Larkin opens Tip-Off Classic by beating Freeport, 78-54

ROCKFORD -- Junior Christian Negron scored 25 points to help the Royals pull away from Freeport, 78-54, in the opening game of the 205 Tip-Off Classic.

Freeport led 16-14 after the first quarter and trailed by just six at halftime in the game played at Auburn. Elgin Larkin turned the game into a route by outscoring the Pretzels, 22-9, in the third.

A.J. Hunter added 16 for Elgin Larkin, which next plays Auburn Wednesday night.

Zeke Vandenburgh led the Pretzels with 16 points and Bailey Frank added eight. Freeport doesn't play again until Friday at 6 p.m. against South Elgin.

Elgin Larkin 78, Freeport 54
Larkin -- 14-23-22-19 -- 78
Freeport -- 16-15-9-14 -- 54
LARKIN -- Hunter 7 2-5 16; Adams 1 2-2 5; Kyles 2 2-3 7; Morris 3 0-0 7; Negron 12 1-5 25; Mardis 3 0-0 6; Shaw 5 0-2 10; Burns 1 0-2 2. Totals 34 7-19 78.
FREEPORT -- Vandenburgh 6 3-3 16; Offard 2 2-6 6; Hayward 1 0-0 2; Felton 0 1-2 1; Sellers 2 0-1 4; Stacy 3 0-2 6; Avery 2 0-0 5; Frank 3 1-2 8; Buckwalter 3 0-1 6. Totals 22 7-17 54.
3-pointers. Larkin 3 (Adams, Kyles, Morris), Freeport 3 (Vandenburgh, Avery Frank).