April 1, 2015

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Even with just one game left in the regular season for the Bloomington Flex and Windy City Groove, there won’t be any such thing as playing out the string.

                    That’s because both teams have plenty to play for Thursday at Kroc Center in Chicago.  With a win, the Flex are still alive for the number one overall seed in the upcoming Midwest Professional Basketball Association playoffs.  The Groove, despite a 4-15 record, can still sneak into the fourth and final playoff spot if they beat Bloomington and get some help.

                    “They’re dangerous and they’re hungry,” said Flex head coach Carlnel Wiley, Jr.  “If the season were ten more games, I think they’d win five or six of them.  They’ve had a few players really come on the past few weeks, and they’ve been right on the cusp of putting it all together.  We have to be sharp.”

                    If the Flex win Thursday, they would need the Gateway Steam to beat the St. Louis RiverSharks in one of their two upcoming games to finish first.  If the Groove beat the Flex, the Flex finish no worse than second, but the Groove would qualify as the fourth seed on point differential if the RiverSharks win both games over the Steam.

                    “This is ‘win-or-go-home’ for us,” said Groove head coach Handy Johnson.  “We’re excited to still be alive, and we’re going to give it everything we have.  I expect the guys that have stepped up so well recently to really carry us Thursday, and if we can take care of the boards and win the 50-50 balls, and keep our intensity up, I think we’ll be looking forward to the playoffs.”

                    Most Valuable Player candidate Nate Fuqua has carried the Groove all season long, averaging 19.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.  He’s been aided of late by strong performances by Deveon Jenkins and Lavante Douglas.  Jenkins has upped his scoring average to 17.2 per game, while Douglas averages 16.2 points and 6.3 rebounds.  Sam Morgan and Christopher Dillard have also provided a boost off the bench.

                    Justin Bocot, meanwhile, has led the Flex and the MPBA in scoring the entire season, with a 25.8 per-game average, setting several club records along the way.  C.J. Hampton has been a consistent outside threat, averaging 17.8 points per game, while Fabyon Harris, since his return from a broken hand, has been electric, averaging 17.8 points per game off the bench.  Defensive Player of the Year candidate Anthony Slack and Matt Salley lead the league in rebounding, with Slack leading in blocked shots as well.

                    Fans can watch the game live and in high definition free of charge on the MPBA website, www.theMPBA.com.