FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 5, 2015
Contact:   Craig Fata, Vice President
(844) THE-MPBA / craig.fata@theMPBA.com

ST. CHARLES, MISSOURI, - The Bloomington Flex dropped their season-opening contest in the Midwest Professional Basketball Association 113-109 to the host St. Louis RiverSharks at Family Arena in suburban St. Louis

                    The contest was back-and-forth, with the biggest lead by either team coming in the second quarter when the Flex led 32-22.  The RiverSharks’ biggest lead was six points at 22-16 in the first.

                    The Flex looked like they were going to pull away on several occasions, but the RiverSharks answered each time.  The Flex led for the final time 108-105 with two minutes to play in the game on an Anthony Slack layup.  Slack finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds.

                    But a Terry Leak three-point play for the RiverSharks tied the game at 108, and then a James Hicks free throw gave St. Louis a lead it would not relinquish at 109-108 with 1:16 to play.  Leak scored 28 points to lead the RiverSharks.

                    The Flex got to within one point at 110-109 with a minute to play on a free throw by Justin Bocot, but could not get any closer.  Bocot finished with 30 points to lead all scorers.  

                    Terry Evans salted the game away for the RiverSharks with three free throws down the stretch.  Evans finished with ten for St. Louis.  Full game stats are available on the MPBA website at http://www.thempba.com/game/show/8735867.

                    The loss was the first for the Flex since May 18, 2013, snapping a 24-game winning streak.  St. Louis upped its record to 2-0 on the 2015 season.

                    The Flex return to action on Sun., Jan. 11, when they host the Gateway Steam at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington.  St. Louis is off until Sat., Jan. 10, when they travel to Chicago to take on the Chicago Force.