WHY?

13-7 record. I want to see he and Mason Klabo Mason Klabo 6'2" | PG Fargo Davies | 2025 State #240 Nation ND go at it! Larkins is known as fast player who makes positive plays in transition. Can the Eagles keep up with him? De’Mari is a creator on the offensive end, I am interested to see if Davies can keep him out of the paint and how much havoc does De’Mari cause on defense?

The Osseo offense runs through De’Mari and most of the scores they get are either shot or assisted by him. He played well when working in the pick & roll and can burst to the rim for a finish or dish it off to a teammate for a better look. I was also impressed when he was using his speed in transition. He could grab a rebound then hit a different gear to sprint down the floor for a full speed layup. Larkins also plays hard on the defensive end, sometimes picking up at full or half court. 

De’Mari is going to play a huge role for Osseo this season. The ball is going to be in his hands constantly, and he’ll also be relied upon for his defense. Against Eastview he was making plays with his lateral quickness defending the ball, as well as his instincts to move in off the ball for double teams. Showcased quick hands to swipe in when forwards got the ball and either rip the ball away or poke it free to help his team pick up steals. On the offensive end he’s one of the quickest players in the state and showcased his ability to get into the lane at will. Larkins is fearless going up to finish against size, but can also stop on a dime for a pull-up jumper as his defender flies by in the opposite direction. Continues to look like an improved shooter each and every season.

I really liked the way that De’Mari was facilitating the ball on Friday night. There was a stretch in the second half where it seemed like every shot his team got was coming from De’Mari getting into the paint, forcing extra defenders to step in, and then him quickly locating an open shooter on the perimeter. Larkins does a nice job of getting an edge on his man, pinning him to his hip, and then dictating how the rest of the play goes from there. Showed no fear going up to finish against size as well.

De’Mari’s shooters were feasting off of his ability to get into the paint, force the defense to collapse, and then accurately kick it out right to their hands. Don’t let his size fool you, Larkins is fearless attacking the basket, and has the explosive burst that forces extra defenders to step in to contest. He did a great job of reading whether he had a clear path to the basket, or if he should kick it out to his shooters on the perimeter. His jumper has shown continuous improvements each year since he entered high school as well.

De’Mari single-handedly took over Tuesday’s playoff matchup with rival Maple Grove. The junior guard was unstoppable with the ball in his hands and scored a game-high 26 points. He found major success attacking the basket, finishing through contact all game. He has so many finishes that he can go to when he is at the rim. He utilized floaters, post-up fadeaways, and layups with either hand. He also iced the game with several clutch free throws down the stretch in a tight game. Larkins was the go-to-guy with the game on the line and will lead Osseo into a section championship rematch with Park Center on Friday.

De’Mari was fearless against a loaded Totino-Grace team on Thursday night. He started off high school as mostly a slashing guard who loved to get to the basket, but has shown considerable improvements in his jumper both from three and mid-range. It was his jumper that was causing problems for the TG defense, as he’s so quick getting to his spots off the dribble but was also active moving without the ball. Could curl off a screen and quickly get into his shot before the defender had a chance to catch up. Finished with 23 points for Osseo.