LARIATS SHOCK, DOMINATE MOUNTAINEERS AGAIN
CHARLESTON -- The Oklahoma City Lariats are threatening to run the playoff table for the second straight year, already turning the once-favored Charleston Mountaineers into Finals underdogs by dealing them a 94-82 Game 2 drubbing.
The win, the 13th consecutive victory for Benny Gumm's Oklahoma City charges, puts them one victory away from the third franchise championship and its second in a row.
Once again former teammates Yipeekayee Masterfalcon of the Lariats and Hall of Famer Naf Naf of the Mountaineers were keys to the game, with the former luring his point guard opposite into constant foul trouble. Without Naf, Oklahoma City took a comfortable 13-point lead into the final stanza, and even the Hall of Fame guard's 13-point final quarter could not get his team within shouting distance.
"We will just have to change gears," said the frustrated Charleston coach, Bill Rustler, following the game. "For the first time in his career we're going to switch Naf Naf to the two guard to hopefully keep him out of foul trouble. And maybe Bop-Bop can slow down Masterfalcon. He's killing us."
PLAYER OF GAME
Now a strong candidate for Playoff MVP, retiring Oklahoma City point guard YIPEEKAYEE MASTERFALCON notched his third POG of the playoffs and his second consecutive POG in the Finals, out-doing his Game 1 31-point effort with a 33-point performance. Again the high scorer, Masterfalcon was 12 for 19 from the field, dropping in 7 3s in 11 attempts and keeping Naf on the bench in foul trouble. He added 2 rebounds and 5 assists. A ring and a playoff MVP will send him off to retirement with 10 lifetime honors and a Hall of Fame berth.
OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMERS
-- Second-year shooting guard Akbar Zagobia of Oklahoma City, obtained in a pre-season trade with Los Angeles, registered the first triple-double of his young career with a 17-point, 6-rebound, 6-assist performance. The 6-4 guard led everyone in rebounds and led his team in assists. He also added one steal.
-- The other key addition to the Lariats team, power forward Pap Smearz, was outstanding as well, with 21 points, 5 rebounds, 1 blocked shot, 1 steal and 1 assist.
-- Oklahoma City's other forward, Sloppy Dollop, put up 15 points, grabbed 4 boards, blocked 1 shot and had 1 assist.
-- Despite spending an interminable time on the bench, Charleston Hall of Fame guard Naf Naf finished with a team-high 29 points, matching Masterfalcon's 7 treys, and adding 2 rebounds and 1 assist.
-- Charleston's two-guard, Beezow Bop-Bop had a bad shooting game, scoring just 8 points, but he led everyone in assists with 7 and tied for the most blocked shots in the game with 2, also pulling down 3 rebounds.
-- Charleston forward Pietro Destroyer scored 13 points, had 4 boards, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 steal.
-- A Charleston first-team all-timer, retiring forward B. Quiet may have played his last game before the home fans. If so, he went out strong with 18 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist.
NEXT UP: Can the Oklahoma City Lariats win their 14th consecutive game and match the all-time mark of 14-1 for the season as owned by Season 34's Houston Iguanas? They will attempt to do so in front of their home fans at The Bunkhouse.
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