January 9, 2016

For the Champaign Swarm, defense of their 2015 Midwest Professional Basketball Association championship didn’t quite open the way they had hoped.  But for the Windy City Groove, the result was just perfect.

The Groove beat the Swarm 131-124 in the 2016 league opener at Parkland College in Champaign in a game which saw both teams hold the lead for extended periods of time.

The Groove lead nearly all of the first quarter, taking a 34-28 lead into the second.  But back-to-back three-pointers by Oliver McGlade and Matt Neaville gave the Swarm the lead at 40-37 with 8:42 to play in the half. 

The Swarm stayed in control through the second on the strength of an 18-5 run, and ended the half up 70-61 following a Jordan Walker dunk just before the break.

The Swarm continued to dominate in the third, opening up an 84-71 lead.  The Groove managed to close to within four at 98-94 heading into the fourth.

A pair of free throws by C.J. Hampton with 9:13 to play tied the game at 104, and then Hampton hit a layup one possession later to give the Groove a lead they would not relinquish.

Dion Cooksey led the Groove with 30 points and seven assists, while Isiah Martin had 17 points and ten rebounds.  Hampton added 16 points and ten boards, as six Groove players scored in double figures.

Michael Rogers led the Swarm with 30 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the floor.  He also added ten rebounds.  Adrien Coleman finished with 26, as all eight active players for Champaign scored in double figures.