ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Needing a win to secure the league’s final playoff spot, the Gateway Steam trailed one of the top teams in the league by just three points in the third quarter.
But the Champaign Swarm exploded for a 17-4 for run and finished off a season sweep of the Gateway Steam with a 133-112 victory on Saturday at the Family Arena.
The Swarm (15-4) moved back -- at least temporarily -- into first place, one-half game ahead of the Bloomington Flex. Gateway fell to 5-12, but they can still earn the fourth seed in the playoffs with a win in any of their remaining games.
Down 70-57 at halftime, the Steam opened the third quarter with a 19-9 run fueled by a full court press and came within three points. But the Swarm pulled back ahead with two three-pointers by Avery Smith and a thundering dunk from Josh Chichester, eventually building a 28 point lead.
“I’m happy for the win. We made some adjustments in the third quarter,” Swarm head coach Chris Daleo said. “We funneled their players to our big bodies, and that gave them problems."
Smith had a team-high 29 points, including 4-of-9 three-point shooting and 9-of-10 free throw shooting. Chichester scored 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field.
Tarvin Gaines scored 22 of his game-high 34 points in the first half. He shot an impressive 14-of-17 from the field and missed a double-double by one rebound. Jake Anderson added 30 points, but Chris Babbitt was the only other Steam player in double digits with 10 points.
Champaign had a balanced scoring attack; six players scored in double figures.
“I’m happy too that some of my players have improved throughout the course of the season,” Daleo said. “Now we need a strong game tomorrow and then get ready for the playoffs.”
Champaign returns to the Family Arena on Sunday for a showdown with the St. Louis RiverSharks at 4 p.m. It will be the Swarm’s final regular season game of the year. A Swarm victory would ensure at least the number two seed in the playoffs.
Gateway hosts Windy City at 1 p.m. at the Family Arena. Both are still in the hunt for the final playoff spot.
Both games will be broadcast on www.theMPBA.com.