Boylan edges Larkin in overtime
ROCKFORD - Larkin looked anything but leg weary in a 66-61 overtime loss to Boylan, its fifth game in four days.
Trailing the Titans 57-54 in the final matchup of the J-Hawk Martin Luther King Showcase at Jefferson High School, the Royals had the energy for one last push.
Larkin junior Jalen Shaw was fouled in the lane and split 2 free throws with 40 seconds left in regulation.
After Boylan (17-4) turned the ball over against pressure with 29 seconds to play, Shaw was fouled in the paint with 14.2 seconds remaining and sank 2 more free throws to tie the game at 57-57.
The Royals had a chance to win in regulation after junior guard Anthony Lynch stole the ball on the full-court press. They eventually inbounded with .8 seconds left to Shaw under the basket, but the ball was knocked from his hands without a foul and the contest went to overtime.
The Titans took control with 3:05 left in the extra session, thanks to a 3-pointer from the right wing by Zach Couper, which proved to be enough separation for Boylan to hold on down the stretch via free throws.
"We had done a good job on (Couper) all night," Larkin coach Deryn Carter said. "We just couldn't get out to him on that one. But tip your cap. They made plays down the stretch. We needed to make one more."
Couper scored all 13 of his points after halftime and Boylan 6-foot-3 senior Kevin Diemer scored 15 of his game-high 23 points in the second half.
Lynch led Larkin (11-10) with 19 points to go with 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Shaw had 18 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with his team down by 4 points with 32 seconds left in overtime.
Larkin finished 3-1 in the showcase, including a 67-54 win over Harlem earlier on Monday. Lynch led the Royals with 16 points, Kashmir Ivy had 15, Shaw contributed 14 and sophomore Pierre Black added 10.
"It's tough losing our last game, but overall we played pretty well," Lynch said. "We went 3-1 here. I think it'll carry over to our next game against Elgin, so I think that's going to be a good one."
Elgin and Larkin meet for the second time this season on Friday at Elgin. The Royals won the first meeting 70-47 on Dec. 15.
In their 5 games since Friday, a stretch that began with a 58-56 Upstate Eight River loss at St. Charles North, the Royals went 3-2.
"Not bad. Long weekend, long weekend," Carter said. "You got 3-2 on the weekend and you lose one by 2 points and the other in overtime. Tough, tough, But we're getting better. We're still making strides."