AT LONG LAST, FIGHTING AMIGOS EARN TRIP TO FINALS
SAN JOSE -- Close friends are punching each other in the face tonight in San Jose in an expression of joy that would be unexplainable elsewhere.
The Fighting Amigos are going back to the MBA Finals for the first time in 14 seasons after besting the Chicago Gale 83-71 in the deciding Game 3 of this hard-fought semifinals.
They finally got over the hump.
This will be the fifth time San Jose has reached the finals, and it will be the first time the Fighting Amigos will appear in the championship series without the best player in their history, Saggital Occlusal, who led the team to its lone title in his rookie season and into the Finals three more times before hanging up the proverbial index card jockstrap.
Points Prevented Per Quarter
Chicago 0 - 3 - 0 - 2 Total=5
S. Jose 4 - 2 - 4 - 4 Total=14
Top Individuals in Points Prevented
1. Dayshotta Leo, San Jose 4
2. Santo Thomas, Chicago 3
(6 tied with 2)
PLAYER OF GAME
After popping in a trey on the first time unit of the game, San Jose shooting guard DAYSHOTTA LEO went on to a huge Player of the Game performance that spurred his club to victory and into the MBA Finals. The 6-5, five-season veteran tied for top scoring honors in the game, scoring 22 points on 10 of 14 shooting, including 1 for 1 from beyond the arc and 1 for 1 at the foul stripe. Leo also led his team with 5 rebounds, tied for game-high in steals with 2 thefts and tied for game-high in blocked shots with 3 while registering the highest number of points prevented in the game. He totally dominated Norman Conquest. Some question Leo's shady past, but this dry cleaning delivery boy came up huge in this big game.
Other 20-plus GVP performers
-- Battling foul trouble all game long as well as the defensive efforts of Chicago's King Schmeckpepr, All-MBA center Hunk R. Down of San Jose still made a big impact in the clincher. Down scored 16 points, grabbed 3 boards, had 1 steal, 1 assist and 1 blocked shot to help get his team into the finals.
-- San Jose small forward Mike Hunt stepped in for the injured Blue "Rondo" Alaturk early in the season and has been a huge contributor throughout the campaign. In this game he scored 12 points, had 3 boards, 3 assists and tied for most blocked shots with 3.
-- You can't ask too much more of the royal pivot, King Schmeckpeper, who stepped in for the injured Yo Noid and played the post like a mighty mighty monarch. The 6-11 Schmeckpepr scored 18 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, had 1 steal and 1 assist while battling a pair of All-MBA opponents.
-- With fellow forward Pietro Destroyer out with injury, Chicago needed a big game from power forward Bill Cull, and they got it. The 6-8 Cull hit from medium, short and low all game long to finish tied with Leo for top scoring honors with 22. He also pulled down 3 boards and had 1 assist.
NEXT UP: The Finals
The best in the West faces the Beast from the East as San Jose (8-2, 2-1) travels to Philadelphia (9-1, 2-0) to take on the favored Phobia. The teams did not meet during the regular season. They feature the top two defensive teams in the MBA, with the Phobia yielding just 67 points per game and San Jose giving up just 71.2. San Jose is the league's top rebounding team, with Philly ranking third. Philadelphia scored 75.2 per game (7th) while San Jose averaged 77.6 (third). Both teams were 8-0 in their respective divisions.
These two franchises have met twice before in the MBA finals...in Season 29 when the Phobia won in five games and again the following season, with Philly outlasting the Amigos 3 games to 1.
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