Steve Reaven’s high school boys basketball rankings and player of the week for Lake County

Wauconda and Vernon Hills rise in the rankings.

Top 10

With records through Sunday and previous rankings in parentheses.

1. Warren 27-2 (1): Joel Paasch scores all 17 of his points, including five 3-pointers, in the first quarter of the North Suburban Conference champion’s win over Libertyville.

2. Waukegan 21-7 (2): Trey’Veon Roberts contributes 24 points and eight rebounds in the Bulldogs’ NSC win over Mundelein.

3. Wauconda 23-7 (5): Austin Carlsen and Tony Salemi combine for 33 points as the Bulldogs top Grayslake Central to win the Northern Lake County Conference title.

4. Stevenson 19-9 (4): Donny Williams averages 24.5 points in the Patriots’ two NSC wins, scoring 30 points against Libertyville.

5. Deerfield 17-11 (3): Freshman Drew Schnurman makes his varsity debut after leading the Warriors’ sophomore team in scoring.

6. Grayslake Central 20-9 (6): Carson Woods and Alex Granville combine for 33 points in the Rams’ loss to Wauconda.

7. Vernon Hills 20-9 (10): Matt McCarty records his 300th win in his 23rd season as the Cougars’ coach.

8. Lakes 16-11 (8): Dorian Pullen begins the final week of the regular season with 178 assists, a single-season record for the Eagles.

9. Grant 13-11 (9): Darnell “DJ” Stitts’ buzzer-beating basket lifts the Bulldogs over Grayslake Central as he finishes with 16 points, five rebounds and five assists.

10. Libertyville 14-12 (7): The Wildcats, who have lost four straight, can right the ship against Mundelein.

Player of the Week

Wauconda senior guard Alex Ortega scores 28 points twice, first in a 69-61 Northern Lake County Conference win over Round Lake on Feb. 10 and then in a 66-43 nonconference win over Highland Park on Saturday.

Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/16/lake-county-high-school-boys-basketball-rankings-player-of-the-week-7/