Buffalo Grove's Brunelli, Neuqua Valley's Poulakidas share MVP honors

Matt Brunelli of Buffalo Grove and Neuqua Valley's John Poulakidas are this week's Daily Herald co-MVPs for boys basketball.

Matt Brunelli, Buffalo Grove: In wins over Barrington, Elk Grove and Glenbrook North, the Bison senior scored 66 points and had 16 3-pointers. His monster game of 33 points and a school-record 10 3s led the Bison past Elk Grove. He came back the next night with 24 points and five more 3s in an overtime win against Glenbrook North.

John Poulakidas, Neuqua Valley: The 6-foot-5 junior guard set a new single-game program scoring record in the Wildcats' 92-89 double-overtime win at Bolingbrook. Poulakidas' 49 points broke Connor Raridon's mark of 40 in a 2015 game. Poulakidas made six 3-pointers, shot 11 of 17 from inside the arc, and sank 9 free throws.

Doug Miller Jr., Dundee-Crown: This senior led the Chargers in scoring in two Fox Valley Conference road wins. The 6-foot-2 guard scored 11 points in a 39-38 victory over defending FVC co-champion Crystal Lake South. Two days later he paced Dundee-Crown (8-6, 4-2) with 20 points in a 44-39 victory at rival Jacobs.

John Ittounas, Stevenson: Arguably one of the Patriots' most underrated players, the versatile senior guard showed his value again in a first-place showdown against visiting Mundelein. A returning starter for the defending North Suburban Conference co-champs, he scored a season-high 18 points in the Patriots' 67-64 win. He shot 6 of 8 from the floor 9 (3 of 3 from the arc) and 3 of 4 from the line.