February 4, 2015

ST. LOUIS –The second month of the inaugural Midwest Professional Basketball Association season starts with a matchup of teams that expect to be playing in the postseason come April. The Chicago Force, fresh off a key win against the Gateway Steam that has them fourth in the league, are set to host the second-place Champaign Swarm at Kroc Center in Chicago.

                    The Swarm have clearly established themselves as one of the teams to beat.  With cousins Arnold Louis and Mark St. Fort anchoring the wings, there isn't a team in the league that features a roster with as many players 6-6 and above, especially one that features well-traveled pro veteran Carl Mitchell.

                    After starting 3-0, the Swarm lost big at home to Bloomington last week, before rebounding with a road win over Windy City the next night.  Swarm head coach Chris Daleo called the loss to the Flex “humiliating,” but says his team bounced back quickly.

                    “Our weaknesses were exposed (last week), and we have to keep working on that,” Daleo said. “But I think it shows a lot of strength to come back like that.”

                    The Force, meanwhile,  feature Derrick McDonald, the league's second leading scorer at 23.4 points per game and top rebounder at 12.4 boards per contest.  Ronnie Carlwell, who blocked 13 shots against Gateway last week, and Antoine Ware, who pulls down 9.4 rebounds per game, also make for a formidable frontcourt.

                    The second game of the twin bill is a rematch of the MPBA’s inaugural game as, the St. Louis RiverSharks host the Gateway Steam at Family Arena in St. Charles Missouri. 

                    The RiverSharks won the first game 108-96, on the strength of Keith DeWitt’s 30 points and 11 rebounds.  Terry Leake added 23 in that game for St. Louis. 

                    Brandon Hogg leads the RiverSharks in scoring overall, with a 20.5 per-game average, with DeWitt close behind at 19.5. 

                    Jake Anderson has been the leading scorer for Gateway for much of the season, pouring in 20 in the opener against St. Louis, and averaging 14.4 per game overall.  Steam newcomer Lee Fisher has made an immediate impact, averaging 19.5 points in his first two games for Durrell Robinson. 

                    Tipoff for both games is set for 7:05 p.m.   Fans will be able to watch both games live and in high definition free of charge on the MPBA website.

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The mission of the MPBA is to attract the top minor league basketball players, coaches, owners and staff members from across the United States, and to provide that talent with the opportunity to develop their skills in a professional environment; the MPBA will also provide its fans and supporters with a fun, value-based entertainment experience, as well as incorporate community outreach programs into its members’ operations.