This week was blended with a combination of tight conference games and big-time matchups across the state. Leading into the holidays, these players had huge weeks for their respective teams. Our fourth release of players of the week, nearly a quarter of the way through the year, is below.
AJ Demirov (Junior Guard, Crystal Lake South)
Demirov has been the focal point for a Crystal Lake South team who has only lost one game to this point. He dropped 40 points in a win on Friday and had 15 points and five assists in another conference matchup earlier in the week. The lightning-quick point guard remains a player who is primed to blow up once more college coaches get to see him in person.
Chris Taylor (Senior Guard, Chicago Ag)
Taylor had a memorable game on the defensive end, getting 13 steals on his way to a career-high 32 point game in a narrow loss. A quick and tenacious lead guard, Taylor runs the show for Chicago Ag and has the ability to impact games on both ends. He also contributed 17 points in a commanding win over Fenger later in the week.
CJ Worsham (Senior Forward, Christ The King)
The talented, unsigned playmaking forward had a rare 40/20 game with 40 points and 21 rebounds to go along with four blocked shots. You don’t see many 6-foot-7 players at his size with the light feet and power that he possesses. Worsham followed that up with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists yesterday. Already with a handful of offers, Worsham is a promising senior who is still on the market.
DJ Bolden (Senior Guard, Westinghouse)
Bolden has been steady and highly productive this season. Among the best returning guards in Chicago, the Westinghouse guard had 29 points and five rebounds early in the week and 24 points to go with six more rebounds a few days later. Another uncommitted senior, Bolden has the look of a solid scoring guard at the college level.
Jakob Blakley (Senior Guard, Walter Payton)
For those who didn’t already know, Blakley is a natural, multi-level scorer who can take over games as he showed this week. In a win for Payton on Friday, he dominated with 42 points and five assists to lead the way. That came after a similarly impressive performance of 35 points, seven rebounds, and four assists to start the week. The Le Moyne commit is already a repeat Player of the Week winner and is having an All-State year.
Jurrell Baldwin (Senior Forward, Hyde Park)
Chicago basketball is better with Baldwin back, after briefly leaving for prep school. So far, teams have not had an answer for the versatile, 6-foot-7 forward. Baldin controlled a game in the middle of the week with 30 points, had a 24-point, 13-rebound outing, and another 17-point, 12-rebound game to end the week. The game is looking easy for the uncommitted senior who has Division 1 programs keeping tabs on him.
Lathan Sommerville (Senior Center, Richwoods)
Another repeat mention in the early part of the season, Sommerville was on a tear this week, averaging over 30 points and 10 rebounds in the latter part of the week. He had 34 points and 14 rebounds in a win before going off for 27 points and 10 rebounds yesterday. Surrounded by a good collection of guards, Sommerville looks like that final piece that could push them deep into the state tournament, even in a difficult sectional.
Luke Blackford (Sophomore Guard, Calvary)
The sophomore had a big 39-point showing this week for a Calvary team with a talented backcourt. Blackford’s career-high game was part of a big win over Peoria Quest. He then added 23 points in a win over Tri-City the next day. The highly-efficient Blackford is shooting over 55 percent from the field, 45 percent from three, and 80 percent from the line.
Ross Robertson (Junior Forward, South Beloit)
By year-end, Robertson is going to have some of the most ridiculous individual stat-lines in the state. He started the week with a 47-point, 25-rebound game. And that was only in three quarters against Schaumburg Christian. Robertson, 6-foot-8, then had 21 points and 16 rebounds against a very good Scales Mound team before finishing the week with games of 29 and 20 points in their double-header yesterday.
Thomas Hereau (Senior Guard, Scales Mound)
It’d be hard to imagine there being five guards in 1A better than Hereau. The experienced Hornet guard outscored Dakota’s entire team with 24 points compared to the 20 given up by Scales Mound. He then came up big in crunch time with 17 points against Robertson and South Beloit. To finish off the week, Hereau had an efficient 27 points and six assists. One of the best kept secrets in the state, Hereau would be a dynamic guard if he chooses to pursue basketball in college.