33rd All Star Game

EAST 78, WEST 63

CHICAGO -- The East, behind six-time all star point guard Ching-Chong Chung of Houston, took control of this one in the second quarter and never let go, winning 78-63 for the dominant division's 22nd victory in this long series. It is exactly twice the wins accumulated by the West.
Chung, the 5-10 sparkplug, won the MVP of the Game award in this star contest for the first time, popping in a game-high 28 points that included 6 for 9 from beyond the arc. He added 2 rebounds, 2 blocks and an assist. His running mate at guard, Steve Carter of Milwaukee, gave the East a lethal combo at the position, getting 21 points and snaring a game-high 7 rebounds in his first all star contest. Another first-timer, Charleston center Muito Bom, also had a good game with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a pair of steals.
Gato Do Mato was the lone outstanding player for the West. The deft 6-11 forward led his team with 23 points while nabbing 6 boards and blocking two shots.

All Star Milestones
* Tom Kondla of Dallas finished his all star career adding three blocks to a career all star game total of 16. That puts him second on the all-time list with 15 blocks, just one short of leader Curly Hogbottom's 16.
* Jimsy Redfern of Charleston blocked three more shots, giving him a career all star total of 14 to move past Boone Doggle and into third place on the blocks list right behind Kondla.
* Ching-Chong Chung also moved up on two lists. He's now third all-time in career 3s (15) behind Cheetos Jones (23) and Mamadou Zongo (18). Chung is tied with such MBA luminaries as Tommy Zoop, Uncle Bob Masterson and Doug Fresh. He passed up Cappy Gambol and Stu Nod, both of who had 14 career 3s in all star competition. All of those mentioned are Hall of Famers.
* Chung also moves up the career all star scoring list, now resting in 9th place with 85 points. He passed Nod and Gambol on that list as well and rests one point behind Marcus Pettis and Cheetos Jones. The all-time leader is Uncle Bob Masterson with 158.

NEXT UP: A huge game to open the second half of the season, with Philadelphia (3-2) at red-hot Milwaukee (4-1). The Greyhounds have not lost since suffering an opening game setback to these very same Phobia 68-54. A defeat would put the four-time defending champs from Philly in a tough position to make the playoffs in the East. A win puts them right back into the thick of things.

SEASON 33 AT THE HALF (more than any fan needs to know)

Mba leaders at the half

SCORING
1. Chung, Houston 18.9
2. Carter, Milwaukee 18.2
3. Jones, Philadelphia 16.8
3. White, Oklahoma City 16.8
5. Kondla, Dallas 16.6

REBOUNDING
1. Flinthorn, Houston 6.4
1. Arlen, Seattle 6.4
1. Kondla, Dallas 6.4

ASSISTS
1. McGoats, San Jose 4.0
2. L. Jell-o, Charleston 3.0
2. Van Slochum, Charleston 3.0
2. Lava, Milwaukee 3.0
2. Hershorts, Philadelphia 3.0

STEALS
1. Lemieux, Sacramento 8
2. L. Jell-o, Charleston 6
2. Do Mato, San Jose 6


BLOCKED SHOTS
1. Redfern, Charleston 40
2. Whos, Houston 22
3. CityMaine, Milwaukee 15

3-POINT SHOOTING
1. Herzfeld, Dallas 88.9 percent 8 made
2. White, Oklahoma City 72.7 percent 8 made
3. Bakshi, Houston 66.7 percent 10 made

FREE THROW SHOOTING
1. Arlen, Seattle 100 percent 14 made
2. Redfern, Charleston 100 percent 10 made
3. Chung, Houston, 93.3 percent, 14 made

TOP SCORING GAMES
34 points—Ching-Chong Chung, Houston vs. Chicago
32 points—Schweaty Ballz, San Jose vs. Seattle
30 points—Cheetos Jones, Philadelphia vs. Seattle

MVPS OF THE GAME
1. Redfern, Charleston 4
2. Do Mato, San Jose 3
3. Hershorts, Philadelphia 2
3. Jones, Philadelphia 2





All star notes:
* Although the game will be played in Chicago, no Gale players made the team
* Ching-Chong Chung makes his 6th all star game, one of just 23 players in MBA history to do so and the first to reach the milestone since Season 23 when Linus Mandrake made it for Milwaukee the sixth time. Of the 23 who made six all star games, only Marcus Pettis (7), Flash Cola, Dolf Whizbang, Mandrake and now Chung have not made the Hall of Fame. Chung, in his 8th season, would tie Silo Chamberlin as the shortest Hall of Famer at 5-10 if he makes the Hall.

