The Championship Parade

As is the custom for every Charleston, West Virginia championship MBA team, the Season 36 version of the Mountaineers posed for a team picture, then paraded, naked, through the many coal mines in the area until they were clothed in coal dust.

It is a tradition they hope to repeat next season.

MBA SEASON 36 POST-SEASON REVIEW

**With its third MBA championship (others in Season 26 and 27), Charleston becomes Dave Masterson's most successful franchise. All three of their titles have come in the past 11 seasons.

**Charleston went from last (3-7 in Season 35)to first (7-3 in Season 36)on the wings of one of the best pre-season drafts in history. They picked up:
--Beezow Bop-Bop, who would be most responsible for the team's playoff success.
--Hall of Fame center Max Payne, who followed up a championship season with Oklahoma City the previous year by getting his second title ring in a row and third overall in this, his 11th season.
--B. Quiet, the Rookie of the Year for Charleston the previous campaign who entered the draft, then returned to his team.
--Jesus Moron Joseph, the most improved cut pile player was picked up in the secondary draft and became a valuable addition to the Mountaineers off the bench.
--Azher "the Amazer" Merchant returned to the squad and contributed mightily off the bench as a defensive guard, picking up his first award in a 10-season career.

**Even though T. Kanes Masterson of Houston was superb throughout the playoffs, leading everyone in scoring with 22.4 points per game, he was easily outdistanced by Beezow Bop-Bop of Charleston for MVP of the Playoffs. Bop-Bop, has had the potential to be one of the MBA's star players, but up until this playoff campaign, his three-season run has been rock solid but not spectacular. In fact, the championship ring and Playoff MVP awards will be the first to garnish his card. No, he has not even been a member of a mid-season All Star Team. Bop-Bop exploded this post season, taking over games and dominating them ... finishing second in scoring (18.9 points per game) setting a playoff assist record of 6 per game and leading everyone in blocked shots with 16 in addition to pulling down 3.4 rebounds per game.






**T.K. Masterson of Houston registered the third-highest scoring average ever in one post-season with his 22.4 per game. The only ones to score more in one post season were:
1. Dan Mann of Milwaukee, Season 11...27.6 per game
2. Cappy Gambol of Milwaukee, Season 3...23.0 per game







** The 83.3 points per game scoring average by Charleston is tied for the fourth highest average ever and it is the highest since Season 31 when Philadelphia racked up 83 points per game. The top playoff scoring teams ahead of (and tied with) Charleston are:
1. Milwaukee in Season 11...90.2
2. Milwaukee in Season 8....85.8
3. Milwaukee in Season 13...84.0
4. Philadelphia in Season 22...83.3
Charleston scored 74.8 per game in the regular season, third in the MBA and first in the East.






TUG HERSHORTS MAKES MBA HALL OF FAME




Three seasons after his retirement, Tug Hershorts has made the MBA Hall of Fame as chosen by the Veteran's Committee.
Since no player made the Hall based on 10 awards this season, the highest-rated 9-award player earns induction...that being Hershorts.
He is the 39th player inducted into the Hall of Fame and takes his spot as the 36th best player of all time, right after Bub Wright and just before Silo Chamberlin. He is the 8th player to gain the Hall via the Veteran's Committee rule.
He is the 14th forward to gain Hall of Fame status in league history and the first Hall of Fame member to have never achieved first-team All-MBA status in his career.
Hershorts played nine seasons in the MBA with three different franchises.
Although lacking in All-MBA stars, Hershorts is tied with fellow Hall of Famer Cam Bodia for having the most championship rings in history...6. He gained one as an important backup forward with the San Jose Fighting Amigos in that franchise's only title campaign, then won five in a row as a starter with the Philadelphia Phobia during that team's record-setting run. That five-year run began when Hershorts joined Philly and ended when he retired.
The 6-11 Hershorts has the distinction of having played both power forward and small forward with equal ability. He was a superb passer who led his team in assists twice. His versatility allowed Hershorts to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, free throwing and field goal percentage at various times in his career.
He is just the fifth lefty ever to gain the Hall.

CHARLESTON 78, HOUSTON 64
BOP-BOP LEADS CHARLESTON IN BLOWOUT FOR TITLE

HOUSTON -- Beezow Doo-Doo Zoppity Bop Bop-Bop completed one of the most memorable post-seasons in league annals with a triple-double, leading the Charleston Mountaineers to a 78-64 road win in Houston and the third MBA championship in franchise history.

Bop-Bop was magnificent for the third straight game in these finals, capturing his third consecutive MVP of the Game honor with a team-high 19 points, and game-highs in both rebounds (7) and assists (9). It was his fourth MVP of the Game honor this post-season and the triple-double was the only one registered by any player in this post-season.

T.Kanes Masterson was again spectacular for Houston in defeat, scoring a game-high 29 points from his shooting guard position.

