Lake Park snaps losing streak vs. Larkin

Good times have been hard to come by for both Larkin and Lake Park this year.

After three quarters Friday night, it looked like Larkin would be the team to gain a precious victory and gather some momentum in the waning weeks of the season.

But Lake Park found a rally at the right time, recovered from a 9-point deficit and defeated the Royals 56-50 in an Upstate Eight Conference boys basketball game in Roselle.

The win snaps a 20-game losing streak for the Lancers, who had a pair of on-court victories at Christmastime change to forfeits for use of an ineligible player.

Friday, sophomore coach Tom Bergen stepped into the varsity spotlight for Cray Allen, who had to tend to a personal matter.

"I just love coaching," Bergen said. "I feel with the varsity the same way I do with my sophomores. I enjoy working with the kids, especially when they work as hard as these kids do."

Larkin (6-17, 1-9) shot the ball well for three quarters, then suffered through a 1-for-10 performance in the fourth quarter. That combined with Lake Park's late surge, helped send the Royals to their 10th consecutive defeat.

"We've lost how to finish games," Larkin coach Larry Hight said. "The last six or seven games, we're there all the way to the fourth quarter. I told them that (Lake Park) was going to make a run. They make a run in the fourth quarter, and we've got to answer that."

The game first turned on strong outside shooting by Lake Park. Pat Proctor and Danny Baylis hit back-to-back 3-pointers from the left side to pull the Lancers to within 48-47. On its next possession, Larkin missed, Lake Park's Lucas Antioho rebounded and threw long upcourt pass for Matt Drufke.

"All season long, these kids have worked hard, busted their butts and have never quit," Bergen said. "That's what I was hoping for, that if we kept the score close, we could do it at the end of the game."

Drufke caught the three-quarter court pass, moved in and hit a layup and was fouled. The junior converted the 3-point play and Lake Park was up 50-48. Baylis, who had been shackled much of the game, hit a layup on Lake Park's next possession to make the lead 52-48.

The Lancers never trailed again and Baylis finished with a game-high 17 points.

Terrell John scored 3 of Larkin's 5 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 13 points. Jeff Saurbaugh added 10 points for the Royals, who visit Geneva on Saturday night.

"We had some lapses, but the effort was there in the end," Hight said. "We've got to learn not to let it go. Hopefully we can do that (Saturday.)"