Larkin holds off East for 69-61 win

ROCKFORD - Slow-starting Elgin Larkin stepped on the gas in the third quarter and held off pesky East High 69-61 in the E-Rabs' gym Friday.

East jumped off to leads of 8-1 and 11-3, but after Sha'den Clanton's three-pointer gave the Rabs a 21-19 advantage, Larkin scored eight straight points and led at halftime 29-22.

East clawed its way back to within two points (33-31) early in the third quarter, but the Royals unleashed a barrage of five three-pointers sandwiched around an Anthony Lynch two-pointer to post a 50-38 lead with 3:12 left in the quarter. Pierre Black had three three-pointers in that stretch, while Victor Perez and Kindrell Morris tossed in one each.

East rallied to within 57-53 with 2:24 to play, but turnovers and poor free throw shooting cost the E-Rabs, who fell to 1-3 and ended their RPS205 Tip-Off Classic experience.

Larkin, 2-1, plays its final tournament game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Jefferson against the J-Hawks.

BOXSCORE

Elgin Larkin 69, Rockford East 61
(at East High School)

Larkin    10    19    26    14 -- 69
East        13     9    22    17 -- 61

Larkin -- Black 5 0-0 14, Perez 1 0-0 3, Morris 3 1-2 9, Lynch 11 2-5 25, Talley 2 1-2 5, Rose 0 0-2 0, Shaw 6 1-1 13, Totals 28 5-12 69.
East -- Horton 0 1-2 1, Robinson 1 4-4 6, Burnell 5 1-4 11, Carey 2 0-0 4, Clanton 7 1-3 17, Sims 0 3-4 3, Gowan 6 3-7 19, Totals 21 13-24 61.
3pt FG -- Larkin 8 (Black 4, Perez, Morris 2,Lynch); East 6 (Clanton 2, Gowan 4).