Larkin's late surge downs Streamwood
On the heels of a big win over rival Elgin this past weekend and with a big game against highly touted Geneva looming this coming weekend, Tuesday's road game at struggling Streamwood proved to be no easy task for the Larkin boys basketball team.
However, while it was more difficult than most expected eventually the Royals were able to pull away for an 80-58 win to improve to 12-7 overall and 5-2 in the Upstate Eight River Division. The Royals led by just 4 points late in the third quarter before scoring the final 6 points in the third quarter and then outscoring the Sabres 24-12 in the fourth.
Christian Negron led the Royals with 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
"Streamwood is a better team than most people think or what their record shows," Larkin coach Deryn Carter said. "They are dangerous when they are making shots like they were tonight. Fortunately, we were able to stack a few stops together on defense there in the third quarter and then got the offense going in the fourth. Proud of the way our kids responded and were able to get a win on the road."
With some tight officiating the pace of the game slowed to a crawl in the third quarter. Despite the Royals going to the free-throw line 16 times in the third quarter alone Streamwood was still able to chip away at a 13-point halftime deficit to pull to within 48-44 with 2:27 left in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Brendon Marton. Larkin answered back at the end of the quarter with a bucket by AJ Hunter and a 3-pointer from Keyvon Kyles to take a 58-46 lead heading to the fourth quarter. The Sabres could get no closer than 8 points the rest of the way.
Kyles had 8 points in the first quarter, including a pair of 3s, to help the Royals get out to 19-10 lead. He finished with 16 points.
"The game got a little stagnant in the third quarter with all the fouls," Kyles said. "But we just had to grind through it. Eventually we were able to get into more of a flow and start playing Larkin basketball and that is putting pressure on the ball and pushing the tempo."
The Royals went to the line 37 times and converted 26 free throws. The Sabres (4-20, 1-8) on the other hand were just 8-of-14 at the line.
Jaleel Jenkins led the Sabres with 21 points.
"I admired the way my guys kept fighting," Streamwood coach Paul Kowalyszyn said. "But once again we got close and just couldn't get over the hump. We let one mistake lead to another. That's some thing we are trying to teach this young is to hold it together when things don't go your way."
Hunter and Jalen Shaw each added 14 points for the Royals.