship. Included was a 31-point performance in a 73-49 win against Trico. Otten’s outputs also led the way to tourney victories against Waterloo (57-43), Red Bud (55-44) and Steeleville (66-45) in the title game.
Jordan Pickett, Belleville East High School, senior, G. Pickett posted 32 points in a 57-52 victory over Belleville West to take the championship of the Chick-Fil-A Classic at Belleville East High School. In other tourney games, Pickett scored 18 points in a 57-44 win against McCluer and 21 points in a 71-43 victory against Alton. For her efforts, Pickett was named the tournament Most Valuable Player.
Jack Steckler, Columbia High School, senior, G. Steckler averaged 17.7 points per game at the Okawville Invitational as the Eagles went 3-0 over Carlyle (64-51), Alton Marquette (65-48) and Wesclin (59-48) to win the tournament championship.
Trent Sternberg, Red Bud High School, sophomore, G. At the Sparta Mid-Winter Classic, Sternberg scored scored 24 points in a 65-33 win against Trico, 12 points in a 55-44 loss to Freeburg, 12 points in a 51-48 victory against Waterloo and 19 points in a 62-56 loss to Sparta. Overall, Sternberg averaged 16.8 points per game in being named to the all-tournament team and helping the Musketeers to a 4th place finish.
AJ Tillman, Edwardsville High School, junior, G. Tillman scored 17 points in a 58-42 win against the host Panthers at the Jerseyville Mid-Winter Classic. Tillman also scored 12 points in a 75-43 tourney win against Cahokia.
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. Wednesday.
Please email nominations to gvartanian@bnd.com.
Previous poll winners: Taylor Smith of Belleville East High School; Cole Stuart of Freeburg High School; Dylan Murphy of Columbia High School; Clareece Davis of Althoff Catholic High School; the Freeburg-Columbia Holiday Tournament; Jordan Lewis of Althoff Catholic High School; Karsen Jany of Columbia High School; David Marshall Jr. of Belleville West High School; Marshall Jr.; and Addi Dilley of Red Bud High School.