MBA REGULAR SEASON 32 FINALE

One more upset as we head for home in Season 32

Sacramento 72, Charleston 65

Any smidgen of playoff hopes for the Charleston Mountaineers was mathematically wiped out tonight as the lowly Sacramento River Dogs came into town and pulled an unlikely 72-65 upset. The surprising triumph by the River Dogs did, however, keep their playoff hopes alive, making them 3-5 on the season, one game behind Seattle, who they play in a home and home series to wind up the regular campaign. They would need a sweep to return to the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Two guard Zingo Mamaluke was the unlikely hero in this one for Sacramento. He entered the game averaging 7.7 points per contest, then proceeded to light up the Mountaineers for a game-high 22 to earn Game MVP honors.
It was just one of those games for Charleston. Sacramento hit a desperation three-quarters court trey by Bisqueiro Cutoff to end the first quarter with a 22-18 lead. Then the River Dogs went into halftime with a 40-33 lead on the strength of a final time unit trey by Moxie Mamalucco. .
Trailing 55-48 after three quarters, the home team finally seemed to gain control of the game scoring the first eight points of the fourth quarter to grab their first lead 56-55. But Sacramento would not be denied this game, overwhelming Charleston once more until the lead swelled to 12 again.
Sacramento played their asses off on defense, registering 7 steals and 9 blocked shots and holding Charleston to just 45 percent shooting. Three of those steals came from lightning-fast Moxie Mamalucco, who is now tied for the league lead with 11 thefts while playing part-time off the bench. He was pressed into major minutes (or time units) tonight when starting point guard Larry Rosegardener fouled out of the game without registering a single statistic. Rosegardener started every quarter for Sacramento but found himself on the bench almost instantaneously each time after fouling. He entered the fourth quarter with four fouls and fouled out on the very first time unit. Sacramento head coach Z.Z. Magoo slapped him upside the head when he hang-dogged it to the bench. It was the fifth time he has fouled out this season in 8 games. Eleven time units later, his replacement Mamalucco also fouled out. This forced defensive specialist Boo Radley into the game. The home crowd knew Charleston was doomed when Radley, who was 2 for 21 shooting entering the game, promptly sank a medium jump shot.
The Sacramento win ends the crossover contests for the season, with the East winning 8 and the West 2.

The Season 32 Standings entering the home stretch are as follows, with 6 of the 10 teams still mathematically in the playoff hunt. The last two teams in each division are already out.

EAST
1. Milwaukee 6-2
2. Philadelphia 6-2
3. Houston 5-3
4. Charleston 3-5
5. Chicago 3-5

WEST
1. San Jose 6-2
2. Seattle 4-4
3. Sacramento 3-5
4. Dallas 2-6
5. Oklahoma City 2-6

The remaining schedule is as follows:

Milwaukee at Philadelphia . . . HUGE game between top two teams in East
Charleston at Chicago
Houston at Philadelphia ... Philadelphia finishes season first and could have playoff spot clinched
Seattle at Sacramento ... Seattle could clinch playoff spot with win
San Jose at Dallas

Oklahoma City at Dallas
Sacramento at Seattle ... If Sacramento won first meeting, this game determines the sacrificial playoff lamb for the first place team in the East.
Houston at Charleston...could be huge game
San Jose at Oklahoma City
Milwaukee at Chicago ... Might determine final playoff spot.