Maroons take it to Larkin
Elgin girls basketball coach Angie Hudson and her Maroons were all smiles Saturday afternoon, and they had every reason to be.
Now in her fourth season at Elgin, Hudson nor her players had ever enjoyed a victory over crosstown rival Larkin, a team the Maroons once dominated with regularity.
All that changed Saturday as Elgin registered a convincing 55-38 Upstate Eight Conference win over Larkin in front of a good-sized and energetic crowd on the west side.
It was the Maroons' first triumph over the Royals since Dec. 10, 2002, when Hall of Fame coach Lee Turek's squad beat Larkin 43-39. Since then the Royals had won 10 straight and 11 of 12 in the city series. Saturday's 17-point margin of victory was also the biggest for Elgin over Larkin since Turek's 1998-99 team beat the Royals 48-19 on Feb. 6, 1999.
"I couldn't be more happy for my team," said a beaming Hudson, whose team is now 3-4 for the season after winning just one game all of last year. "We really came out ready to play today. I told my assistant (2000 Larkin graduate Scott Stewart) in the locker room that I hadn't beaten Larkin since I came to Elgin. It's a nice win, to come in here and beat our rival like this."
The Maroons definitely did come ready to play. They used their quickness and a full-court press to give the Royals (1-5, 0-1) all kinds of problems from the get-go. Elgin had leads of 7-2 and 11-4 early and was ahead 19-8 after one quarter, thanks to 10 steals and 12 of Larkin's 33 turnovers on the day.
"It's very important for us," said Maroons senior guard Caris Alan of the fast start. "We usually dig ourselves big holes that are hard to get out of. Now, with this game, hopefully we'll realize how much better it is to come out strong."
Elgin led 22-11 after an Alan free throw with 4:52 left in the first half when Larkin went on a 7-0 run to close to within 22-18 after a bucket by Jessica Harris (10 points). But Danielle Lawry canned 2 free throws with 2:16 left in the half to make it a 24-18 game and Larkin never got closer the rest of the day.
"We lost a little focus in the second quarter and that's what I wrote on the chalkboard at halftime - focus," Hudson said.
Elgin outscored the Royals 16-6 in the third quarter. The Maroons led 33-26 after Larkin's Nadiyah Spencer scored with 4:17 left in the third, but Alan came right down the floor, drove the lane, scored, was fouled and made the free throw, igniting a 15-0 Maroon run that put the game out of reach. Included in that run were three nifty baskets off inbounds plays, two from Alan to senior Ellen Holton and one from Alan to junior Katie Quick.
The Maroons led by as many as 22 points midway through the fourth quarter.
"It's undescribable," said Alan of her first varsity win over Larkin. "We wanted it so bad and we knew we could have it. We just had to come out strong and take it."
Holton led the Maroons with 15 points and 7 rebounds but they also got stellar games from Alan (8 points, 6 steals, 7 assists), senior Kayla Jackson (9 points, 3 steals), Quick (9 points, 2 steals) and junior guard Brandi Hernandez (7 points, 3 assists).
"We didn't play good defense at all today," said Larkin coach Amy Silverman. "At one time I turned to (assistant coach) Ken (Arrington) and said 'when you're making turnovers like we are, and not playing good defense, it makes for a long night.' Elgin came out and played hard. They were having their way with us and we didn't do anything to step up and stop them."
Spencer added 8 points for the Royals while Gina Leach scored 7 off the bench.
In the unbalanced Upstate Eight schedule, the two teams will not meet again this season unless they do so in the postseason.
Streak buster
Elgin's 55-38 win over Larkin Sarturday snaped a 10-game winning streak for the Royals against the Maroons. Here are those last 10 games prior to Saturday, as well as Elgin's last win in the series.
Nov. 30, 2007: Larkin 52, Elgin 42 (OT)
Feb. 1, 2007: Larkin 62, Elgin 29
Jan. 13, 2007: Larkin 63, Elgin 41
Feb. 2, 2006: Larkin 54, Elgin 37
Jan. 14, 2006: Larkin 61, Elgin 44
Feb. 4, 2005: Larkin 48, Elgin 17
Jan. 18, 2005: Larkin 51, Elgin 42
Feb. 6, 2004: Larkin 40, Elgin 22
Jan. 10, 2004: Larkin 58, Elgin 33
Feb. 17, 2003: Larkin 44, Elgin 41
Dec. 10, 2002: Elgin 43, Larkin 39