DALLAS AND BOOGART PUT GALE IN GAME 1 CHOKE HOLD
DALLAS -- The Dallas Demons, led by All-MBA forward Matthew Vanden Boogart, overcame a rough first quarter and dominated the visiting Gale of Chicago 66-58 to capture the opening game of the Season 38 MBA playoffs.
Chicago totally controlled the initial period of play, leading 20-13 at the first break. But the home team Demons outscored the Gale 23-6 in the second quarter, leading to a 10-point halftime lead they never relinquished.
Sixth-season small forward Matthew Vanden Boogart, who scored 11 of his team's 13 first-quarter points, led the decisive second-quarter charge with 11 more points. And Dallas, the league's leading rebounding team began controlling the boards.
Baskets were hard to come by in this contest, which is to be expected when the No. 1 and No. 2 defensive teams in the league lock horns. But the 17-2 outburst by Dallas to start the second quarter was all the eventual winners needed to put the game in the win column. Chicago got within five points in the third quarter, but no closer.
It's obvious that Boogart was the difference-maker in the outcome. Matched up with the previous season's All-MBA forward and the man he bested for this year's team, Art Vandelay, Boogart dominated. He went 14 of 15 from the floor, with his only miss of the game a 3-pointer.
The teams travel to Chicago for Game 2, which, in this best of three first-round, is always an elimination game.
20-plus GVP performances
-- Pap Smearz, Chicago's power forward subbing for the injured Stu Gatz, had the best game of all the Gale players with a team-high 15 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal.
-- Lapiz Lapiz Boligrafo, Dallas' point guard subbing for the injured Bootlace Barnaby, put in 15 points, had 2 rebounds, 2 assists and a game-high 2 steals. He was, however, 6 of 19 from the field, going 0 for 6 from beyond the arc.
-- MATTHEW VANDEN BOOGART continued his remarkable season with a 30-point MVP performance. Dominant on the scoreboard, the 6-7 veteran was just as impressive on the backboards, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds. He was 1 for 1 from the free throw line and also added an assist.
NEXT UP: Oklahoma City (7-3) at Philadelphia (7-3) in a rematch of last season's first-round upset won by Philly.
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