May 23, 2015

JIAOZUO, China - The Bloomington Flex used a defensively dominant fourth quarter to pull away from the She Dian Stars for a 79-70 victory at Jiaozuo Taiji Arena, outscoring the hosts 24-12 in the final stanza and raising their record to 3-2 on their exhibition tour of China. 

The Flex led 19-17 after the first quarter, but the Stars held the Flex scoreless over the final 2:40 of the second and tied the game at 37 heading into halftime. 

Bloomington struggled offensively in the third quarter, and found themselves in foul trouble to boot.  She Dian took a seven-point lead halfway through the period, and held a 60-55 lead over the Flex heading into the fourth. 

Justin Bocot and C. J. Hampton led the Flex charge early in the fourth, with Bocot giving Bloomington its first lead since the start of the third quarter on a fast break layup with 5:03 to play. 

The teams exchanged the lead until the 2:28 mark, when A. J. Horseman put the Flex up for good at 71-70 on a short hook shot. Then, a pair of Carl Montgomery layups and free throws by Bocot iced the game for the Flex, who held the Stars to just four points over the final nearly four minutes of play. 

Hampton led Bloomington with 12 points. Bocot added 11, and Montgomery, Matt Salley and Harry Marshall each added ten for the Flex. 

PHOTO: Flex forward A. J. Hardeman hands a stuffed toy to a baby in the crowd at Jiaozuo Taiji Arena during the fourth quarter.