Milestone reached: Lady Gators鈥� Larkin scores 1,000th point against Charleroi
CONNELLSVILLE TWP. 鈥� Emma Larkin was poised to reach 1,000 career points last week, but home games against South Allegheny (opted out) and Mount Pleasant (weather) weren鈥檛 played.
Then, Charleroi was running late Monday night, delaying the scheduled 5:30 start by 20 minutes.
So, after waiting a week, plus a few anxious minutes, the Geibel Catholic sophomore needed just eight minutes to score 13 points for her 1,000th point in a 69-50 non-section loss to the visiting Lady Cougars.
The game wasn鈥檛 originally on the schedule, but was added when the Lady Cougars were looking for a game.
Larkin scored her 1,000th point in a familiar manner with a hard drive to the basket. She made the layup as she was fouled and then converted the foul shot to hit the career mark with 7.2 seconds left in the first quarter.
鈥淭he two games leading up to it got canceled. Then, it鈥檚 ironic, I鈥檓 warming up and they鈥檙e like (Charleroi) is going to be 20 minutes late. We鈥檙e still playing, but they鈥檙e late,鈥� said Emma Larkin, adding, 鈥淚t was super nerve-racking leading up to it.鈥�
Larkin noted she didn鈥檛 do anything out of the ordinary or pressed to score those 13 points.
鈥淚 was just playing my game. Then, obviously, I want to get that 13,鈥� said Larkin. 鈥淎fter I hit it, relief. Oh my gosh, that鈥檚 all I can say, relief.鈥�
Scoring 1,000 points was an achievement Emma Larkin sought, but didn鈥檛 expect to do so at this point of her high school career.
鈥淣o, I definitely never expected (to score 1,000 as a sophomore). It鈥檚 huge going for a 1,000,鈥� said Larkin. 鈥淭hat 2,000 is in my head. That鈥檚 a big, huge goal.鈥�
Larkin also has her sights set on the Lady Gators achieving team goals.
鈥淗onestly, I want to succeed with the team. We haven鈥檛 won a playoff game, forever. I want to win a playoff game. I want to go deep in the playoffs,鈥� said Larkin. 鈥淲e are second in the section. We have one more game against each section team. We have to win them.鈥�
Sara Larkin had a dual role in the milestone game as head coach and mom.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy for her. It鈥檚 a significant milestone,鈥� said Sara Larkin. 鈥淎s a coach, I just wanted to get past it and move on.
鈥淎s a mom, I鈥檓 happy (for her).鈥�
Charleroi, however, held a 14-13 lead heading into the second quarter. The Lady Cougars increased their lead to 28-13 at halftime.
The Lady Gators (11-4) kept it close as they trailed 43-37 after three quarters.
Charleroi (7-8) pulled away in the final eight minutes with a 26-13 advantage.
Emma Larkin finished with a game-high 38 points, despite facing defensive pressure throughout the game. Ava Henderson, who played at Charleroi last year as a freshman, scored eight points.
鈥淲e went to a box-and-1 to slow (Larkin) down. We used Anna Kondratowicz and Kaylee Sypolt as a defender on Ella,鈥� said Charleroi coach Bob Zynosky.
Bella Carroto led the way for Charleroi with 26 points. Riley Jones scored 17, Ella Sypolt finished with 14 and Camryn Musser added eight.
鈥淏ella is starting to turn it up,鈥� said Zynosky. 鈥淪he answered back (to Larkin鈥檚 offense) in a more efficient manner.
鈥淐amryn Musser added a lot of stuff you don鈥檛 see. Ella Sypolt got in foul trouble and got involved late.鈥�
Charleroi was in the market for a game after a long gap between contests and to prepare for the second half of the section schedule, starting with section-leading Waynesburg Central on Thursday.
鈥淲e went 13 days without a game,鈥� said Zynosky. 鈥淲e need to win three of our last five section games.We play Waynesburg Thursday. They鈥檙e good.鈥�
Sara Larkin was not particularly pleased with her squad鈥檚 performance, although the pursuit of the 1,000 points and other factors might have contributed.
鈥淲e have to get past this. We play Jeannette (on Wednesday). We can鈥檛 come out and play passive defense,鈥� said Larkin. 鈥淪ome of the basic things we can do better than we showed.
鈥淛enna (Buchheit) was not feeling well. She had trouble getting up and down the floor. I could tell (playing her former teammates) weighed on Ava. Her adrenaline was pumping. She got into it.鈥