February 22, 2015

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Bloomington Flex had to weather a furious second-half comeback by the Windy City Groove Sunday afternoon at U. S. Cellular Coliseum, but were able to pull away for a 118-109 win to move to 9-1 on the season and stay in first place in the Midwest Professional Basketball Association.

                    The Flex defense dictated the pace early, as the Groove (2-8) did not score until the 8:50 mark of the first quarter.  The Flex opened up a 14-point lead during the period before the Groove came back to within nine at 25-16 going into the second.  Anthony Slack had ten points and ten rebounds in the first quarter to lead the Flex.

                    The Flex opened up a 19-point lead in the second and took a 56-39 lead into the half.  But the Groove outscored the Flex 38-24 in the third quarter, and took their first lead of the game with 2:47 to play in the period on a three-point basket by Darrin Johnson.  The teams traded the lead back and forth until the :48 mark when they were tied at 77.  The Flex then took an 80-77 lead into the final frame.

                    The Flex had built a six-point lead in the fourth with 8:11 to play when Slack, following a two-hand dunk and flex pose toward his bench, drew his second technical foul of the game and was ejected.  He finished with 30 points and 20 rebounds, along with four blocked shots.

                    Nate Fuqua, making his return to U.S. Cellular Coliseum, got the Groove to within three at 92-89 on a three-point basket a couple minutes after the Slack ejection, but that was as close as the Groove would get.  Fuqua led all scorers with 36 points.

                    Justin Bocot and C.J. Hampton each scored 27 for the Flex, while Matt Salley notched 12 points and 13 rebounds, many of them key boards after Slack left the game.  Lavante Douglas added 25 points and 8 rebounds for the Groove, while Darrin Johnson scored 16.

                    Both teams are back in action Thursday, as the Flex take on the St. Louis RiverSharks and the Groove tangle with the Steam in a doubleheader at Family Arena in St. Louis.  Action begins at 4:00 p.m.