Basketball MVPs, Week 7
Senior forward Phil Schuetz of Aurora Central Catholic and senior guard Toni Romiti of Hinsdale South have earned MVP honors from the Daily Herald for their recent basketball performances.
Schuetz had 34 points and 6 steals to lead the Chargers to a 4-point win over Joliet Catholic, while Romiti scored 40, 25 and 19 in victories over West Suburban Conference competition.
BOYS MVP
Phil Schuetz, Aurora Central Catholic: After all-tournament props at East Aurora, the 6-foot-3 senior forward scored 45 points in two wins. Schuetz scored a career-high 34 with 6 steals — and all 17 of ACC’s second-half points — in a 51-47 win over Joliet Catholic. He followed with 11 points, 14 rebounds in a 63-60 SCC Blue win over Marmion.
BOYS RUNNERS-UP
Aarias Austin, Warren: The Blue Devils brought their “A” game (Aarias Austin) to Libertyville. The senior point guard scored 14 of his game- and career-high 24 points in the fourth quarter, helping Warren pull out a 66-59 win. He followed up with 11 and 14 points in victories over Deerfield (66-30) and Round Lake (90-34), respectively.
Matt Dolan, Rolling Meadows: In a season made more difficult by injuries, Dolan has been a steadying force for Rolling Meadows. The junior forward helped the Mustangs start the new year by scoring a game-best 21 points in an impressive 63-56 victory over Buffalo Grove in Mid-Suburban East play.
Chaun Rickette, Glenbard South: Rickette excelled at both ends of the court while leading the Raiders to a 2-1 record. The 5-foot-9 junior guard poured in a personal-high 37 points in an upset Metro Suburban Conference win over Ridgewood. He averaged 25 points for the week while hitting 23 of 27 free throws and totaled 13 steals.
Jake Wagner, Huntley: This 6-foot-2 guard sank a pair of 3-pointers in a 10-point performance in a win over Crystal Lake South, but he was just getting warmed up. The senior sank nine 3-pointers — a Huntley program record — in a 76-51 victory at Prairie Ridge. Wagner connected on his first 6 attempts from long range and finished 9 of 12 from beyond the arc en route to a career-high 32 points.
GIRLS MVP
Toni Romiti, Hinsdale South: The senior guard had a huge week in carrying the Hornets to three wins. Romiti scored a school-record 40 points, hitting seven 3s in a win over Proviso East, then scored 25 points to beat Addison Trail. She capped it off with 19 points, a pair of late 3s and 2 go-ahead free throws as Hornets rallied from 15 down to beat Downers Grove North.
GIRLS RUNNERS-UP
Abby Pierre-Louis, Elgin: In helping Elgin to a 49-37 win over rival Larkin in the Elgin City Classic, this 5-foot-10 sophomore forward scored 8 points and had 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 5 blocked shots. Then, in a 43-26 Classic win over Harvest Christian, she scored 14 points on 7 of 11 shooting and had 5 rebounds as the Maroons won their third straight game.
Kayla Quinn, Carmel Catholic: Another win, another big game from Quinn. In the Corsairs’ 51-41 victory over Highland Park — their fourth straight win — the senior center produced her second 16-point effort in a row and her third in five games. Her 16 points led the way in a 54-23 win over Waukegan. She grabbed 10 rebounds to help Carmel bounce Bishop McNamara 55-49.
Sidney Santos, Geneva: Needing a win to stay in the Upstate Eight Conference River Division race, this junior post turned point guard did a little of everything in a 56-46 win over Batavia. Santos scored 16 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and chipped in 3 steals, 3 blocked shots and 3 assists while playing on a sprained left ankle.
McKenzie Wiedemann, Palatine: Wiedemann scored a career-high 25 points as Palatine stayed 1 game behind Fremd in the Mid-Suburban West with a 40-37 victory over visiting Barrington. The senior guard helped seal the win by converting 5-of-6 free throws in the fourth quarter. She also had 4 rebounds and 3 assists as the Pirates avenged an earlier 33-32 loss at Barrington and improved to 17-5 and 4-1.