POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Brandon Goss
March 12, 2016
CHAMPAIGN, Illinois - The Gateway Steam snapped a five-game losing streak with a hard-fought 105-100 win over the host Champaign Swarm at Dodds Athletic Center in Champaign Friday.
Champaign opened up a ten-point first quarter lead at 24-14 before closing out the opening period ahead 26-20. The Swarm kept the lead between four and nine points throughout the rest of the first half, taking a 53-46 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Steam then scored the first five points of the third quarter, prompting Swarm coach Daniel Ruffin to call a timeout just 37 seconds into the half. But Gateway continued to make a run, and tied Champaign at 58 with 8:48 to play in the third on a basket by Brandon Goss (6'1''-G-89, college: King). A few moments later, Tylon Deal (6'0''-PG) put the Swarm back up five, however, the Steam went on a 7-1 run to take a 67-66 lead on a Jimmy Peyton bucket with 5:38 remaining in the third.
Champaign tied the game at 69 with 3:52 left in the third, but would fall behind 79-74 heading into the fourth.
Another early-quarter burst by Gateway put the Steam up 89-80 with 7:38 to play. Jonathan Mills got the Swarm back to within two at 94-92 with 2:16 to play, and that would be as close as they would get down the stretch, as Connell Crossland (6'7''-F-91, college: TCU) buried two long three pointers to put the game out of reach.
Crossland scored 34 points and had nine rebounds for Gateway (4-8), while Lonnel Johnson (6'3''-G-86, college: Missouri Western) pumped in 27 and handed out five assists. Newcomer Jimmy Peyton added 14 for the Steam.
James McClain (6'4''-G-91, college: Williams Baptist) led Champaign (3-10) with a season-high 25 points, while three other Swarm scored in double figures. Jonathan Mills scored nine points and bagged 14 rebounds for the Swarm, which have now lost three in a row.