Thanks to a 23-6 second quarter, advantage Charleston, this game was all but over at halftime. Leading 29-22 after a foul-plagued first quarter, Charleston ran off the first 10 points of the second quarter on the way to a 24-point lead at the mid-point.

The Mountaineers scored just 26 points in the entire second half and had three players foul out, but still won by 14. One of the three foul-outs was guard Chuckie "Swishcat" Sellegren, playing his final game for the Mountaineers. The shooting guard who could fill it up will be retiring, albeit, with a ring.

The Terrarium crowd watched in anguish for the second time in these finals as the visitors destroyed their young heroes.

In all, the two finalists played six times this season, with Charleston winning five.

NEXT UP; The Playoff recap and awards.

20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
--Bop-Bop, Chicago's point guard and shoo-in for Playoff MVP, could not be guarded again. His triple-double included a 2 for 3 day from beyond the arc, and his 9 assists were one shy of a playoff record. He also blocked yet another shot.
-- B. Quiet, the second-year power forward had 12 points, 5 rebounds, a steal, a blocked shot and an assist.
-- T.Kanes Masterson's 29 points included 9 for 12 from the field, 9 for 11 from the charity stripe and 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. He also pulled down a pair of rebounds. Masterson was a monster in this series.
-- Vic Hitler, the regular season MVP and Rookie of the Year had a steady, if not spectacular game with 11 points, 5 boards, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Season 36 Finals, Game 3...Houston at Charleston

HOUSTON 80, CHARLESTON 67
IGUANAS KEEP CHARLESTON CHAMPAGNE ON ICE

CHARLESTON -- The championship bubbly will have to wait.

The young Houston Iguanas, backs to the wall, responded in fine fashion in this elimination game on the road with a convincing 80-67 win. Led by their two All-MBA first team players, guard T. Kanes Masterson and rookie forward Vic Hitler, Houston overcame a bumpy first quarter, grabbed an 11-point halftime lead and never looked back.

The series now moves back to Houston with the Iguanas trailing 2 games to 1 and the Mountaineers still needing just one win to clinch the title.

The Houston win overshadowed yet another brilliant game by Charleston point guard Beezow Bop-Bop, who registered his second consecutive MVP of the Game effort and third of the playoffs. This was an even better game than Bop-Bop's previous effort, which drew raves. He lit up the Iguanas for 30 points, but got almost no help from anyone else on Charleston.

"They're going to make us earn this," said longtime Charleston coach Bill Rustler. "We can't expect to just throw our jock straps out there and win a championship. Hell, that's what it looked like we were doing on defense half the time tonight...just throwing jock straps at 'em."

Houston featured an all-rookie front line that included the first start for 6-8 first-year center Hodor, subbing for the injured Sanjay Patel. The big, bulking rook held his own against the Hall of Famer Max Payne, who for the second straight game, did little offensively.

20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
-- T. Kanes Masterson of Houston had yet another brilliant scoring game with 25 points, going 10 for 12 and slowing down not at all even with Bop-Bop switched over to guard him. He also had 5 boards, 2 assists and a steal.
-- Vic Hitler was not as prolific in scoring, but did get 13 points, 6 rebounds and a blocked shot for the victors.
-- Beezow Bop-Bop, playing the best ball of his three-season career, continued his dominating ways with a game-high 30 points, a game-high 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. That's a 40 GVP effort if you're scoring at home.

Season 36 Finals, Game 2...Charleston at Houston

CHARLESTON 84, HOUSTON 59
MOUNTAINEERS RUN ROUGHSHOD OVER HOUSTON TO TAKE COMMANDING 2-0 LEAD

HOUSTON -- The Charleston Mountaineers annihilated the home team Houston Iguanas 84-59 to go ahead 2-0 in the best of five finals and now stand on the doorstep of the first franchise championship since Season 27.

Led by Game MVP Beezow Bop-Bop, the visitors racked up a 30-point third quarter with a relentless attack and led by 17 going into the final stanza. This time, there would be no furious last-minute push by Houston, which was held to just 10 points in the last 70 time units.

The Charleston defense was withering throughout the contest. Only T. Kanes Masterson managed double figures for Houston, while the Mountaineers had four players with 10 or more points, including substitute guard Jesus Moron Joseph.

Vic Hitler, the MBA's regular season MVP, was in foul trouble from early in the second quarter on and was one of two Houston starters to foul out.

Additionally, the Iguanas' starting center, Sanjay Patel was injured badly in the second quarter and will be out the remainder of the series. He will be replaced on the roster by Zinon Sjef, although we know most MBA fans were hoping Pug Mahone would emerge from his long purgatory stint in the cut pile.

Charleston has now beaten Houston all four times the team has met this season, and one would assume the odds are long that Houston can win three straight. They will have to do so with a front line comprised entirely of rookies, which I believe is a first for any team.

