Flex top Stars in Four Nations Challenge opener
Flex upped their record to 7-2 on their tour of China
May 29, 2015
DEZHOU, China - The Bloomington Flex upped their record to 7-2 on their tour of China with an 82-68 win over the Belgrade Stars in both teams' opening game of the Four Nations International Basketball Challenge at Dezhou Sports Centre.
In the first game of the evening, the Cuban National Team defeated the Qing Dao Double Star Eagles, the third-ranked team in the Chinese Basketball Association First Division, 83-66.
The Flex scored the first points of the game, but then quickly fell behind by six. They stayed behind until C. J. Hampton drained a three-pointer with 1:32 to play in the first quarter to give Bloomington a brief 18-17 lead. Justin Bocot scored 10 for the Flex in the period, but the two teams were tied at 20 after the first ten minutes.
In the second quarter, Bloomington again fell behind by five, but then held Belgrade scoreless for the next 4:20, to take a seven-point lead at 36-29 with 3:28 to play in the half. The Stars answered with a defensive lockdown of their own, holding the Flex to just one more point the rest of the second quarter. The half ended at a 37-37 tie.
The third quarter was a physical defensive battle, as Bloomington outscored Belgrade 17-13, only opening the biggest lead of the period for either team on a Tre Johnson dunk to put the Flex up 54-50 with just a couple seconds remaining.
The Flex raced out to an eight-point lead early in the fourth quarter at 60-52 with 8:05 to play on a Ray Miller tip-in, but the Stars answered with a 9-0 run to take a 61-60 lead with 6:43 left.
Another Johnson dunk got the lead back a moment later, sparking a 10-0 Flex run, which included three-pointers on back-to-back possessions by Bryant Austin and Fabyon Harris.
Bocot then added a three of his own, as well as an alley-oop dunk on a beautiful pass from Nate Fuqua to put the Flex up nine at 75-66 with 1:58 to play to put the game out of reach.
Bocot finished with 25 points, while Harris had 14. Tre Johnson was the only other Flex player in double-figures with ten.
The Flex next play Qing Dao Saturday night in the second night of the round-robin tournament. Belgrade faces the Cuban National Team in the early game.
PHOTO: Fabyon Harris lines up a free throw in the second half against the Belgrade Stars.