POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Bruce Massey
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 Steam and 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 Phillip Stewart (6'8''-C, college: Harris-Stowe St.), 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 (6'3''-G-90, college: Middle Tenn.St.), 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 (6'6''-G, college: Chicago St.) answered for St. Louis a moment later to get the RiverSharks to within one with 1:25 to play, and then Jaylen Fulton (6'1''-G, college: St.Louis CC) hit four free throws with less than a minute to play to win the game for St. Louis. A Connell Crossland (6'7''-F-91, college: TCU) 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 Edmonds (6'8''-F-91, college: Lincoln, MO) pitched in eleven and Brandon Roberson scored ten.
Connell Crossland led Gateway with 27 points and eleven rebounds. Lonnel Johnson (6'3''-G-86, college: Missouri Western) added 19 and Jimmy Peyton chipped in 16 for Gateway, which shot 9 of 23 (39%) from the free-throw line.