20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
-- Beezow Bop-Bop dominated this contest for Charleston. In addition to scoring 19 points, the point guard dished out a game-high 7 assists, blocked a game-high 3 shots and registered a steal.
-- Second-year forward B. Quiet led the victors in scoring with 20 while pulling down 4 boards.
-- Quiet's running mate at the other forward, Buck Naked dominated the league MVP Vic Hitler with a 16-point game that included 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
-- T. Kanes Masterson led his team with 20 points and out-rebounded everyone from his guard position with 5 boards.

Season 36 MBA Finals...Game 1...Houston at Charleston

CHARLESTON 89, HOUSTON 87
MOUNTAINEERS STAVE OFF FURIOUS COMEBACK TO WIN GAME 1
CHARLESTON --- Mother of Mercy is no lead safe?

Winning by 14 going into the final quarter, the home team Charleston Mountaineers had the bejeezus scared out of them in the waning moments of this one and escaped with a two-point, 89-87 Game 1 victory.

Houston's 27-point fourth-quarter surge, led by Game MVP T. Kanes Masterson, cut the lead in half with 23 time units remaining. Masterson's 3-point play got the Iguanas to within 7 at that point, and a follow-up 3-point play by rookie forward Blue "Rondo" Alaturk put Houston within a very do-able 4 points of the lead with 16 time units remaining.

Moments later, Houston point guard Snarkey Comment fouled out, to be replaced by Hall of Famer Hrundi V. Bakshi, who promptly put the Iguanas on the scoreboard again with a short jumper that got them within two points with 7 remaining.

Charleston guard Beezow Bop-Bop then gave his team the breathing room they needed by canning a clutch medium jump shot to get his team back up by four points.

Hall of Fame center Max Payne of the Mountaineers then blocked a short jump shot by his counterpoint, Sanjay Patel, and by the time Houston got the ball back, only two time units remained. Masterson used them to score the last bucket of the contest and Charleston escaped with the important Game 1 win.

The Mountaineers were the ones on fire early on, going 12 for 13 in the first quarter to take a 28-17 lead as the home team fed Payne, their Hall of Fame pivot, repeatedly for a 10-point opening stanza.

It was apparent that the high-scoring Season 36 post season would continue early on. The first 13 shots of the game all went in, with Charleston hitting eight in a row and Houston five. But even with a first half that saw Charleston shoot 21 for 27, Houston stayed doggedly close, trailing just 47-42.

This game was a lot different than the last (and only other) time these franchises met in the finals in Season 26, when winning scores were mostly in the 60s and Charleston won its first title. (See blog entries from 2009).

Charleston pulled away in the third quarter with a 27-point barrage, and things seemed very much in hand until Houston came on like gangbusters to scare the hell out of the home team before finally bowing.

It was the third victory by Charleston over Houston this season against no losses, but easily the closest of the three.

The teams now go to The Terrarium where Houston hopes to even things up.

20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
-- All-MBA guard T. Kanes Masterson has not had big scoring games against Charleston this season, but took full advantage of the foul-prone Chuckie Sellegren to score a game-high 32 points on 12 of 13 shooting that eventually fouled Sellegren out. Masterson also had 3 boards and an assist, was a perfect 6 for 6 from the free-throw line and 2-for-2 from beyond the arc.
-- Houston was the only team in the league to have more than one All-MBA performer, and the other one, League MVP and Rookie of the Year forward Vic Hitler, provided the second blow in the 1-2 Houston punch in this one. Hitler had 21 points 2 rebounds, a steal and an assist.
-- Charleston point guard Beezow Bop-Bop was brilliant for the winners, getting 18 points, dishing a game-high 9 assists, blocking a game-high 3 shots and pulling down 3 rebounds.
-- Before finally fouling out, Charleston shooting guard Chuckie "Swishcat" Sellegren contributed 17 points, 4 rebounds and an assist.
-- Hall of Fame Charleston center Max Payne was again outstanding, especially early. The big 7-footer abused Sanjay Patel for a 20-point first half on the way to a 26-point game. The 11th season vet led everyone in rebounding with 6 and blocked one very important Patel shot late.
-- Second-year forward Buck Naked of Charleston battled counterpart Vic Hitler tooth and nail, putting together a huge 18-point game that included a trio of high-flying dunks, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

