Mater Dei Catholic star center BND Girls Player of the Week in southwestern Illinois​

Alyssa Koerkenmeier of Mater Dei Catholic High School is the winner of this week’s Belleville News-Democrat Girls Player of the Week high school basketball poll, as selected by readers of bnd.com.

In recent action, Koerkenmeier, a junior center, posted 7 points, 18 rebounds and 6 blocks in a 55-45 victory over Massac County while helping the Knights capture the sectional championship. Koerkenmeier ultimately helped the Knights reach the IHSA Class 2A state championship game.

Koerkenmeier edged out Highland’s Grace Wilke in the closest final tally in the history of the BND Player of the Week poll. Koerkenmeier finished with 583 votes to Wilke’s 582.

Koerkenmeier entered the weekend averaging 7.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the Knights.

Here were the other candidates for the week of Feb. 20-24:

• Shannon Dowell, O’Fallon High School, senior, F. Dowell posted 10 points & 8 rebounds in a 49-43 victory over Alton and 22 points along with 10 rebounds in a 60-43 victory against Normal Community to help the Panthers capture the sectional championship.
• Shakara McCline, East St. Louis High School, senior, G. McCline posted her second 42-point performance in the playoffs during an 85-81 loss against Mount Vernon.
  
  
• Kiyoko Proctor, Alton High School, junior, F. Proctor posted 17 points in a 49-43 loss against O’Fallon in the sectional semifinals.
• Grace Wilke, Highland High School, junior, F. Wilke posted 12 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in a 52-28 victory over Mattoon and 29 points in a 66-54 victory against Mount Vernon to help the Lady Bulldogs capture the sectional crown.

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 (topic TBD). Please email nominations/suggestions 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.; Addi Dilley of Red Bud High School; Chase Lewis of Breese Central High School; Sophia Loden of Mascoutah High School; Loden; Lane Otten of Freeburg High School; Bennett Briles of Nashville High School; Kaylyn Wiley of Granite City High School; T’Yonna Burris of Dupo High School; Brandon Scott of Belleville West High School; Shakara “Lyve” McCline of East St Louis Senior High School; and Grant Fridley of Wesclin High School.