Dallas 57, Oklahoma City 56
DEMONS' COMEBACK STUNS OKLAHOMA CITY
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Dallas Demons came all the way back from a 22-6 first-quarter deficit to beat the two-time defending champion Oklahoma City Lariats 57-56 before a thoroughly stunned home crowd.
After losing semifinals contests by five and one point to this same team last season, the Demons looked totally outmatched in the first quarter of this season's playoff opener. Oklahoma City's No. 1-rated defense was dominant, holding the visitors to a measly 6 points while the Lariats fired off 22 of their own. It looked like game over.
But Dallas chipped away at the lead for the next three quarters as the Lariats, who shot just 40.7 percent for the game, could not buy a bucket.
A 4-point play by Dallas guard Bingo Bango brought the Demons to within 2 in the third quarter, 40-38, and they tied the game early in the fourth quarter 43-43 on a drive by Matthew Vanden Boogart.
When Dallas' All-MBA forward Gulemon Mon-Mon hit a cold-blooded 3-pointer with 25 time units remaining, it gave his team their first lead of the contest 55-52. Mon-Mon's short jumper moments later increased the advantage to five.
The final moments went like this:
-- Sloppy Dollop of Oklahoma City blocked two consecutive "good" shots down low by Boogart, but Dallas still led 57-54 with 9 ticks left.
-- Oklahoma City point guard Ginger Vampire missed a medium shot but was fouled in the act by Bango who fouled out of the game. With 7 left, Vampire made both charity tosses and the Dallas lead was now 57-56.
-- Boogart launched a trey that was way off, Max Payne of the Lariats grabbed the rebound, and with 3 time units remaining, Oklahoma City was set up to win the game.
-- Dollop, who has been missing this shot the entire game, delivered a "good" short jumper, but Boogart force missed it with a game-saving defensive play. Mon-Mon grabbed the rebound for Dallas and the upset was complete.
Now, down 1 game to zero, Oklahoma City must win two in a row, the first coming on the Dallas home court, or be eliminated.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Despite having a bad shooting day, Oklahoma City forward SLOPPY DOLLOP gets the POG nod. The third-year man led the Lariats in scoring with 14 points, despite going just 5 for 15 from the field. Three of those five field goals were slam-dunks on tip-ins. He was 4 for 4 from the foul line. The 6-7 Dollop pulled down 6 rebounds, blocked a game-high 3 shots, dished 2 assists and registered 1 steal.
Other 20-plus GVP performer
-- Second-year shooting guard Bingo Bango scored 14 points despite fouling out, grabbed 5 rebounds, had 1 assist and 1 steal.
NEXT UP: The Charleston Mountaineers look for their 12th consecutive win as they travel to Seattle in an attempt to eliminate the Stampede. Charleston leads the best of 3 series 1-0 after winning 102-92 in Game 1 at home.
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