Game 3 Round 1 Season 36 MBA Playoffs--Houston at Oklahoma City

HOUSTON 89, OKLAHOMA CITY 75

IGUANAS' FRONT-LINE FIREPOWER TOO MUCH FOR LARIATS
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Houston Iguanas used three 20-point games from its front line to overwhelm the defending champion Oklahoma Lariats on their own home court, 89-75, sending the visitors into the MBA finals for the third time in the last four seasons.
Rookie forwards Vic Hitler (27 points) and Blue "Rondo" Alaturk (24 points) were joined by veteran Houston center Sanjay Patel (21 points)on the way to victory. Hitler, the league's leading scorer and MVP, who had been shackled by Oklahoma City's Abe Binder in the first two games of the series, went off for 27 points, with 20 coming in the first half. Alaturk was almost as brilliant as the rookie pair led a second-quarter surge that gave the Iguanas an eight-point lead at the break that they would never relinquish. All three of Alaturk's 3-pointers came in the second quarter.
The three-game scoring outburst from Houston included point totals of 81, 85 and 89 points for an average of 85 per game against the team that led the MBA in defense during the regular season, yielding just 68.8 per contest.
Things went south for Oklahoma City early in the second quarter when two early forced rest rolls both went against the home team, putting both starting guards on the bench for a vast majority of the quarter. But, truth be told, even at full strength the Lariats did not outscore Houston in the second half.

20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
-- Houston center Sanjay Patel had 21 points, 3 rebounds, an assist and 3 blocked shots.
-- Houston rookie forward Blue "Rondo" Alaturk erupted for 24 points, grabbed 2 boards, dished out 3 assists and blocked 3 shots.
-- Houston rookie forward Vic Hitler had his best game of the series, leading everyone in both scoring (27 points) and rebounds (6) while dishing out 3 assists.
-- Point guard Walt White of Oklahoma City had 18 points, 5 rebounds and one assist.
-- Shooting guard Lemon Jell-o of Oklahoma City had 16 points, a game-high 3 steals, one assist and one blocked shot.
-- Rookie forward Reckless Abandon of Oklahoma City led his team in scoring with 21 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and registered one steal.


FINALS MATCHES TWO TEAMS FROM THE EAST
The finals will feature Charleston and Houston, both East Division teams. The Mountaineers swept the Iguanas 2-0 during the regular season, winning in Houston 84-72 (with Houston's Vic Hitler the Game MVP) and 81-64 in Charleston in the last regular season game (with Charleston's Beezow Bop-Bop Game MVP).
This will be the second time the two franchises have met in the MBA finals. Charleston won the first meeting in Season 26 3 games to 2 to capture the first championship in team history. Hall of Fame center Jonny Cockaroo of Charleston was the Playoff MVP.
Houston is shooting for its fifth MBA title, having last won it all in Season 34.
Charleston is seeking its third title, with its last coming in Season 27.

Round 1, Deciding Game 3 Seattle at Charleston Season 36

CHARLESTON 110, SEATTLE 79

RECORD-SETTING PERFORMANCE PUTS CHARLESTON INTO THE FINALS

CHARLESTON -- The Charleston Mountaineers, led for the second game in a row by Hall of Fame center Max Payne, scored a playoff-record 110 points to move past the young Seattle Stampede 110-79 and into the MBA Finals.

The Mountaineers' output eclipsed the 106 points scored by Milwaukee over Dallas in Season 6, a full 30 seasons earlier. This was the first 100-point game for any team in Season 36.

The 7-foot tall, 11th-season veteran Payne may have yielded his All-MBA position to rookie upstart Dis Reflexia of Seattle this season, but the Hall of Famer rose to the challenge in the post-season to outplay his younger foe. Payne, looking to get his third ring for his third different franchise and his second in as many seasons, led everyone in scoring (24 points), rebounds (7) and tied for most blocked shots with Reflexia (3).

Shooting 71.2 percent as a team, the Mountaineers put the game well out of reach by halftime, where they led 60-35. They scored 30 points in each of the first three quarters before settling for 20 in the final quarter on the way to the record.

Charleston last appeared in the MBA Finals in Season 31 when they took a great Philadelphia squad to the five-game limit before bowing. The Mountaineers now await the winner of Game 3, Houston at Oklahoma City, to determine their Finals opponent.

20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
-- Shut out in the first half due mainly to foul trouble, Seattle's rookie guard Wimsy Greenfoyle finished with 17 points, 1 rebound and 2 assists.
-- Beezow Bop-Bop, point guard supreme for Charleston, had 21 points, led everyone with 5 assists, grabbed 2 rebounds and blocked 2 shots before fouling out.
-- Chucky "Swishcat" Sellegren of Charleston averaged 20 points per game in round one of the playoffs, finishing with 20 in Game 3, grabbing 2 rebounds and assisting twice.
-- Hall of Fame center Max Payne of Charleston had 24 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 3 blocked shots in his MVP of the Game performance...his second in a row.
-- Second-season Charleston forward Buck Naked enjoyed an 18-point game in which he grabbed 2 rebounds and dished out 3 assists. He was unreasonably smoking from 3-Point Land with a 4 for 5 day beyond the arc. Naked had just 1 trey all season long during the regular campaign.