March 25, 2015

ST. LOUIS – For the first 4:29 of the game, it looked like the Gateway Steam might pull off an upset of the first-place Champaign Swarm, holding the Swarm scoreless until Josh Chichester finally got a bucket for the visitors.  But no sooner did the Steam race out to a 12-2 lead, did Swarm coach Chris Daleo turn on the defensive pressure—and the rest of the game was history.

                    Champaign upped its record to a Midwest Professional Basketball Association-best 14-4 with the 123-88 win.  Gateway fell to 5-11, but still remains in the fourth and final playoff spot.

                    Gateway managed to hang on to a 25-22 lead at the end of the first quarter, but a three-pointer by Avery Smith to start off the second tied the game at 25, and then a moment later, an Aaron Weaver layup gave the Swarm their first lead of the game, a lead they would never relinquish.

                    The pressing, trapping defense by the Swarm forced the Steam into 23 first-half turnovers and a 60-36 halftime lead, as the Swarm outscored the Steam 38-11 in the second frame.

                    Champaign kept up the pressure throughout the second half, closing out the third quarter with a 30-point lead at 95-65.

                    Weaver led Champaign with 29 points.  He was one of six Swarm players scoring in double figures, and every member of the Swarm scored at least two points.  Avery Smith scored 21, and Anthony Spencer scored 16 to go along with 10 rebounds.  Malcolm Griffin had eight assists and five steals to go along with his ten points.

                    Tarvin Gaines 21 scored for the Steam, which finished the game with 32 turnovers. 

                    The same two teams meet again on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. CDT at Family Arena.