Larkin overcomes 18-point deficit to beat Guilford
Larkin halted a 3-game slide once the Royals stopped handing Rockford Guilford free chances in consolation-bracket play at the 37th Annual Elgin Boys Basketball Holiday Tournament Tuesday.
Larkin slumbered through a near-disastrous first quarter in which the Royals turned the ball over on 8 of their first 9 possessions, which sparked a 15-0 Guilford run.
The young Royals adjusted to Guilford's full-court pressure and half-court traps and began to turn the tables late in the second quarter of an eventual 82-77 victory.
“We didn't come to play for whatever reason,” Larkin coach Deryn Carter said of the slow start. “They came out and surprised us in that trap. But we trust our team and we knew if we could just handle the ball a little better, we'd be able to do it.”
The win advances Larkin (7-3) to the consolation semifinals against Romeoville Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. Guilford (4-8) faces Holy Trinity at 3:45 p.m.
The comeback was led by the scoring triumvirate of guards Derek Streety (28 points), Quentin Ruff (22 points) and Quantice Hunter (18 points). Streety, a 5-foot-10 sophomore in his second varsity season, bested his previous career high by 10 points one night after he was held scoreless in a loss to Harlan.
“I felt aggressive,” said Streety, who poured in 17 second-half points. “I felt like I needed to attack for my team and keep going forward, forward, forward, being aggressive.”
Larkin committed 12 of its 28 turnovers in the first quarter, which led to fast break after fast break for the Vikings. Guilford bolted to a 20-2 lead just over four minutes into the game and led 28-12 after eight minutes.
“The turnovers came from not being aggressive,” Ruff said. “Coach talked to us about being aggressive when breaking the press and that led to scoring.”
Guilford still led by 16 late in the second quarter until multiple turnovers led to a confidence-building 8-0 Larkin run in the half's final 40 seconds. Streety ignited the push with an old-fashioned three-point play off a turnover, Ruff sank an open 3-pointer and Hunter scored a transition layup resu1ting from of Streety's 4 steals.
“There were about 30 seconds there in the first half that were pretty deflating,” Guilford coach Robert Heisler said. “I thought that carried over into the second half a little bit and maybe affected some of our kids' psyches. Larkin played well. They have three very nice guards.”
The Royals have some pretty good forwards, too, led Tuesday by Rashud Daniels, a senior transfer from Tilden. He finished with 6 points and 9 rebounds to help the Royals win the battle of the boards 34-25.
“I had confidence in my team,” Daniels said of the comeback. “I know what they're capable of doing. I just didn't think we were playing our game at the beginning.”
The Vikings still led 44-36 at halftime, but the Royals erased the deficit by exploding for 28 points in the third quarter, sparked by a defense that forced 7 Guilford turnovers.
Guilford led 53-48 midway through the third quarter until a 7-0 Larkin burst put the Royals ahead for the first time. Ruff sank a 3-pointer and a transition layup, and Streety fed Hunter for a fast-break hoop and a 55-53 lead with 2:52 remaining in the third period.
The game was tied 57-57 until Larkin scored 7 unanswered points to close the third quarter. Daniels sank 2 free throws and Hunter splashed a 3-pointer and 2 free throws to stake Larkin to a 64-57 advantage.
The game wasn't decided until Ruff sank both ends of the bonus with 27.5 seconds to play for an 81-77 Larkin lead. A missed Guilford 3-pointer and subsequent foul led to another free throw by Ruff to account for the final margin.
The victory was important to the Royals, who won their seventh game after winning only 4 games all last season.
“We're still trying to find our way,” Carter said. “It wasn't long ago we were winning only 4 games. We're still a long way from where we need to be and every step is a learning process. When you can learn coming from behind that's great.”