Bartlett 86, Larkin 68
Bartlett could not miss.
Luke Labedzki looked like he wanted to, but despite his best efforts he kept draining 3-pointers, one-handed runners in the lane and contested layups.
Labedzki went 11 of 13 from the floor and scored a career-high 27 points in the Hawks' 86-68 Upstate Eight Conference victory over Larkin. Bartlett went a combined 20 of 24 from the floor in the second and third quarters, scoring 54 points in the process.
"I felt real good tonight," said Labedzki, who made 5 straight 3-pointers in the victory. "I'm a streaky shooter. When I feel it, it usually goes in. Tonight was one of those nights."
The Hawks (11-5, 3-1) got 6 straight points from point guard Marc Little (9 points, 6 assists, 4 steals) in a 40-second span at the end of the first half. Little's scoring spree put Bartlett up 46-27 at halftime, as the Hawks finished with 31 points in the second quarter. Cory Hrynyk added 9 of his 13 points in the first half as well. Larkin (1-14, 0-4) was 39.4 percent (13 of 33) in the second and third quarters.
"(Labedzki) couldn't miss," Larkin coach Larry Hight said. "He had running jump shots. We were a little late getting to him. He had a lot of good looks."
Trailing just 15-11 after the first quarter, Labedzki made it 18-11 after jacking a 3-pointer on Bartlett's first possession. Brandon Cooks scored on Larkin's next trip down the floor, but Labedzki answered with another 3-pointer. The Hawks' hit eight 3-pointers in the game and were 62.3 percent (33 of 53) from the floor.
"We can shoot the ball when we're in a rhythm," Hawks' coach Jim Wolfsmith said. "Luke is a phenomenal shooter. Cory is a phenomenal shooter. We have a lot of weapons."
The Hawks will need those outside weapons. Starting forward Marcell Randell went down with a knee injury in the first half and did not return. The Hawks' inside game took a more sever hit when Eastern Michigan bound Kamil Janton was whistled for a double technical foul for arguing a call with 5:21 left in the third quarter.
IHSA rules say that Janton's ejection automatically makes him ineligible for the next game, which is tonight at East Aurora. Wolfsmith was also called for a technical in the third quarter after he wanted a foul call after Hrynyk took a hard hit going up for a break-away layup.
Larkin kept the game close early after getting a pair of 3-pointers from Denote McFadden. The junior added a career-high 21 points and Cam Kinley finished with 14 points.
"I told myself and I told the team that we couldn't give up," McFadden said of Bartlett's second and third quarter shooting.