Larkin remains unbeaten
The improving Larkin boys basketball team has nearly matched in a week what it took all last season to achieve.
Coming off a 4-23 rebuilding season in 2010-11, the Royals ran their record to 3-0 by taking apart Marian Central 65-46 at the Hoops for Healing Tournament at Woodstock High School Friday.
"Four wins was not Larkin basketball," Royals coach Deryn Carter said. "It was a necessary step. We did some good things off the court that didn't show on the court last season. Now it's starting to translate on the court. We expect some big things out of them."
Five players scored between 8 and 13 points for balanced Larkin, which blew open a 4-point game with an 11-0 run bridging the final two quarters. Sophomore Drew Jones (8 points, 4 rebounds) opened the spree with 2 free throws after he was fouled on a back cut. Junior guard Quentin Ruff then buried a 3-pointer for a 41-32 Larkin lead.
"My role is to come off the bench and bring energy and keep everything as good as it was or ever better," said Ruff, who scored 9 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. "As long as everyone knows their roles, I think we can accomplish great things."
A putback of his own shot by freshman Daniel McFadden (6-foot-4) beat the third-quarter buzzer and gave Larkin an 11-point lead heading to the final period. Larkin outrebounded the Hurricanes 37-29.
Jones kept the pressure on Marian Central (0-3) early in the fourth quarter when he picked up a loose ball and sank a jumpshot from the elbow. Shaquille Mosley's putback of a McFadden miss capped the run and staked Larkin to a 47-34 lead with 7:01 to play.
"We got real sloppy with the basketball and we started playing individual basketball," Marian Central coach Curtis Price said. "When they juiced up their pressure a little bit we just got a bit too individual and impatient. They have a good, deep team and they definitely have some guys who can handle and shoot the basketball. And they have size, too."
Quantice Hunter (game-high 13 points) sank a 3-pointer, and he scored a layup on an outlet pass by 6-foot-5 center Antonio Pipes to put Larkin ahead 52-36. Pipes hauled in 8 rebounds. Sophomore Derrick Streety scored 9 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Senior Blake Grantham added 10 points and 3 rebounds.
"Larkin hasn't accomplished this since I've been here," Hunter, a junior, said of the 3-0 start. "It feels pretty good."
The Royals have a chance to win the tournament with a victory at Woodstock North against the host Thunder (1-2) today at 4:30 p.m. Larkin and Hononegah (3-0) are the only remaining undefeated teams entering the final day of pool competition in the eight-team tournament. Whichever team finished pool play with the best record wins.
If two or more teams are tied after today's games, the champion will be determined by lowest defensive scoring average. Larkin has allowed 124 points in 3 games; Hononegah has allowed 135.
"We can't underestimate them," Ruff said of Woodstock North. "We just have to keep playing our game the way we have and stay hot. We have to keep playing as a team."