March 13, 2015

CHICAGO - The Chicago Force’s window of opportunity to make the playoffs could shrink even further if they are not successful in their lone game of the week Friday night against the St. Louis RiverSharks, set for 7:05 pm at the Kroc Center in Chicago.

During its current six-game slide, the Force have had substantial leads midway through the game, only to see them evaporate in the last five minutes of the contest.  Coach Rick Pryor said on his weekly radio show that the team now has to clear a mental hurdle, because what was a stranglehold on fourth place has turned into a two-game deficit behind surging Gateway. The Steam won the season series, 3-1, against the Force in the slide. Derrick McDonald (21.4 ppg) and Tremell Adams (20.6 ppg) continue to pace the Force scoring while Darius Smith (3.4 steals a game) anchors the defense.

For the RiverSharks, it's been "plug-and-play" for most of the season that has led to their current 9-3 ledger and third place ranking.  The early departure of Kevin WIlliams to the overseas ranks saw coach Al Grushkin plug in Jerrold Brooks, and the ‘Sharks blew through the first half of the campaign with two big wins over the first-place Bloomington Flex.  Take out former scoring leader Brandon Hogg, also an overseas departure, plug in Brandon Provost, a D-League alumnus, and the wins keep coming.  Keith DeWitt (17.8 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 1.8 bpg) continues to be the mainstay of the RiverSharks' attack, while the "Twin Terrys" (Terry Leake 18.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg; Terry Evans 8.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) have filled in the gaps around the post and the wings.

The game will be streamed live over the MPBA Broadcast Network via www.TheMPBA.com.  Alvin Washington and Craig Fata will have the call starting at 6:50pm.