Auburn received a Royal scare.
Larkin wanted to show it had come a long way since losing an early season game by 28 points to third-ranked Rockford Auburn, and proved its point in Tuesday’s Class 4A DeKalb Sectional semifinals. Third-ranked Auburn, however showed the Royals still had a ways to go, ending Larkin’s season with a 64-49 victory in a physical battle marred by a near fight and four technical fouls.
Laytwan Porter scored 15 points and Nylek Cobb 13 to lead Auburn (29-1), which outscored the Royals 28-8 in the fourth quarter.
Larkin (20-9) had 11 points from guard A.J. Hunter and 10 from Charles Sanders, while Daniel McFadden contributed eight.
“Without a doubt in my mind a lesser team crumbles, for us, when we’re down 16, and without a doubt in my mind a lesser team crumbles when they’re down eight like Auburn was,” Larkin coach Deryn Carter said.
Larkin stormed back from a 16-point deficit in the second quarter to lead 41-33 thanks to a 15-0 run in the third and 22-7 edge overall in the quarter. However, Auburn quickly recovered and came right back with a 21-4 burst over the first 4 1/2 minutes of the fourth to regain control.
The Royals had given up the game’s first eight points and trailed late in the second quarter 29-13. But the Larkin rally in the third quarter was sparked by Keyvon Kyles’ two 3-pointers and one from Tanner Gardon, sandwiched around a near brawl.
Auburn’s Pittman knocked Sanders to the floor on a fast break with 3:54 left in the third quarter and it resulted in four technical fouls.
Pittman fouled out of the game midway through the fourth.
Larkin’s Daniel McFadden and Pittman received technicals, and both teams’ benches received indirect technicals.
The incident set a tone for the remainder of the game, and Auburn’s Pittman fouled out early in the fourth after being held to five points. But the Knights regained the lead for good with 5:46 to play on a 3-pointer by Alonte Bjorlie and then Porter’s layup after a steal triggered an 11-0 run that finished off the Royals.
“They made some big shots,” Carter said. “They started that fourth quarter with a 6-0 run and that really changed the complexion of the game.”
Larkin had won eight of nine and five straight since a three-game losing streak that had taken them out of the Upstate Eight River race. The Royals lose McFadden, Sanders and Gardon, but return four junior guards and sophomore Christian Negron.
“The finality of it hurts,” Carter said. “It’s going to be tough to go back to work because I would challenge any team in the state with as good as our team has gotten.”
