Larkin comeback falls short

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:56PM

If there's one thing coach Deryn Carter has learned about his young Larkin boys basketball team in the early portion of the season, it's that they'll fight.

That fact was evident on Friday afternoon at the Hoops for Healing Tournament at Woodstock North when the Royals trimmed an 18-point, fourth-quarter deficit to six points before falling to Cary-Grove 51-44.

After a disastrous third quarter in which the Royals were outscored 16-2, they entered the fourth down 39-21. However, Larkin picked up its defensive intensity in the final frame and created five turnovers.

After 3-pointers from Vincent Sarangaya and Cam Ross, followed by two free throws from Ian Fluhler and a bucket from Adarion Mahone, Larkin had quickly gone on a 17-5 run to make the score 44-38 with 4:00 left.

"We were right on the brink where I thought we were going to take control of the game," Carter said.

The Royals (2-1) stayed within striking distance, partly in thanks to C-G's six missed free throws in the quarter, but never got any closer.

"For us, we have to pressure defensively and understand that's what's going to carry us as a team," Carter said. "We're gonna guard people, pressure them and try and create turnovers, and that's what we did in the fourth quarter."

That's precisely the opposite of what the Royals did in the third quarter. Down 23-17 at the break, Larkin imploded, turning the ball over six times, while not settling into its offense and giving up easy baskets at the other end. A Mahone jumper with 5:30 left provided Larkin's only points of the quarter.

"We gave up 23 in a half and then 16 in a quarter, so the defensive intensity was terrible," Carter said. "In the early games you learn from them and hope it doesn't become a trend, but we're not good enough to get our energy from the offensive end. We gotta get it from the defensive end, so hopefully their ears are starting to open up to that."

Larkin had plenty of trouble rebounding, particularly in the first half, and lost the battle 34-26. The Royals also had trouble handling the ball and turned it over 22 times.

C-G (2-1) senior Nick Richter did pretty much everything for the Trojans on offense, finishing with a game-high 23 points, including all 13 of his team's second-quarter points. He also accounted for all of the Trojans' made free throws, as C-G finished a dismal 9-for-24 from the line.

Each team had its struggles shooting. Larkin went just 10 of 38 (26 percent) from the field, while the Trojans went 20-of-49 (41 percent) shooting.

Sarangaya led the Royals with 10 points and five rebounds. Fluhler (9 points) and Mahone (8 points, 6 rebounds) also contributed.

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