Exceptional Emma: Geibel Catholic’s Larkin in midst of stellar career and is only getting better
Emma Larkin isn’t 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’s offense, rings up an avalanche of points each game, and anchors her team’s 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’t anticipate what tremendous success she would have in her first two years.
“No, not at all,” Larkin said. “I 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’t expect this.”
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’s 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’s 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.
“Going into my freshman year I felt I was ready for the challenge,” Larkin said. “I’ve 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.”
The change in schools was an adjustment for Larkin.
“Overall my freshman year was kind of scary,” she said. “It’s your first year of high school, new school, new player. But I love it and I’m happy I made the decision and obviously it’s paid off so far.”
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’s already moved past Robin Guerriere, Erin Rupp, Diana Lewandowski, Jamie Misiak and Jennifer Surlas this month into third place on Geibel’s 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.
“Yeah, I could tell in the elementary leagues that I was a little ahead of everyone else but that’s because I had two older brothers that played basketball and I was always outside with them, and my mom’s a coach so she’s always pushing me to be the best,” Larkin said.
Both her brothers are currently in college, 22-year-old Andrew at Pitt and 19-year-old Quentin is at Alabama.
“We would play a lot and it was always so competitive,” Larkin said of her brothers helping her hone her skills. “When I was younger I could never beat them. They were taller and stronger, but if I try now I bet I could get them.”
While Larkin is clearly a talented player, her mother points out that’s not the key to her daughter’s success.
“What makes Emma truly special is her relentless work ethic and unwavering determination,” Sara Larkin said. “She outworks everyone in the gym, constantly pushing herself to new heights and inspiring those around her to do the same.
“Her 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.
“She loves basketball.”
Emma Larkin stressed the positive effect of her mother.
“My mom has had so much influence on my basketball career,” she said. “Some people think, ‘Oh she’s the coach’s daughter, she gets favored.’ Not with her. I get the worst of the worst. After games if we lose it’s all my fault and things like that,” she added with a laugh. “But that’s pushed me to be the best. She is hard on everyone and she’s extra hard on me. People don’t see that but she really is. She’s a very demanding coach. And I’m glad she is.”
Sara Larkin puts plenty of trust in her daughter not only on the court but in preparing for games.
“As a coach’s kid, she puts in just as much time watching film and helping me with our game strategy for each matchup,” Sara Larkin said.
Emma Larkin is truly an extension of her mother on the court.
“I’m the point guard position and she’s always said the point guard is the second coach,” Emma Larkin said. “So if I see something, I’ve got to tell her and if she sees something she’s going to tell me and I echo it to the team.”
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.
“You can’t have offense without defense,” she said. “If you can’t stop the other team’s offense you’re 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’ve got to come up with steals. That’s super important. That’s been ingrained in my head by my mom.”
Larkin is still evolving as a player, always pushing to improve.
“I definitely think my 3-point shooting needs to get better,” she said. “Freshman and sophomore years I wasn’t as strong as I am now so, hopefully, my 3-ball will be better this year. I’ve definitely been focusing on that because a lot of times in single-A you see zones so you’ve got to shoot over zones.
“It’s harder to drive against zones and I’m a driver. I would say that’s probably the best part of my game. So I’m trying to get those 3s in because that will open the defenses up a little bit.”
Larkin is her team’s leader at both ends of the court.
“We play so many different defenses, so in your head you’ve got to know them all,” she said. “Sometimes my mom will be like on the make you’ve got to do this but on the miss you do this. We’re switching constantly.
“I’m the one who makes sure everyone is aware. Running down the court I’ll be like ‘OK, we’re in this defense now.’ That’s important to make sure we’re always all on the same page because if you have a defensive breakdown it costs you two or three points and we just can’t have that.”
Larkin was asked if she ever thought she’d be better off playing on a wing, but she balks at that idea.
“I see myself as a true point guard. I can’t see myself at any other spot,” Larkin said. “My whole career I’ve been a point guard. I’ve never really played any other position. I love the position I play.
“It’s not just about scoring. I love assists, too. That’s super-important to get the rest of the team involved so it’s 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.”
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’s total. Larkin rang up 38, or all but 14 of the Lady Gators’ points.
Although she loves basketball, Larkin is a four-sport athlete. She is a starter on Geibel’s volleyball team and the top runner on its cross country team in the fall. In the spring she is one of the area’s top track and field athletes whose best 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.
“When asked what other goals she has set for herself, Larkin didn’t talk about individual milestones.
“I really want to win a playoff game,” she said. “My 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’t ever forget it. We were the higher seed so it sucked.
“This year I not only want to win one but I want us to go far.”