Larkin ends losing streak with win over Streamwood

Larkin point guard Charles Sanders admitted that after winning the Hinkle Holiday Classic to end 2014, he didn't see the Royals' 3-game losing streak coming.

But what Sanders also admitted to coach Deryn Carter before Larkin took out Streamwood 70-53 in Upstate Eight River boys basketball action Thursday night in Elgin to get off the snide was that he needed to step up his senior leadership to right the Royals' ship.

"When (Carter) told me I had to start playing better, I looked at it like, 'all right, I need to step up. I need to be a leader, this is my last year,' " said Sanders. "So I just took it to heart and just stepped up and played as good as I could."

Sanders clearly displayed his leadership against the Sabres, as he led Larkin (13-7, 5-4) with 14 points to go with his 6 rebounds and 5 steals, which helped the Royals earn their first victory in 2015 and their first since December 27 after losing 3 games by an average of 13.3 points.

Sanders was in control in the second quarter when he scored 5-straight points off 2 layups, one that led to a 3-point play to give Larkin a 20-9 lead with 5:42 to go in the second quarter. Another steal late in the third that turned into another layup for a 54-36 lead proved that whether it was scoring, rebounding or being a force on defense, the senior delivered on Carter's notion and it couldn't have come at a more opportune time for the Royals.

"We sat down and kind of laid out what he needed to do for us to be a good team," said Carter. "He wants to be a leader on our team and today he was by example and that's what I talked to him about. Be a leader by example in your play because he wasn't worried about anything else except making plays that Larkin needed to be made."

Sophomore Christian Negron, who registered 4 dunks - one an alley-oop off the glass from Keion Adams in the fourth quarter - also added 14 points and 9 rebounds while senior Daniel McFadden scored 12 points off the bench, including 8 in the third as Larkin's 22-17 advantage in the quarter help it equip a 42-26 edge in the paint. The Royals also benefitted from 24 Sabres turnovers and much of it all was a testament from all the practice time Larkin's had the past 6 days.

"We got that losing streak out of the way Saturday, Tuesday-Wednesday at practice," said Carter, who tinkered with the starting lineup. "We got better and it's good to get into the win column but more than anything I'm glad we're a better team when we leave the gym today."

And although Larkin shot at a 40 percent clip, the Royals looked good in transition and outrebounded the Sabres 37-26. Hurting Streamwood was the fact it made only 11 of 31 free throws and when the Sabres (2-21, 1-8) made a run to close the lead to 7 on two occasions in the second quarter, they missed 10 free throws, going 1-for-11 in their fifth-straight loss.

"You lose by 17 ..." Sabres' coach Paul Kowalyszyn said. "Even if you make half of those you're somewhere in the vicinity of a game."

Cole Seger led the Sabres with 17 points and 8 rebounds while Brendon Marton added 11 points.

"Obviously Larkin's a good team, they pressure and that's something we obviously struggle with," said Kowalyszyn, a Larkin graduate. "I thought our guys came with intensity, you could see they were playing better, they're playing better and that's all we're asking for right now."