Exceptional Emma: Geibel Catholic鈥檚 Larkin in midst of stellar career and is only getting better
Emma Larkin isn鈥檛 hard to pick out when watching a Geibel Catholic girls basketball game.
The Lady Gators star appears to be everywhere as she runs her team鈥檚 offense, rings up an avalanche of points each game, and anchors her team鈥檚 defense as well.
Larkin entered the season with 1,209 career points along with 310 rebounds, 152 assists and 182 steals.
Not bad for a player now in just her junior year.
Even she didn鈥檛 anticipate what tremendous success she would have in her first two years.
鈥淣o, not at all,鈥� Larkin said. 鈥淚 mean I knew I was ready my freshman year. At AAU I have always played up, so I was used to the speed and intensity of high school basketball. But I didn鈥檛 expect this.鈥�
Larkin, the 16-year-old daughter of Russel and Geibel head coach Sara Larkin, averaged 22.9 points per game as a freshman but she鈥檚 much more than just a scorer. She also averaged 5.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.9 steals per game. Last year she was the leading scorer among local players and second in the WPIAL with 29.7 points per game while also averaging 7.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 4.0 steals.
Larkin is deadly in the open court and one of the best drivers and slashers in the state but can pull up and hit the jump shot as well.
Her impact has been reflected in her team鈥檚 record the past two seasons, both with her mother as head coach. The Lady Gators jumped from 2-18 to 11-12 and a playoff spot her freshman year and followed that up with a 16-7 mark last year and another postseason berth.
鈥淕oing into my freshman year I felt I was ready for the challenge,鈥� Larkin said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been playing basketball since fifth grade. Fifth grade through sixth I was in the AG elementary league, then seventh through eighth I was at the AG middle school. Then I transferred to Geibel my freshman year.鈥�
The change in schools was an adjustment for Larkin.
鈥淥verall my freshman year was kind of scary,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 your first year of high school, new school, new player. But I love it and I鈥檓 happy I made the decision and obviously it鈥檚 paid off so far.鈥�
This season Larkin is averaging 26.4 points per game as the Lady Gators are off to an 8-1 start and are 2-1 in Section 2-A. She鈥檚 already moved past Robin Guerriere, Erin Rupp, Diana Lewandowski, Jamie Misiak and Jennifer Surlas this month into third place on Geibel鈥檚 career scoring list with 238 points to up her total to 1,447.
She trails only Allison Watts at 1,609 and No. 1 Shelley Bortz at 1,977.
Larkin sensed she was a cut above most players her age early on.
鈥淵eah, I could tell in the elementary leagues that I was a little ahead of everyone else but that鈥檚 because I had two older brothers that played basketball and I was always outside with them, and my mom鈥檚 a coach so she鈥檚 always pushing me to be the best,鈥� Larkin said.
Both her brothers are currently in college, 22-year-old Andrew at Pitt and 19-year-old Quentin is at Alabama.
鈥淲e would play a lot and it was always so competitive,鈥� Larkin said of her brothers helping her hone her skills. 鈥淲hen I was younger I could never beat them. They were taller and stronger, but if I try now I bet I could get them.鈥�
While Larkin is clearly a talented player, her mother points out that鈥檚 not the key to her daughter鈥檚 success.
鈥淲hat makes Emma truly special is her relentless work ethic and unwavering determination,鈥� Sara Larkin said. 鈥淪he outworks everyone in the gym, constantly pushing herself to new heights and inspiring those around her to do the same.
鈥淗er high basketball IQ allows her to read the game effortlessly, making smart decisions that elevate her team. She has grown stronger both mentally and physically, with a motor that never stops. She brings unmatched energy and passion, holding her teammates to a high standard and driving them to want it even more.
鈥淪he loves basketball.鈥�
Emma Larkin stressed the positive effect of her mother.
鈥淢y mom has had so much influence on my basketball career,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome people think, 鈥極h she鈥檚 the coach鈥檚 daughter, she gets favored.鈥� Not with her. I get the worst of the worst. After games if we lose it鈥檚 all my fault and things like that,鈥� she added with a laugh. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 pushed me to be the best. She is hard on everyone and she鈥檚 extra hard on me. People don鈥檛 see that but she really is. She鈥檚 a very demanding coach. And I鈥檓 glad she is.鈥�
Sara Larkin puts plenty of trust in her daughter not only on the court but in preparing for games.
