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WINDY CITY COMPLETES SEASON SWEEP, DOWNS CANTON 108-105

By Windy City Bulls Staff /February 11, 2018

HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL – The Windy City Bulls, presented by BMO Harris Bank, the NBA G League affiliate of the Chicago Bulls, completed the season sweep and beat the Canton Charge 108-105 on Saturday night at Sears Centre Arena.

For the second time this season, Windy City was without the services of both two-way players, Ryan Arcidiacono and Antonio Blakeney. In a collaborative effort, three players scored 20 or more points led by Jarell Eddie who tallied a team-high 24 points in the victory. Cameron Payne posted a stat line of 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Jaylen Johnson scored 20 points and added nine rebounds. Stefhon Hannah added 13 points and tied a season-high with six assists off the bench.

Offense was plentiful as both teams shot the ball well to begin the quarter. The opening 12 minutes featured two ties and three lead changes, with neither team leading by more than seven. Eddie served as the catalyst, scoring a team-high 10 points in the period. The Bulls led 21-19 with 4:32 left in the quarter, but Canton took the lead on the strength of a 10-3 run and wouldn’t relinquish the lead until the fourth quarter. Windy City shot 50 percent from the floor, but the Charge knocked in 11 of their 19 shots and led 31-27 at the end of the first stanza.

Six players scored in double figures led by JaCorey Williams who poured in a game-high 24 points and collected 14 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Marcus Thornton scored 22 points and dished out eight assists, while Kevin Olekaibe recorded 17 points. Gerald Beverly pitched in with 14 points and Roosevelt Jones, despite not scoring a point, grabbed 11 rebounds and registered seven assists.

Payne had the hot hand and scored the first six points for Windy City to start the second quarter. Leading 40-35 with 7:30 remaining before halftime, Canton used a 9-2 spurt to race out to a 12-point lead, their largest of the evening. Johnson responded with six consecutive points of his own to pull the Bulls within five, which set up a strong finish to the half. After a three-point jump shot by Thornton, Windy City scored the final six points of the period on a pair of free throws by Karrington Ward and baskets by Tyler Harris and Mychal Mulder. The run made it a one possession game and the Bulls trailed 56-54 at the intermission.

Canton scored the first four points following halftime, but Payne connected on back-to-back baskets to make it a two-point game once more. Windy City did their part to take the lead, but the Charge managed to stay out front. Canton led by nine on a couple occasions including 78-69 with under two minutes to play in the quarter. Eddie, who ranks third in the league in free throw percentage, knocked in a pair of free throws late in the period to trim the deficit to three, but Thornton nailed another three-point basket in the closing seconds and Canton led 83-77 heading into the final 12 minutes.

Windy City struggled to score to begin the fourth quarter, which allowed the Charge to retake a double-digit lead with under ten minutes to play. The Bulls responded with a run of their own and scored nine consecutive points to make it one-point game, forcing a Canton timeout with 6:27 left. Shortly after the stoppage, Johnson scored on a cutting layup to give the Bulls a 98-97 lead, their first advantage since they led 21-19 in the first quarter. The two teams traded baskets down the stretch, but a basket by Mulder with 2:53 remaining gave Windy City the lead for good. The Bulls scored five of the final seven points to grab their 15th win of the season, while extending their winning streak to two.

The Bulls have won two in a row and have one game remaining before NBA All-Star Weekend. Windy City is back in action on Tuesday seeking their first win of the season against the Raptors 905. Tip-off is 7:00 p.m. CST at Sears Centre Arena.

Fans can stay up-to-date on team news by following the team on Twitter (@WindyCityBulls) or visiting (WindyCityBulls.com). Full season membership, group, and single tickets for the 2017-18 Windy City Bulls season are on sale now. For all ticket information and full season schedule, visit WindyCityBulls.com.