Exceptional Emma: Geibel Catholic无毛视频檚 Larkin in midst of stellar career and is only getting better
Emma Larkin isn无毛视频檛 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无毛视频檚 offense, rings up an avalanche of points each game, and anchors her team无毛视频檚 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无毛视频檛 anticipate what tremendous success she would have in her first two years.
无毛视频淣o, not at all,无毛视频� Larkin said. 无毛视频淚 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无毛视频檛 expect this.无毛视频�
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无毛视频檚 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无毛视频檚 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.
无毛视频淕oing into my freshman year I felt I was ready for the challenge,无毛视频� Larkin said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檝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.无毛视频�
The change in schools was an adjustment for Larkin.
无毛视频淥verall my freshman year was kind of scary,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 your first year of high school, new school, new player. But I love it and I无毛视频檓 happy I made the decision and obviously it无毛视频檚 paid off so far.无毛视频�
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无毛视频檚 already moved past Robin Guerriere, Erin Rupp, Diana Lewandowski, Jamie Misiak and Jennifer Surlas this month into third place on Geibel无毛视频檚 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.
无毛视频淵eah, I could tell in the elementary leagues that I was a little ahead of everyone else but that无毛视频檚 because I had two older brothers that played basketball and I was always outside with them, and my mom无毛视频檚 a coach so she无毛视频檚 always pushing me to be the best,无毛视频� Larkin said.
Both her brothers are currently in college, 22-year-old Andrew at Pitt and 19-year-old Quentin is at Alabama.
无毛视频淲e would play a lot and it was always so competitive,无毛视频� Larkin said of her brothers helping her hone her skills. 无毛视频淲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.无毛视频�
While Larkin is clearly a talented player, her mother points out that无毛视频檚 not the key to her daughter无毛视频檚 success.
无毛视频淲hat makes Emma truly special is her relentless work ethic and unwavering determination,无毛视频� Sara Larkin said. 无毛视频淪he outworks everyone in the gym, constantly pushing herself to new heights and inspiring those around her to do the same.
无毛视频淗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.
无毛视频淪he loves basketball.无毛视频�
Emma Larkin stressed the positive effect of her mother.
无毛视频淢y mom has had so much influence on my basketball career,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淪ome people think, 无毛视频極h she无毛视频檚 the coach无毛视频檚 daughter, she gets favored.无毛视频� Not with her. I get the worst of the worst. After games if we lose it无毛视频檚 all my fault and things like that,无毛视频� she added with a laugh. 无毛视频淏ut that无毛视频檚 pushed me to be the best. She is hard on everyone and she无毛视频檚 extra hard on me. People don无毛视频檛 see that but she really is. She无毛视频檚 a very demanding coach. And I无毛视频檓 glad she is.无毛视频�
Sara Larkin puts plenty of trust in her daughter not only on the court but in preparing for games.
无毛视频淎s a coach无毛视频檚 kid, she puts in just as much time watching film and helping me with our game strategy for each matchup,无毛视频� Sara Larkin said.
Emma Larkin is truly an extension of her mother on the court.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 the point guard position and she无毛视频檚 always said the point guard is the second coach,无毛视频� Emma Larkin said. 无毛视频淪o if I see something, I无毛视频檝e got to tell her and if she sees something she无毛视频檚 going to tell me and I echo it to the team.无毛视频�
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.
无毛视频淵ou can无毛视频檛 have offense without defense,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淚f you can无毛视频檛 stop the other team无毛视频檚 offense you无毛视频檙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无毛视频檝e got to come up with steals. That无毛视频檚 super important. That无毛视频檚 been ingrained in my head by my mom.无毛视频�
Larkin is still evolving as a player, always pushing to improve.
无毛视频淚 definitely think my 3-point shooting needs to get better,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淔reshman and sophomore years I wasn无毛视频檛 as strong as I am now so, hopefully, my 3-ball will be better this year. I无毛视频檝e definitely been focusing on that because a lot of times in single-A you see zones so you无毛视频檝e got to shoot over zones.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 harder to drive against zones and I无毛视频檓 a driver. I would say that无毛视频檚 probably the best part of my game. So I无毛视频檓 trying to get those 3s in because that will open the defenses up a little bit.无毛视频�
Larkin is her team无毛视频檚 leader at both ends of the court.
无毛视频淲e play so many different defenses, so in your head you无毛视频檝e got to know them all,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淪ometimes my mom will be like on the make you无毛视频檝e got to do this but on the miss you do this. We无毛视频檙e switching constantly.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 the one who makes sure everyone is aware. Running down the court I无毛视频檒l be like 无毛视频極K, we无毛视频檙e in this defense now.无毛视频� That无毛视频檚 important to make sure we无毛视频檙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无毛视频檛 have that.无毛视频�
Larkin was asked if she ever thought she无毛视频檇 be better off playing on a wing, but she balks at that idea.
无毛视频淚 see myself as a true point guard. I can无毛视频檛 see myself at any other spot,无毛视频� Larkin said. 无毛视频淢y whole career I无毛视频檝e been a point guard. I无毛视频檝e never really played any other position. I love the position I play.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 not just about scoring. I love assists, too. That无毛视频檚 super-important to get the rest of the team involved so it无毛视频檚 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.无毛视频�
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无毛视频檚 total. Larkin rang up 38, or all but 14 of the Lady Gators无毛视频� points.
Although she loves basketball, Larkin is also one of the area无毛视频檚 top track and field athletes whose top 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.
无毛视频淲hen asked what other goals she has set for herself, Larkin didn无毛视频檛 talk about individual milestones.
无毛视频淚 really want to win a playoff game,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淢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无毛视频檛 ever forget it. We were the higher seed so it sucked.
无毛视频淭his year I not only want to win one but I want us to go far.无毛视频