鈥淎s a coach鈥檚 kid, she puts in just as much time watching film and helping me with our game strategy for each matchup,鈥� Sara Larkin said.
Emma Larkin is truly an extension of her mother on the court.
鈥淚鈥檓 the point guard position and she鈥檚 always said the point guard is the second coach,鈥� Emma Larkin said. 鈥淪o if I see something, I鈥檝e got to tell her and if she sees something she鈥檚 going to tell me and I echo it to the team.鈥�
Larkin is notorious for her offensive prowess but plays just as hard at the other end of the court. Her rebounding numbers jump out for a player who is approximately 5-foot-5.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 have offense without defense,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f you can鈥檛 stop the other team鈥檚 offense you鈥檙e not going to win. My mom has always said defense wins games, defense wins championships. So defense is huge, especially being a short guard, you have to get scrappy, you have to sneak in for rebounds, you鈥檝e got to come up with steals. That鈥檚 super important. That鈥檚 been ingrained in my head by my mom.鈥�
Larkin is still evolving as a player, always pushing to improve.
鈥淚 definitely think my 3-point shooting needs to get better,鈥� she said. 鈥淔reshman and sophomore years I wasn鈥檛 as strong as I am now so, hopefully, my 3-ball will be better this year. I鈥檝e definitely been focusing on that because a lot of times in single-A you see zones so you鈥檝e got to shoot over zones.
鈥淚t鈥檚 harder to drive against zones and I鈥檓 a driver. I would say that鈥檚 probably the best part of my game. So I鈥檓 trying to get those 3s in because that will open the defenses up a little bit.鈥�
Larkin is her team鈥檚 leader at both ends of the court.
鈥淲e play so many different defenses, so in your head you鈥檝e got to know them all,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ometimes my mom will be like on the make you鈥檝e got to do this but on the miss you do this. We鈥檙e switching constantly.
鈥淚鈥檓 the one who makes sure everyone is aware. Running down the court I鈥檒l be like 鈥極K, we鈥檙e in this defense now.鈥� That鈥檚 important to make sure we鈥檙e always all on the same page because if you have a defensive breakdown it costs you two or three points and we just can鈥檛 have that.鈥�
Larkin was asked if she ever thought she鈥檇 be better off playing on a wing, but she balks at that idea.
鈥淚 see myself as a true point guard. I can鈥檛 see myself at any other spot,鈥� Larkin said. 鈥淢y whole career I鈥檝e been a point guard. I鈥檝e never really played any other position. I love the position I play.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about scoring. I love assists, too. That鈥檚 super-important to get the rest of the team involved so it鈥檚 not just me. I know my team needs me to score points, I realize that. But you have to get the other players out there involved, too.鈥�
Larkin clearly has the ability to carry her team offensively and showed that in a match-up with two-time WPIAL scoring champion Iyanna Wade of Clairton in a 67-51 loss on Dec. 16. Wade poured in 52 points to account for all by 27 of her team鈥檚 total. Larkin rang up 38, or all but 14 of the Lady Gators鈥� points.
Although she loves basketball, Larkin is a four-sport athlete. She is a starter on Geibel鈥檚 volleyball team and the top runner on its cross country team in the fall. In the spring she is one of the area鈥檚 top track and field athletes whose best events are the 300 intermediate hurdles and the 400. She also excels in the 200 and the 800. Her mom is an assistant coach on the Lady Gators track and field team.
For now, Emma Larkin is focused completely on the hardwood.
鈥淲hen asked what other goals she has set for herself, Larkin didn鈥檛 talk about individual milestones.
鈥淚 really want to win a playoff game,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y first two years we made it to the playoffs but we lost in the first round. Last year was a tough one when we lost by 11 to Eden Christian. I won鈥檛 ever forget it. We were the higher seed so it sucked.
鈥淭his year I not only want to win one but I want us to go far.鈥