skip navigation

Swarm outlast Blues in home finale

By Craig Fata, 03/14/16, 9:00PM CDT

Share

Weaver scores 21, Jonathan Mills channels Willis Reed

 

March 14, 2016

CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – Jonathan Mills’ return in the fourth quarter from a sprained ankle for the Champaign Swarm didn’t quite have the drama of the famous Willis Reed game, but Mills scored a key three-point play down the stretch of a tight game to help give the Swarm a 100-93 win over the Chicago Blues at Parkland College Monday.

Champaign jumped out to a 29-17 lead after one quarter, leading by as many as 16 in the first, but a 13-0 run by the Blues capped by an Antoine Ware three-point play late in the second gave Chicago a 46-41 lead with 1:42 remaining in the half.  The Blues would close out the second quarter ahead 51-46.

A Chris Elder bucket with 5:31 to play in the third gave Chicago a 61-54 lead, its biggest of the game. Champaign was able to claw back to within two at 73-71 on an Aaron Weaver alley-oop with 5.9 seconds left in the quarter. The quarter, however, was costly for Champaign, as they seemingly lost Jonathan Mills to a sprained ankle for the remainder of the night when he had to be helped off the court.

The Swarm continued to draw ever closer without Mills, and finally pulled back ahead 82-81 on a James McClain basket with 7:34 to play.

The two teams exchanged the lead on ensuing possessions, and when Silas Mills fouled out with 1:49 to play, Jonathan Mills, who had been icing and then getting his ankle taped, re-entered the game.

Jarrell Thomas tied the game at 91 with 1:25 to play, but that’s when Jonathan Mills came up big, scoring a three-point play with 1:06 left, and giving the Swarm a lead it would not again relinquish.

Aaron Weaver scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Champaign (4-10), which is still alive for a playoff berth. James McClain added 19 and Jordan Walker scored 16 for the Swarm.

Antoine Ware led the Blues with 15 points as six total Blues scored in double figures. Diante Watkins handed out eight assists for Chicago (7-5).