OKLAHOMA CITY--The Oklahoma City Lariats, getting good help from their bench, took Game 1 of this best of three series against the Chicago Gale, delighting the home crowd with a solid 73-65 victory.
The Lariats got 10 points, 3 steals, 3 blocked shots, 3 assists and a pair of rebounds from off the pines. Leading the way was 6-9 third-year center Phuc Mailife, who was on the roster only because starter Achilles Heel was injured and on the court for much of the game because Kevin Mickle was in foul trouble and eventually fouled out. Mailife, a cut pile project, had never scored in the MBA, taking just one shot in the one game he played. But in this important playoff contest, he was 3 for 5 from the floor for 6 points, including a slam dunk on his first shot, while chipping in with a rebound, an assist and a pair of steals, the second one coming in the fourth quarter when Chicago had cut a 10-point lead down to 6. Seldom-used forward Gabba Penton also contributed an assist, a steal and two blocked shots while long-timers Gulemon Mon-Mon and Tubes Mullard played tough in limited action.
Power forward Abe Binder topped the Lariats in scoring and rebounds with 18 and 7, respectively, while point guard Walt White added 16 as the home team shot 57.4 percent for the game while keeping the Gale shooters to 44.2 percent.
Beezow Doo-Doo Zopitty Bob Bop-Bop, the Chicago rookie who played a huge role in getting the Gale to the playoffs for the first time in 17 seasons, had a nightmare shooting game in his first post-season effort. Bop-Bop went 2 for 13 from the field, including 0 for 7 from behind the arc.
The visitors got an MVP of the Game performance from guard Didger A'doo, who led everyone in scoring with 23 points, and center Wayan Garuda, who had 16.
Chicago, the best free-throw-shooting team in the league, also hung around because they were 15 for 17 from the charity stripe, compared to 5 for 6 for the Lariats.
"Beezow Doo-Doo Zopitty Bob Bop-Bop feels really horrible about his performance," said Chicago head coach Uncle Bob Masterson, but his remarks fell on deaf ears since deadline-conscious reporters could not wait for Masterson to complete his rookie guard's name.
Had they stayed, they would have heard the coach wonder aloud about flipping the guard positions for Game 2 in Chicago, which is now a do-or-die affair for the Gale.
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