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Kyles eclipses 2,000 as Larkin tops Jacobs in OT

For the better part of Monday's Class 4A Larkin regional opener it appeared as if Larkin's girls basketball team would pull out a win over Jacobs but Royals' senior standout Marlee Kyles would not get her 2,000th career point.

And had it not been for Jacobs' never-say-die approach to the game that's exactly how it would have played out. But the Golden Eagles, down 13-0 to start the game and still behind by 11 points with 2:42 left in regulation, stormed back and forced overtime.

That gave Kyles four more minutes to take over the game and reach the 2,000 milestone and that's what the Arizona recruit did, scoring 7 points in the extra session to finish the night with 30. More importantly for Larkin was a 70-65 win that puts the No. 9 seed Royals (12-16) in Tuesday's 6 p.m. semifinal against No. 1 seed South Elgin.

"It's a huge weight off my shoulders," said Kyles, who now has 2,003 career points and became just the eighth girl in Fox Valley area girls basketball history to score more than 2,000 points.

"It's been a big distraction, with my family and with coach. I couldn't work on my schoolwork today. I just kept saying '27, 28, gotta get it.' Now I can just focus on one thing, the bigger picture, and that's winning the regional championship."

"Absolutely it's been a distraction but it's been a good distraction," said Larkin coach Steve Knapp. "If you had told me last year she was going to do this I wouldn't have believed it. She has matured so much."

With Kyles scoring only 9 points through three quarters against Jacobs' box-and-one defense, Larkin was still able to control the game, which was due in large part to a breakout night from freshman Brianna Young, who scored 16 of her season-high 22 points in the first three quarters.

"It was great for her to get that experience tonight," Kyles said of Young. "And, she's only a freshman."

But with all the attention on Kyles, Jacobs wasn't about to go away quietly. Down 54-43 with 2:42 left in regulation, the sixth-seeded Eagles (12-15) went on an 8-0 run in less than a minute to get back in the game. Then, with one second left on the clock and Larkin ahead 59-56 junior Kerri Healy (16 points) took a kick out pass from senior Grace O'Malley and nailed a 3-pointer to send the game to overtime.

Senior Nicole Durben (16 points) hit a 3 just 16 seconds into the OT to give Jacobs its only lead of the night but then it became time for Kyles to take over.

After Young split a pair of free throws to make it 62-61, Kyles scored Larkin's next 7 points - her 2,000th coming on the first of two free throws with 44 seconds left that gave Larkin a 65-62 lead.

Down 66-62, Durben hit a 3 with 26 seconds to go but Kyles and Young each made 2 free throws in the final 16 seconds for the final margin.

"In the long run she needs to have the ball in her hands," Knapp said of Kyles, who added 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. "And that's the best game Brianna has played. She played almost the entire game and that says a lot for a freshman. She came out to play tonight.

"Jacobs played a really good game and fought back but we showed some resiliency tonight. Tonight was a good game for us because the same thing could happen (Tuesday)."

Junior Haley Bohne added 10 points for the Royals while senior Carly Sidor had 12 for Jacobs and senior Maggie Grady added 11.

"They gave everything they had and that's a true testament to the character and quality of the kids I coach," said Jacobs coach Joe Benoit. "They kept battling and believing and I'm incredibly proud of them. It's been an honor for me to work with this group of seniors."

Images: Larkin vs. Jacobs, girls basketball

  Larkin's Marlee Kyles scored her 2,000th career point on a free throw in overtime in a win over Jacobs in the regional quarterfinal at Larkin High School in Elgin Monday night. Here, she receives a big hug from mom Debbie after the game. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Larkin's Marlee Kyles scores her 2,000th career point on a free throw in overtime of a win over Jacobs in the regional quarterfinal at Larkin High School in Elgin Monday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Larkin's Marlee Kyles admires the ball draining through the hoop just after scoring her 2,000th career point on a free throw in overtime of a win over Jacobs in the regional quarterfinal at Larkin High School in Elgin Monday night. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
  Larkin's Marlee Kyles scored her 2,000th career point on a free throw in an overtime win over Jacobs in the regional quarterfinal at Larkin High School in Elgin Monday night. Here, Kyles goes to the hoop against Jacobs' Elizabeth Schwartz in the OT period. Patrick Kunzer/pkunzer@dailyherald.com
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