Swarm hand Flex first-ever playoff loss, face St. Louis for MPBA crown
Smith, Griffin combine for 52 points
April 9, 2015
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Champaign Swarm used big nights from Avery Smith and Malcolm Griffin to hand the Bloomington Flex their first-ever loss in a postseason game, and advance to the Midwest Professional Basketball Association Championship game after beating the Flex on their home floor, 111-100 Thursday at U.S. Cellular Coliseum.
The teams traded the lead back and forth throughout the entire first half, with neither team leading by more than four points. The Flex led after the first quarter 23-21, and the Swarm led at halftime 50-48.
The third quarter was the turning point. The Swarm outscored the Flex 38-31 in the frame, at one point building a 14-point lead at 85-71. The period ended with the Swarm up 88-78.
Bloomington tried to chip away in the third, as sharpshooter C.J. Hampton hit two more of his game-high eight three-pointers, which set a new Flex club single-game record for three-pointers made. Hampton’s total of 65 three-pointers on the season broke Todd Peterson’s club record of 63, set in 2012.
But the Swarm answered at every turn. The Flex got the lead down to eight on five different occasions, but could get no closer.
Smith scored 27 and pulled down eight rebounds for the Swarm, while Griffin added 25 points, as Champaign as a team shot 63% from the floor in the second half and 55% for the game.
Hampton led all scorers with a season-high 34 points, hitting on 8-of-13 three-point attempts. Anthony Slack, named to both the All-MPBA First Team and All-Defensive Team, had 18 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots, while league M.V.P. Justin Bocot and Fabyon Harris had 17 apiece. Matt Salley contributed 12 points and 15 rebounds. The Flex shot 41% from the floor, and were 35-of-58 from the free-throw line (60.3%)
The Swarm will face the St. Louis RiverSharks for the inaugural MPBA Championship at 7:05 p.m. C.D.T. at U.S. Cellular Coliseum Friday.