MOST ALL STAR GAME APPEARANCES
10-Uncle Bob Masterson
10-Momadou Zongo
9-Curly Hogbottom
8-Doug Fresh
8-Jonny Cockaroo
7-Boone Doggle
7-Rip Slamjam
7-Tommy Zoop
7-Cam Bodia
7-Marcus Pettis
7-Diamond Dallas Paige
7-Bill Rustler
7-Sagittal Occlusal
6-Soul Duran
6-Raisin Sport
6-Mable Reed
6-Link Lennex
6-Flash Cola
6-Doc Watson
6-Guru Gannon
6-Dolf Whizbang
6-Linus Mandrake
6-Ching-Chong Chung


* The East has won 21 games, the West has won 11, but the West has won 5 of the last 6

* The only former MVP of the All Star Game on either roster is Hall of Famer Cheetos Jones, who won the honor twice.

* There are 11 first-time All Stars, over half the field. Only one rookie made the team. Two oldest players are both in their 9th season.

* Conspicuous by his absence is Houston's Hrundi V. Bakshi, the league's other active Hall of Famer.

* Worthy players squeezed off the team: guard Bakshi of Houston (20.4)and forwards Nobby Nabob of Chicago (20.8) and Bruno Pantanal of Milwaukee (20.2)


MBA LOSING SOME SUPERB TALENT TO RETIREMENT

Retirement announcements hit the MBA with a force rarely seen in the past, including the biggest name of all, the enigmatic but unworldly talent, center Tom "The Bomb" Kondla of Dallas bowing out of the league after just six short seasons, five of which he totally dominated the position. Kondla, a shot-blocker and rebounder extraordinaire (to say nothing of his superb scoring ability) will undoubtedly retire and go straight to the Hall of Fame, despite his truncated career. Still, Dallas will not be without a nearly equal replacement in Max Payne, the 7-footer generally acknowledged to be the second best center in the league who has had to play the last three campaigns behind Kondla.
Twenty-two retirements means that the league will be losing 6 players next season in total volume (since 16 rookies enter every season).
But quality trumps volume in Season 33. Among the greats leaving the game will be:
* Defensive genius Cock A. Doodledoo, injured for the third time in his career this season
* Longtime quality power forward 6-11 Tug Hershorts, who was a part of so many championships.
* Sharpshooting guard Wes Montgomery, who exploded on the scene with consecutive scoring titles.
* A pair of shot-blocking wonders in Bisquero Cutoff and Kuch Kuch Hotahey
* And of course, Kondla
* The man who will go immediately to the very end of the retirement envelope, Jalapa Valley, who spent 16 years sweating to make the MBA, but instead took up the longest residence in history in the cut pile.

Only Philadelphia loses more than one starter.

THE MBA HALL OF FAME

MOST RECENT HALL OF FAMER


Six seasons and out for one of the greatest centers to ever grace a tabletop. Was All-MBA five consecutive years and closed out career with only MVP award of the regular season. Led league three times in blocked shots, including a record 59 in Season 31. Fits in Hall of Fame right behind center Rip Slamjam and guard Shucks Oyster. Ranks as 22nd best player all-time and fifth best center ever behind Diamond Dallas Paige, Jonny Cockaroo, Bill Rustler and Rip Slamjam.



ACTIVE HALL OF FAMERS



Bakshi currently ranks right behind Rip Slamjam and right in front of Shucks Oyster.
Jones currently ranks right behind Doug Fresh and right in front of Marshall Stax.

THE HONOR ROLL