Voting is now open and will run through midnight Thursday for this week’s Orthopaedic Center of Southern Illinois Player of the Week. The poll is on the upper right-hand side of the page.

Here are your nominees:

NJ Benson, Mt. Vernon: The senior scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Rams’ win over Carbondale Friday, then posted 24 points and 12 rebounds in a 67-66 loss to Belleville East in the Southern Illinois Classic Saturday night.

Calvon Clemons, Murphysboro: The senior earned MVP honors helping lead the Red Devils to the championship of the Murphysboro/Trico Tournament. Clemons scored 79 points in 4 tournament games, including 20+ in the final 3 games.

Gage Kennard, Mt. Carmel: The junior scored 52 points (including a career high 31 Saturday against Wayne City), grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 6 assists helping the Golden Aces to a 2-0 record last week. Kennard was 9-13 from three-point range for the week.

Blake Mays, Anna-Jonesboro: The senior went 3-0 to win the 138 pound weight class at the Lawrence County Wrestling Tournament. Mays was unscored upon in those three matches and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.

Brady Moore, Breese Central: The senior tallied 23 points and 7 rebounds in the Cougars’ win over Salem Friday, then came back with 17 points and 6 assists in a loss to Herrin Saturday at the Wildcat Shootout in Marion.

Decarl Payne, Carbondale: The sophomore scored 16 points in the Terriers’ loss to Mt. Vernon Friday, then came back with another 16 point effort to help the Terriers defeat Triad at the Wildcat Shootout in Marion.

Jake Vaughn, Hardin County: The senior scored 106 points, grabbed 21 rebounds, and had 7 steals in the Cougars’ 5 games at the Goreville Invitational. Vaughn shot 60% from the field and 75% from the line in the tournament.