February 14, 2016

CHICAGO – The Windy City Groove used a balanced scoring attack to return to the win column with a 111-98 win over the Chicago Blues at Kroc Center Sunday afternoon.

The Groove took control early, jumping out to an 8-0 lead before Blues coach Rick Pryor called timeout.  Windy City remained in control of the first quarter, but the Blues were able to close to within three before the period ended with the Groove up 29-24.

Windy City spread the lead to 17 in the second on back-to-back three-pointers by Deveon Jenkins with 5:06 to play in the second quarter.  The Groove ended the second ahead 60-47.

An Isiah Martin dunk gave the Groove their biggest lead of the game at 21 points, 71-50, early in the third, and they took an 89-70 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Blues, led by Nate Williams, showed some life in the fourth.  Chicago got to within nine points on three different occasions in the final period, the last coming at the 3:47 mark on a bucket by Ron Patten.  But Windy City slowed the pace down and controlled the tempo for the remainder of the game, and the Blues never got any closer.

C.J. Hampton led Windy City (6-1) with 23 points, as seven Groove players scored in double figures.  Isiah Martin had 13 points and ten rebounds, while Ray Miller, in his Groove debut, scored 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked four shots.  Windy City held Chicago to 1-of-13 shooting from three-point range.

Nate Williams paced the Blues (4-4) with 16 points.