Senior guard Gabby Ploche had lofty expectations going into her final season for Larkin.
Last winter, Ploche only averaged four points for the Royals, but she wanted to experience a 25-point game at least one time during her high school career.
She did even better than that Wednesday night, scoring a career-high 30 points.
“It was a big goal,” Ploche said. “It feels pretty good to complete that. It means a lot to me. It just shows that my hard work paid off and that I need to keep on going.”
The Royals also picked up a 60-28 victory over archrival Elgin to close out play in the Elgin City Classic. Larkin took second in the tournament behind champion St. Edward.
Sanali McPherson added 10 points for Larkin (11-10). Mia Carter had seven points and Ploche grabbed 10 rebounds. Jocelyn Bardesi and Izzie Castro scored seven points apiece to lead Elgin (7-15).
Ploche made 5 of 5 shots from 3-point range in the first half, laying the groundwork for her career game. She scored nine points in the fourth quarter to complete the performance, setting off a big celebration with her teammates.
Six days ago, Larkin coach Stephen Knapp pointed out, Ploche scored a career-high 21 points — also against the Maroons.
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“We were looking in the second quarter,” Knapp said of Wednesday night’s game. “She had 17. Let’s get her to 30. Why would any coach not want to get her to 30 the way she was shooting the ball?
“She couldn’t miss anything.”
Ploche made three straight 3-pointers in the second quarter, with Knapp yelling “heat check” from the bench and her teammates getting louder with each shot.
“I don’t care where she shoots it from at that point,” Knapp said. “As a player, I did that too. You don’t forget when you have those games.”
Ploche could feel the energy build with each shot.
“It was crazy,” Ploche said. “I was just in the moment. It just kept going. You just get the feeling of it and keep going.”
Elgin coach Nick Bumbales was on the opposing end of both of Ploche’s career-high performances this week.
“Our strategy coming into the last two games was to contain McPherson and Carter, and we’ve done a fair job of that,” Bumbales said. “She’s just been blowing it up. She’s doing a good job. I’m speechless.
“I don’t really know what to say. She’s on a roll.”
Ploche said the work done by last year’s seniors motivated her to make a bigger impact this season.
In the home stretch of her Larkin career, she’s seeing that come true.
“Over the summer I worked hard, put some shots up, just trying to get better,” Ploche said. “I feel like that hard work paid off this year.
“Last year’s seniors helped us, made us work harder. It made us become better players. I feel like that kind of rubbed off on us.”
Knapp said Ploche can be a streaky player, but she has been putting it together at the right time with the postseason approaching.
“I want to catch the good Gabby every night, but at times we won’t,” Knapp said. “She’s a little inconsistent with her shot, but lately she’s finding it — and at a good time.”
Seeing a player go through the program and put it together before the end of their senior season is something Knapp doesn’t take for granted.
“It’s what every coach wants to see,” he said. “It’s satisfying.”
The Royals have eight games left in the regular season, and Knapp sees a scenario where they can run the table.
Keeping Ploche on this roll will help accomplish that goal.
“Hopefully, it keeps on going,” Ploche said. “The shots are falling. I’m hoping to extend on that.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.