Just by nature, Larkin’s Josh Hibbett is quiet off the court.
The challenge as the junior guard stepped into a starting role this season has been finding a way to flip that switch to be more vocal and aggressive on the court.
He confirmed it’s a work in progress.
“I’m still trying to figure it out,” Hibbett said. “Every game it feels like it builds more and more. I’m coming along with that a lot better, especially from last year when I didn’t play too much.
“I’m starting to see myself be a leader a little bit better — things like that.”
A third quarter like Hibbett put together Thursday night in the Royals’ 60-52 Upstate Eight Conference victory over East Aurora is one of many steps in the right direction.
Hibbett scored 12 of his team-high 20 points in the third as Larkin (1-9, 1-4) pulled away for their first win of the season. He also ended the quarter with an emphatic blocked shot on a 3-point attempt from East Aurora’s Jalen Bealer.
The Royals carried that momentum into the fourth, where they eventually opened up a 20-point lead. Andre Jones and Jahvion Sowers added eight points apiece.
Bealer led all scorers with 25 points for East Aurora (2-8, 2-3). Kenneth Cooley had 18.
Larkin coach Deryn Carter has seen Hibbett develop, and while he’s making progress, there’s still more to unlock.
“He’s figuring some things out,” Carter said of Hibbett. “He’s a laid-back guy off the court, which we like, but he can’t be that way on the court.
“At times, he can be waiting for the game to come to him. We’re trying to explain to him that the best thing for Larkin is for him to be aggressive.”
Hibbett came out in the second half with that aggressiveness, scoring Larkin’s first two baskets of the third quarter. He went on to hit a 3-pointer and a runner in the lane and converted a layup off a steal as the Royals took a 46-31 lead into the fourth.
“He brings athleticism, a good touch around the basket, good length,” Carter said. “He plays bigger than his height.
“He was a sophomore on varsity last year just trying to find his way in terms of trying to be a scorer for us.”
With the duo of Bealer and Cooley, however, East Aurora is never out of any game.
After Larkin rolled to a 54-34 lead with 5:58 left in the fourth, the Tomcats unleashed an 18-4 run to cut the deficit to 58-52. Bealer scored nine points in the run.
“Those two can put some numbers up,” East Aurora coach Rick Robinson said. “I don’t know if they thought they were just going to come out and lay down for us or what.
“Our guys just underestimated them, I guess, and then decided it was time to play. It was too late.”
Larkin hasn’t been in a position to close out a game often this season.
It happened two games ago against West Chicago, but the Royals lost by two points. This time, they were able to hang on.
“We knew it was going to be a developmental year early and that hopefully we’ll be playing our best basketball in late January, early February,” Carter said. “It’s looking like that may be the way we’re going.”
The team’s development is mirroring Hibbett’s progress. He’s hoping to build off his big third quarter.
“It showed me a lot, especially since I took some bad shots,” Hibbett said. “If I can make the right play more often, I feel like I could have had an even bigger third quarter.
“I still feel like it showed me a lot — for myself and us as a team.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.