SEATTLE -- The Seattle Stampede, the MBA's youngest team, will be heading for the Season 37 Finals following its 2-0 sweep of the defending champion Charleston Mountaineers.
The Stampede, led by the remarkable second-year pivot Dis Reflexia, destroyed Charleston before the Seattle hometown crowd 86-67, rushing out to an 8-0 lead and never letting the Mountaineers back into the game. In doing so, Seattle out-rebounded the Mountaineers 31 to 10. The home team set the dominating tone in the first half, out-rebounding Charleston 20 to 5. It was so ridiculous that Seattle's rookie point guard, the 5-11 Bob Kittle, tied the entire Charleston team in first half boards.
The three rookie amigos from last season's playoff team led the way for Seattle again, with Reflexia (24 points), forward Sven Marquardt (22 points) and shooting guard Wimsy Greenfoyle (16 points) leading the way.
This marks the first time since Season 28 that the Stampede has advanced to the championship round. In that season, Seattle came within one victory of winning the first MBA title in team history. They also came within one win of the title in Season 14. They are the only Tyler franchise without a championship and the only original MBA team without one. Seattle and Sacramento are the only two franchises without a title.
The Stampede, which will be in its fifth Finals, awaits the winner of the Oklahoma City vs. Philadelphia semifinal, which Oklahoma City leads 1-0.
20-plus GVP performances
-- Charleston point guard Jesus Moron Joseph had another good game, netting 17 points, assisting 3 times, grabbing 2 boards and registering 1 steal before fouling out again.
-- Charleston shooting guard Beezow Bop-Bop had 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and led everyone with 2 blocked shots.
-- Mountaineers power forward B. Quiet led his team in scoring with 18, pulling down 2 rebounds and getting 1 assist.
-- "The Pocket Pivot," 6-7 Seattle center Dis Reflexia, took full advantage of the absent-by-injury Hall of Famer Max Payne of Charleston. Reflexia led everyone in scoring with 24 points, tying a playoff record with a perfect 12 for 12 shooting night. (The record was set way way back in Season 12 by Hall of Famer Mable Reed of Milwaukee against Oklahoma City.) Reflexia also topped everyone in assists with 4. Payne's 6-11 substitute, Shits McGriddle, had no defense for Reflexia, who scored on a variety of moves in the lane and around the bucket.
-- Shooting guard Wimsy Greenfoyle of Seattle had 16 points, despite being guarded by Bop-Bop. He also contributed 8 boards to the cause, while dishing out 2 assists.
-- Seattle's power forward Sven Marquard matched his 22-point total from the first playoff game, pulled down 5 rebounds, dished out 1 assist and registered 1 steal.
NEXT UP: Oklahoma City travels to Philadelphia, the city of championships, with eyes on ousting the Phobia. The Lariats lead the series 1-0.
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