South Elgin’s Larry Smith is one of the area’s top defensive backs in football, so when he plays basketball, the same thing is still expected out of him. Of course, Smith is the defensive leader for the Storm. What’s not usually expected, though, is his outside shooting. But the senior guard w as definitely feeling it Friday night. And he put together his best offensive performance of the season. “I’m not considered a shooter on this team,” Smith said, nodding. “Football players are not usually the shooters. I let it fly this game and I just started making them.” Smith made bunch of them against visiting Larkin, shooting 6 of 9 and scoring a season-best 17 points as South Elgin rebounded from a sluggish first half for a 46-37 Upstate Eight West win. Massimo Nalbono added 15 points for South Elgin (8-16, 7-1), while Kamryn Bartee paced Larkin (8-16, 2-6) with 12 points. South Elgin's Larry Smith (11) looks to pass over Larkin's Jayden Bailey (11) in the fourth quarter of an Upstate Eight West game in South Elgin on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News) South Elgin coach Ryan Storm doesn’t mind if Smith shoots it. As long as it’s in the flow of the Storm’s motion offense, he’s good with it. With Larkin playing off of Smith, it was a good opportunity for him to take advantage. “He’s a little bit more used to it because guys are defending him that way more this year, giving him space,” Storm said. “We have some different rules for him and (Friday) was a good night. “He’s never hesitant to shoot. It’s more about timing. One-pass shots aren’t always the best. But if we move it eight or nine times and it touches multiple hands and it comes back to him, let’s go.” South Elgin's Larry Smith (11) splits the defense of Larkin's Mac Irvin (21) and Jayden Bailey (11) in the second quarter of an Upstate Eight West game in South Elgin on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News) Larkin coach Anton Wilkins used to coach at South Elgin, so he knows what Smith brings to the table. “Larry played a good game,” Wilkins said. “I know he’s a running back. I’m a former running back myself. So, it’s like, ‘OK, Larry, let’s see how good of a shooter you are.’ He did a great job.” Smith was South Elgin’s offense early on Friday. He scored eight of the Storm’s 10 points in the first quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers. Larkin led 15-14 at halftime, however. “We just had to stick to it, get to the locker room and grind it out in the first half, keep it close,” Storm said. “We made some adjustments in terms of loosening up and playing free.” South Elgin's Larry Smith (11) defends the lane against Larkin's Kamryn Bartee (0) in the third quarter of an Upstate Eight West game in South Elgin on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News) Smith pointed out that the Storm weren’t worried at halftime. “We were only down by one point,” Smith said. “We kept the confidence up. We beat these guys the first time we played them by a pretty good amount, so we knew we had to give them a hard punch in the third quarter. That’s where we kind of took off.” A 9-0 run to end the third quarter finally gave South Elgin some separation, building a 29-21 lead the Storm wouldn’t relinquish. Regardless, Smith understands his primary job is defense. “That’s my main thing on the court,” Smith said. “I give that to my team and my coach expects me to play really hard defense and that really helps me a lot.” South Elgin's Larry Smith (11) and Larkin's Lawrence Sallis (12) battle for a loose ball in the fourth quarter of an Upstate Eight West game in South Elgin on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News) Storm watched Smith do his thing on the football field and knew his play on that end could benefit his team during the winter. “When he comes with the right stuff he gets up and works you the whole court,” Storm said. “He sets the tone on that end. He’s a great football player. He’s a great athlete. “That’s what it really comes down to. These athletes that we have that play multiple sports can really help a basketball team.” Ultimately, just like on the football field, winning is the most important thing to Smith. He just contributed in a different way Friday. “My teammates found me,” Smith said. “They trust me and I let it go. “I think it’s real special that I can come out and help my team get a win.” Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News. ...read more read less