March 15, 2016

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis RiverSharks were hot at the right times Tuesday night against the Gateway Steam—first early from the field, and then late from the free throw line, as they pulled out a 97-94 win at Emerson Performance Center in Midwest Professional Basketball Association play, eliminating the Champaign Swarm from playoff contention with the win.

The RiverSharks jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the first quarter before finishing the frame ahead 25-13, but the Steam roared back in the second on a 17-1 run to take a 30-28 lead with 6:59 to play before halftime. Gateway would open the lead to nine with 1:02 left, but a small run by St. Louis closed the gap to five at 47-42 at the half.

Gateway pushed the lead to 13 at the 2:22 mark of the third on a basket by Phil Stewart, however, another late-quarter run by the RiverSharks narrowed the margin to just three at 74-71.

St. Louis then tied the game at the 11:23 mark of the fourth quarter on a basket by Bruce Massey, and took their first lead since the second quarter on a Nate Green bucket at 79-78 with 8:55 to play.

The teams traded the lead back and forth over the next six minutes, and with 1:37 to play, Jimmy Peyton hit a pair of free throws to put the Steam up 94-91.

Aaron Williams answered for St. Louis a moment later to get the RiverSharks to within one with 1:25 to play, and then Jaylen Fulton hit four free throws with less than a minute to play to win the game for St. Louis. A Connell Crossland potential game-tying three-pointer ringed out as time expired.

Bruce Massey and Aaron Williams each had 21 points and nine rebounds for St. Louis (7-4). Massey also registered six assists and four steals. Jaylen Fulton added 16, while James Edmond pitched in eleven and Brandon Roberson scored ten.

Connell Crossland led Gateway with 27 points and eleven rebounds. Lonnel Johnson added 19 and Jimmy Peyton chipped in 16 for Gateway, which shot 9 of 23 (39%) from the free-throw line.