Charleston 61, Oklahoma City 47
CHARLESTON STAYS ALIVE IN ODEROUS AFFAIR
CHARLESTON -- This was not the kind of playoff professionalism Charleston fans remembered when they last saw their team in the post-season three campaigns ago. At that time, the high-flying Mountaineers had just completed a 10-0 sweep of Season 42 and were on their way to a 5-1 playoff record and the MBA title. This win, with the victor shooting merely 45.8 percent, hardly resembled that legendary team, but they did handily secure the 61-47 victory to push the Semifinals to a third, decisive game.
In doing so, Charleston came within one rebound of tying a playoff record 34 rebounds set by Houston in Season 9 and tied again by Houston in Season 36. And they made Oklahoma City (38.9 percent shooting) look like the team everyone expected them to be at the start of the season when they were predicted to finish last.
The teams shot a combined 42.3 percent from the floor.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Embarrassed by Goodbar Masterson's Game 1 thrashing, Charleston forward FLIP TESTERTON led his man by the nose in this contest, holding him to just 4 points while scoring 16 of his own and matching his POG performance...and then some. Testerton hit the boards for 8 rebounds, had 1 steal and blocked 2 shots. He was 7 for 15 from the floor, including a pair of dunks and was 2 of 3 from the foul line, all the while snuffing the offensive life out of his opposite.
Other 20-plus GVP performers
-- Charleston guard Cat Timol took over the point position from the injured star Lapiz Lapiz Boligrafo and turned in a game-high 19-point performance. The 5-10 Timol wreaked havoc with rookie Flip Phelps, grabbing 5 rebounds and handing out 1 assist.
-- Charleston two guard Akbar Zagobia, the 6-4 roughneck defender, had little trouble handling 5-11 Hurricane Furrwizard. Zagobia doubled him in points with 12, snagged 6 boards and dished a game-high 4 assists.
-- Charleston power forward Frog Morton scored 12 points for the second straight game and hit the boards hard, tying for game-high with 10 caroms. He added 2 assists and 1 blocked shot.
-- After Charleston Hall of Famer J.J. Gargantuan got much the better of him in Game 1, Oklahoma City's 7-foot pivot Willie Carry McCoffee turned the tables and dominated Game 2. McCoffee had to earn all 12 of his points against his defensive-minded foe, but nearly stopped his opponent cold, holding him to 2 points and 1 of 8 shooting, tying Gargantuan for blocked shots with 3 each in the process. Additionally, the pride of the Lariats pulled down a game-high (tied) 10 rebounds and had 1 assist.
NEXT UP: Los Angeles, facing elimination, travels to Dallas with an added offensive weapon in guard Dr. Marcus Brody, who returns to the fold after a long 6-game injury. Will he be enough to keep the Big One's hopes alive?
No comments:
Post a Comment