Larkin 3-1 after downing Round Lake

Larkin senior Ryan Smith, who scored 34 points including 10 3-pointers in a 90-54 win over Parkview (Wis.) Friday, managed only two 3-pointers and 6 points against Round Lake Saturday.

But Smith didn't need a monster game. He had plenty of help from his friends.

With 6 players scoring between 6 and 10 points, the Royals moved to 3-1 on the young season with a 62-48 win over Round Lake in the final game of the Hoops for Healing Tournament at Woodstock High School.

"We would like to play all 15 kids, but we feel real comfortable with our top 9 or 10 kids," said Larkin first-year coach Deryn Carter. "We are not always going to make a lot of 3s like (Friday) and today we relied on our defense."

There were two key stretches for the Royals. With the score tied at 8 late in the first quarter, Larkin went on a crucial 13-2 run. With baskets from Garrett McDaniel and Drew Simonini, the Royals led 12-8 after one quarter.

Larkin started the second quarter on a 5-0 run keyed by a 3-pointer from freshman Carlito Singleton and led 17-8. Being held scoreless for nearly 4 minutes, Jon Martinez hit a 5-footer in the paint for the Panthers to make the score 17-10. The Royals reeled off 4 more straight points and took a 21-10 lead midway through the second quarter.

With Ramadan Adili scoring 7 points and Singelton 5, Larkin outscored Round Lake 14-8 in the second quarter to lead 26-16 at halftime.

Round Lake (0-4) came out sizzling in the second half, making its first 5 shots of the second 24 minutes and cut the Larkin lead to 3, 30-27, after a layup by Martinez off a feed from Tim Kelley.

But Larkin responded with a 9-3 run and never looked back. With Jermaine Clements and McDaniel scoring 6 each the Royals led 39-30 late in the third quarter.

Smith hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter and the Royals led 42-30. The Royals' biggest lead was 17, 54-37, after a basket by Brent Cooks with 2:22 left.

Clements led a balanced Royal attack with 10 points, McDaniel scored 9, Simonini 8, Adili and Singleton scored 7 each and Smith 6.

"We have started third quarters well this season, but we just can't sustain an effort for four quarters," said Round Lake coach Howard Kravets. "Their ball pressure really got to us as the game went on."

Martinez was lone Panther in double digits with 24.

"Jon has a very good basketball IQ and played well tonight," said Kravets. "He hit some jump shots and finished on layups."