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

With records through Wednesday and previous rankings in parentheses.

1. Libertyville 20-4 (1)

Will Buchert returns from a nagging ankle injury to score 14 points in a win against Lake Zurich on Tuesday.

2. Stevenson 18-4 (2)

A balanced offense remained a key for the Patriots in a win against Lake Forest on Tuesday, as David Sulnius, Jack Dabbs and Aidan Bardic each scored 10 points.

3. Grayslake Central 22-3 (3)

Dennis Estepp scored 17 points and Jake Gibson had 15 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks in a win against Antioch on Tuesday.

4. Deerfield 18-5 (5)

Josh Barsky’s 19 points, including five 3-pointers, loomed large in a win against Maine West on Tuesday.

5. Lake Forest 14-10 (4)

Anthony Mordini had 14 points and five rebounds in the Scouts’ loss to Stevenson.

6. Lakes 16-7 (7)

James Kania scored a career-high 23 points and had seven rebounds in a win against Wauconda on Tuesday.

7. Warren 15-12 (6)

The Blue Devils’ three most recent conference wins, including a 71-70 victory against Mundelein on Tuesday, were by a combined seven points.

8. Lake Zurich 13-10 (8)

The Bears’ defense has been tough, allowing only one opponent to score more than 55 points in the new year.

9. Vernon Hills 13-13 (NR)

The Cougars had won four straight and six of eight before a road loss against Niles North on Tuesday.

10. Antioch 12-12 (10)

The Sequoits hope to end a two-game skid at Grayslake North on Friday.

Vernon Hills senior guard Milan Raval almost single-handedly willed the Cougars to a victory against Highland Park on Jan. 27, scoring 17 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to help erase an 11-point deficit. He then scored 18 points in a win against Grant on Saturday and 26 points in the loss to Niles North on Tuesday.

Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.