Larkin steamrolls Woodstock

Very little went wrong Saturday night for the Larkin boys basketball team.

The Royals scored the first 12 points of the game, shot better than 50 percent and led by as many as 50 en route to an easy 78-33 nonconference victory over Woodstock in their first home game of the season.

"I remember my sophomore year we got killed by 50 against Neuqua (Valley). To finally be on the other end of it, feels a lot better," said Larkin senior Ryan Smith, who suffered through numerous lopsided losses the last two seasons.

Larkin freshman Carlito Singleton scored 6 points and had 2 assists and Garrett McDaniel had 4 points during the Royals' 12-0 run in the opening 3:15. Ryan Smith added 5 points in the first quarter as Larkin (5-2) led 21-4 heading to the second.

Jermaine Clements hit back-to-back 3-pointers to open the second quarter to give the Royals a 23-point lead, 27-4. They would extend the advantage to as many as 29 in the half.

Larkin went 17-for-30 from the floor in the first half and led 41-15 at halftime. Woodstock was 5-for-28 from the field (18 percent) and turned the ball over 10 times.

"It was nice to get everyone some meaningful minutes early in the game, so they can be taught in game action instead of practice action," first-year Larkin coach Deryn Carter said. "It's nice to have everyone involved at some level."

The Royals continued their dominance in the third quarter, scoring the first 19 points to take a 60-15 lead. Smith hit three 3-pointers during the stretch.

Larkin led by 50, 70-20, early in the fourth quarter.

"It was a real fun game to play in," Smith said. "Everyone played well. To beat a team like that, it doesn't happen very often, so it's good to come out and play well, especially in the first home game."

Smith led the Royals with 14 points. Clements had 13 and Singleton finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds. None of the starters played in the final quarter and a half.

Mike Sutter's 11 points paced the Blue Streaks.