Semifinals Game 2 Dallas at Chicago

Chicago 71, Dallas 62

CHICAGO DEFENSE COMES UP BIG TO TIE SERIES

CHICAGO -- This best of three semifinal will go the distance, with the Chicago Gale evening up the series 1-1 with a hard-fought 71-62 home victory.
Entering the final quarter, Chicago had things pretty much in hand, thanks to a defensive mindset that held the visitors to just 46.4 percent shooting for the game and a first-quarter injury to Dallas All-MBA forward Gulemon Mon-Mon that put him out for the rest of the game.
Despite the fact that the worst shooter on the Gale, Poppy Poppalucco, took 19 shots, Chicago was able to hold off a charge led by Dallas' Lemon Jell-o, which cut the deficit from 17 to 6 with 27 time units remaining.
So the series finale will take place in the home of the Demons, with the home team each winning the first two games.
Fasten your seat belts.

20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
-- LEMON JELL-O, the top Dallas scorer all season, was stymied offensively in this series by Poppy Poppalucco of Chicago until the Demons' Lapiz Lapiz Boligrafo fouled out with 61 time units left in the game. Then Jell-o moved to the point guard spot and wreaked near-havoc on the Gale. Eleven of his team-high 17 points came in the fourth as the Demons outscored Chicago 24-16 to put a matinee horror-film scare into the Gale fans. Jell-o also led his team with 6 rebounds, adding 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 blocked shot to his final numbers.
-- Hall of Famer Max Payne, Chicago's center, contributed 15 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocked shots to the victory, with many of those points coming in the final period. He was 7-for-7 from the floor.
-- Second-year Chicago forward Pap Smearz followed up his 7-rebound performance of Game 1 with a game-high 10-rebound effort in this one. He also had 9 points, 2 assists and 1 blocked shot.
-- Chicago's small forward Art Vandelay topped the victors in scoring with 21 points, grabbing 4 rebounds in the process.

NEXT UP: Philadelphia, down 1-0 in the best-of-three, looks to ward off elimination as it travels to Oklahoma City. It must be pointed out that the Phobia was down 1-0 to this same team last season in the first round before winning the last two to advance to the Finals.