January 21, 2015
Contact:   Craig Fata, Vice President
(844) THE-MPBA / craig.fata@theMPBA.com

CHICAGO – The Bloomington Flex used a strong second half by Chris Colvin and steady defensive pressure to pull away from the host Windy City Groove 93-74 at Kroc Center Wednesday in Chicago.  The Flex upped their record to 3-1 on the season, while the Groove fell to 1-2.

                    The teams traded the lead back and forth in the early part of the game before the Flex pulled ahead 19-17 at the 1:42 mark of the first quarter.  It was a lead they would never relinquish, as the first quarter ended 24-19 in favor of the visitors.

                    The Flex extended the lead to 15 in the second quarter at 42-27, with the halftime score ending up at 45-31.

                    Bloomington appeared to be pulling away in the third, but a run by the Groove got the deficit back to single digits, with the margin at the end of the third quarter just eight, at 60-52.

                    But the fourth quarter was all Flex.  After the Groove got the first bucket of the period to close to within 6, the Flex answered with a steady diet of drives to the basket by Colvin, and strong defense that held the Groove to outside jump shots.

                    Colvin scored 16 points, to go along with 16 by Fabyon Harris and 22 from Justin Bocot, who saw his streak of 30-point games end at three.  Anthony Slack added 12.  Matt Salley led the Flex in rebounds with 12.

                    Nate Fuqua, playing his former team, scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Groove.  Fuqua was injured in the middle of the fourth quarter while attempting to foul Slack on a drive to the basket.  Fuqua did not return, and his exit seemed to take the wind out of the Groove’s sails.

                    The Flex are next in action Sunday against the Gateway Steam at Family Arena in St. Charles, Missouri.  The Groove, meanwhile, take on the Champaign Swarm that same day.

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