Elgin not taking Larkin for granted

Elgin looks like the clear favorite against Larkin when the teams clash tonight at Chesbrough Field House in the first of two Upstate Eight River meetings this season.

The Maroons (12-4, 4-1) are part of a three-way tie for the River lead with St. Charles East and North. Elgin has won two straight and six of its last eight.

Rebuilding Larkin (4-14, 0-5) has dropped two in a row on the heels of winning two out of three.

However, as everyone involved in the crosstown series can attest, not every Elgin-Larkin game is won by the favorite.

"These games can go either way," Elgin coach Mike Sitter said. "I remember back when Larkin had Carliss (Henderson) and Dayvon (Ellis) they were big favorites, but Armani (Williams) pulled off the upset when he was a freshman by getting fouled shooting a 3-pointer in the corner with a second left. And that was a bad Elgin team."

Nonetheless, Elgin won that game 68-66 on Jan. 7, 2005, thanks to 2 Williams free throws with a second to play.

"It can go either way," Sitter added. "We told our kids to play within yourselves. There will be a lot of emotion. Don't give in to the trash talking and just come out, play basketball and get the job done."

Elgin has dominated the series of late, winning 10 of 11 meetings since January of 2006. The Maroons lead the all-time series 74-39.

Sitter said any illusions the Maroons may have held of an easy victory went out the window Saturday after Larkin nearly upset visiting St. Charles East, a team that defeated Elgin in the River Division opener.

The Royals have been making slow but steady progress of late. Nothing would accelerate their return to respectability as a program or make a bigger statement than pulling off the shocker at Chesbrough.

"It's going to be crazy, very emotional, very energetic," said Larkin junior Adarion Mahone, who will play in his first Elgin-Larkin game against his friend, Elgin guard Dennis Moore. "We're going to get at it. We have to try to bully them a little bit. We hope to get the W."

"It's big every year and you always want to win," Larkin guard Cameron Ross said. "We just have to come out and play as hard as we can. I know what their record is and I've seen them play. We know what we have to do to win."