The Larkin boys basketball team’s 2-2 performance at the 56th annual Proviso West Holiday Tournament has to be considered an overall success, though the four-day event didn’t end on a high note for the Royals Friday.

Transition defense, an issue throughout the tournament against up-tempo teams, once again proved problematic in a 69-54 loss to Bogan in the fifth-place game.

Junior guard Anthony Lynch’s second-quarter jump shot drew Larkin (7-7) within 22-21, but Bogan (8-5) took advantage of multiple missed baskets to launch its running game.

Bengals guard Courtney Fields was the main beneficiary of several breakouts. He finished off several second-quarter fast breaks, including consecutive runouts during a 14-5 run that staked his team to a 40-30 halftime lead.

Fields made 7-of-11 first-half shots and led all scorers with 22 points. Lynch led Larkin with 20.

“I think that’s something we need to work on,” Lynch said of transition defense. “When we shoot a 3-pointer (the rebound) is going to come off long so we have to work harder on getting back on defense and limit those transition buckets. They’re a pretty quick team so that’s how they scored a lot of the points that they did.”

Bogan scored 14 fast-break points compared to 4 for Larkin.

“Really, really disappointed in our effort,” Larkin coach Deryn Carter said. “And our energy and our enthusiasm was down. That’s what those guys rely on and they beat us in every phase of the game. Disappointing finish to the week for sure.”

In the big scheme of things, playing on the final day at Proviso West means a team has played well against good competition. Larkin opened the event with a win over St. Joseph, lost to Uplift and defeated Hillcrest 73-72 on Thursday to reach Friday’s fifth-place game.

“I told them before I left (the postgame locker room) that I’m proud that we’re playing in this stage,” Carter said. “I mean, only six teams get to play in the championship round in the Proviso tournament. And if you look at the six programs, we’re definitely the little brother compared to the other five. Hopefully, it showed that we’re taking the necessary steps.”

Larkin junior forward Isaiah Talley had 10 points and 4 rebounds, junior guard Kindrel Morris had 9 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists, and Jalen Shaw finished with 7 points, 5 blocks and 4 rebounds in 26 minutes.