Streamwood topples Larkin

Streamwood was able to overcome a 6-point deficit as it headed into the final quarter and came away with a 69-64 Upstate Eight Conference boys basketball win at Larkin on Saturday night.

Tem Esikiel led the fourth quarter charge for the Sabres, scoring 11 of his game-high 24 points in the final frame.

"I can't really put it all on me, my teammates were there all the way through helping me out," Esikiel said. "It was time for me to step up. I was making turnovers and I couldn't hit shots (before the fourth quarter). Then the fourth quarter came and you've got to be clutch."

Esikiel started the Streamwood (10-11, 3-5) comeback by pushing the tempo and creating easy shots for himself as well as teammates. It was what the Sabres needed to overcome a solid team effort from Larkin and a big night from Royals' forward Terell John, who scored 22 points.

"We got our momentum," Esikiel said. "We had the right play happen. I had a steal and a layup and they took a timeout. In the timeout we were all fired up. That's what made us win the game - momentum."

Marcus Lewis served as Esikiel's sidekick, scoring 18 points. Streamwood also got solid offensive performances from Derrick King and Marcus Green, who each had 10 points.

"I thought Green and King in the second half really worked hard inside," Streamwood coach Tim Jones said. "I thought Green did a nice job hitting a couple shots when we were making our run. I thought it was a total team effort."

Jones also said Lewis played an important role bringing the ball up the court in the later stages of the game. That allowed Esikiel to play on the wing, where Jones said he is "deadly."

"We got a little too much of Esikiel there for that little streak that helped them come back," said Larkin coach Larry Hight, whose team lost for the ninth straight time. "We prepared to stop him all week, and he's tough to stop."

Drew Simonini scored 13 points for the Royals (6-16, 1-7) and Jermaine Clements added 9 - all of which came in the second half.