January 16, 2016

The Windy City Groove improved to 2-0 after riding C.J. Hampton’s 32 points to a 129-100 win over the Lima Express at the Kroc Center in Chicago Saturday evening.

Lima led 28-26 after the first quarter on a 30-foot buzzer beater by James Helton, but the Groove recovered in the second to take a 60-47 lead at the half. Hampton led all scorers with 21 at the break.

Windy City then opened up a 15-point lead early in the third before Lima cut it to seven at 78-71 midway through the period.  However, the Groove continued to find Hampton and ballooned the lead back to 15, 93-78, heading into the fourth.

The Groove continued to extend the lead in the fourth, outscoring the Express 36-22 down the stretch.

Hampton finished with 32 points, while Dion Cooksey scored 20 for Windy City.  Julian Lewis (19), Deveon Jenkins (17), Isaac Mack (11) and Isiah Martin (11) all scored in double figures for Handy Johnson’s squad.

James Helton led Lima (0-2) with 27 points.  Cordaryl Ballard scored 23, while Kyle Meyer added 13, Devaughn Taylor-Buntyn had 12, and David Atkinson had 10.