Force top Groove behind 36 by Adams
Chicago steals lead with 1:22 left in see-saw battle
February 18, 2015
CHICAGO - The third installment of the "Crosstown Showdown" was just like the first two: back-and-forth lead exchanges between the Chicago Force and the Windy City Groove, and a tight game to the very end. But a pair of free throws by Tremell Adams allowed the Force to tip the scales with a 101-98 victory over the Groove at the Kroc Center in Chicago.
Adams scored 25 of his season-high 36 in the second half and was aided by a game-high five steals from Darius Smith, who also scored 16 points. Adams' two free throws with 5.3 seconds left proved to be the decider.
Early in the game, it was the Groove who had the advantage in the first half, jumping out to a 10-2 lead and finishing the half up 49-42 behind early hot shooting from Lavante Douglas and Deveon Jenkins.
But the third quarter is where Adams and Smith went to work, as the Force outscored the Groove 36-24 in the period to take a 78-73 lead into the final frame.
The Groove remained within striking distance until the 3:30 mark, when they took their first lead at 92-91 since the 3:11 mark of the third on a three-point play by Nate Fuqua.
The teams then traded the lead until Travell Amicks put the Force up 97-96 with a bucket at the 1:22 mark.
Force scoring leader Derrick McDonald chipped in 22 points and 14 rebounds, the seventh consecutive game in which he's scored more than 20 points and grabbed more than 10 rebounds.
The verdict drops the Groove to 2-6 on the year as they have dropped five of their last six games. They now travel to St. Louis Thursday to battle the RiverSharks. The Force, now 3-6, regain fourth place in the MPBA by a half-game over the Groove. They travel to Champaign Thursday to battle the Swarm.