SEMO's energy guy needed for final home stretch

Every basketball team has an energy guy.

It’s never one of the featured players, never the leading scorer, neither Batman nor Robin. The energy guy is always in the background ready for his turn to steal the show.

For Southeast Missouri State, redshirt freshman Adam Larson is that guy.

“He’s an energy guy,” Redhawks senior guard Chris Harris said on Larson. “He’s one of our most consistent shooters that we have. So he’s a key piece when he comes in to make sure he gets a shot and gets us going because that’s just straight energy for us.”

The 6-9 forward leads the Redhawks with a 38.8 shooting percentage from the three-point line despite being fourth on the team in attempts.

“Adam is one of those guys that when he misses you wonder what happened,” SEMO head coach Brad Korn said, “because you're just feeling he’s always gonna make those shots.”

Every time Larson sinks a three-pointer or slams a dunk, the crowd inside the Show Me Center springs to their feet in adulation.

“That's my role when I get in the game,” Larson said. “I know if I'm open I gotta let it fly and it makes it lifts everybody else up when they go in. The goal is to try to do what I do best and get the fans involved. So I know they love it and get the team involved too because it makes everybody play at a much higher level.”

Larson came from a basketball family. His father was his high school coach in Wisconsin and he got to play with his brothers throughout his four years at Fennimore.

“I was always taught to shoot the ball,” Larson said. “I obviously became 6”9’ and being able to shoot the ball while being that tall and being able to do different things that helps a lot but I understand that that's a strength in my game. That's what I do best.”

The Redhawks (13-13, 8-5) host Morehead State on Saturday at 4 p.m., with first place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings at stake. It’s the first of a final stretch of home games this season, putting the Redhawks in an advantageous position, should they capitalize on these next three games.

“We always talked about protecting Show Me Center and those are the games you got to win because you have your home crowd pulling for you,” Larson said.

“Obviously we had some problems last year with that, but this year, it's totally different. The vibe is totally different. You see how many people come out to the games. Now that was not a thing last year, but it's awesome because more people are asking for tickets and wanting to come out and it's a great thing for the program.”

Coming off an 0-2 road trip including a loss against Tennessee State that saw five Redhawks foul out, SEMO will need Larson to come up with clutch shots to keep their championship hopes alive.

“You're talking February basketball,” Korn said. “Everyone needs to know what their role is, and that's a role for Adam. To be able to stretch the floor, every team knows that he can shoot and so when he checks into the game that really can make the game 4-on-4 because the other teams know they can’t leave him which then helps a guy like Phillip Russell because now there's more space. So he's able to have more driving angles and drive open lanes to drive so it's a combination of things.”

In the Redhawks’ most recent home game against Little Rock, Larson made three baskets from beyond the arc during the first half to keep SEMO within reach of the Trojans in the eventful victory.

“I told him these guys are gonna rush zone the whole game so stay after practice and get some shots up,” Russell said, “and he was big time.”

Larson can find the open shot thanks to Harris and Russell leading the offense and taking up much of the opposing defense’s attention. Russell leads the OVC with 19 points per game and Harris is 26 away from being the 25th Redhawk to score 1,000 career points.

“I have great chemistry with guys like Phil and Chris,” Larson said, “and even some of the big guys when they're posting up and when that's going on. I always just try to find the open window so I can be in their vision. So if someone helps and they need somebody pass it to them always right there wide open feet set hands ready to shoot, and hopefully it goes in.”

In an earlier home game against TSU, the Redhawks were down 17-1 early in the first half. Larson started the comeback with a 3-point basket and later gave the Redhawks their first lead of the game with a dunk that put SEMO in the driver’s seat.

Larson’s preference for a dunk or a corner three-pointer depends on the situation.

“I think it really depends on the game,” Larson said. “Everybody loves dunks. The whole crowd loves dunks. They also seem to love it when I hit a three too, so I guess whatever comes I'll take it.”

SEMO is currently in a three-game tie for second place in the OVC with SIUE and Tennessee Tech. The Redhawks previously defeated Morehead State on the road on Jan. 14, so a win on Saturday against the Eagles would put SEMO on top of the conference with four games left in the season.

This is the situation that Larson was recruited to be a part of.

“I know when I was getting recruited that we needed to change the perception of the program,” Larson said. “That’s something that Korn always harps on us, and I think we've done that pretty much. We got a long way to go. Hopefully, we can end it with an OVC title.”