SACRAMENTO 80, CHARLESTON 67
RIVER DOGS ADVANCE TO SHOWDOWN
SACRAMENTO -- Unbeaten in front of their home crowd this season, the Sacramento River Dogs shot out of the gate with an 11-2 run and were never seriously headed, advancing to the MBA Finals for the second time in the last three seasons.
POINTS PREVENTED BY QUARTERS
Charleston...4...4...2...2 Total=12
Sacramento.5...7...2...0 Total=14
TOPS IN POINTS PREVENTED
1. Pap Smearz, Sacramento...6
1. J.J. Gargantuan, Charleston...6
3. Flip Testerton, Charleston...4
TURNOVERS CAUSED BY QUARTERS
Charleston...0...1...3...0 Total=4
Sacramento.2...4...2...0 Total=8
TOPS IN TURNOVERS CAUSED
1. Tree Fiddy, Sacramento...4
2. Potus Obama, Sacramento 2
2. J.J. Gargantuan, Charleston 2
GAME TIDBITS
-- Coach Frankie Pantangeli of Sacramento made no substitutions during the game. All five starters went the distance.
-- Charleston went without a free throw the entire game. In fact, only one free throw was made by either team.
-- This was the last game in the careers of Charleston players Lapiz Lapiz Boligrafo and Flip Testerton, who both bowed out with very good games.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
The heart of the River Dogs, third-year point guard GREAT GRUNCLE TERRY was not about to let his club down in this decisive third game of the Semis. The 6-5 Terry was magnificent, capturing his second POG of the playoffs with the fourth triple-double of his career, which he secured by the third quarter. He scored 15 points on 7 of 8 shooting (1 for 2 from deep), tied for game-high in rebounds with 7, racked up a game-high 9 assists (one short of the playoff record), blocked a team-high 2 shots and had 1 steal. Going into the Finals, Terry is averaging a triple-double
OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMERS
-- Shooters shoot, and Sacramento two-guard Potus Obama has never been shy about letting it fly. After a horrendous shooting night in Game 2, Obama remained unbowed and cranked up 19 shots, good for a game-high 21 points in this series-clinching win. He also pulled down 4 boards, had 2 assists and exated revenge on his opposite, Cat Timol with a dominant performance. He also finished second in the game in defensive turnovers.
-- Wily old veteran Sacramento forward Pap Smearz came through with a 19-point game that included 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 blocked shot and 6 points prevented, which tied his teammate Gargantuan for game-high.
-- Sacramento's small forward Doo-rag Dripp had a solid 16-point game that included 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 blocked shot.
-- Charleston point guard Lapiz Lapiz Boligrafo ended his 10-season run with a flourish, scoring a team-high (tied) 14 points, dishing out a team-high 6 rebounds and pulling down 2 rebounds. He will be tough for the Mountaineers to replace.
-- Hall of Fame Charleston center J.J. Gargantuan was on the wrong side of victory but had a fine post-season. He dominated Sacramento center Tree Fiddy all series long. In this game he tied for top-scorer on his team with 14 points, blocked a game-high 3 shots, tied for most points prevented in the game and was second in turnovers caused, pulled down 6 rebounds, had 2 assists and registered 1 steal.
-- Saying good-bye to the MBA, freak 6-5 rebounding genius Flip Testerton fittingly went out with a game-high (tied) 7 rebounds, scoring 12 points, finishing third in points prevented, blocking 1 shot and getting 1 assist. He earned his second All-MBA foil star this season, and like Boligrafo, will be a bitch to replace in the lineup.
NEXT UP: THE FINALS
Dallas vs. Sacramento (first game in Sacramento) may be the most highly anticipated Finals series in the 46-season history of the MBA. It was apparent early on that these two squads were on a collision course for the championship.
-- both teams ended the regular season on top of their divisions with 9-1 records
-- Dallas is the No. 1 scoring team in the league, while Sacramento is the top defensive team. Dallas is fourth in the league defensively while Sacramento is second in the MBA offensively.
-- Neither team played the other during the regular season, making the Finals all-the-more intriguing.
-- Dallas ran through its first-round opponent like crap through a goose. Sacramento stumbled to its second loss against a tougher Semifinals foe, then steadied itself to advance with a flourish.
-- The most recent confrontation of powerhouses like this was in Season 41 when the defending champions from Oklahoma City came into the playoffs with a 9-1 record and met Charleston and former teammate Naf Naf in the Finals. The Mountaineers were 8-2 entering the post-season. Both teams went unbeaten in the Semifinals. Hall of Fame guard Yipeekayee Masterfalcon of Oklahoma City had his brightest moments to capture the Playoff MVP, leading his club to its second straight title 3 games to 1. But those were both Dave teams.
-- Sacramento's Season 15 team, just its sixth season in existence, went a remarkable 9-1 largely through the efforts of league MVP Frankie Pantangeli, the coach of the current River Dogs team. (I will give you a Cheroot if you can name even one other player from that team). They were matched against the league's dominant team at the time, 9-1 Philadelphia, which, behind Hall of Famer Stu Nod, dispatched them three straight in the finals as expected. That was a Dave team against a Tyler team.
-- To find the most recent example of two outstanding teams, one by each league owner, you have to go back to Season 13 when Oklahoma City and Milwaukee, both 9-1 during the regular season, met up in the Finals. The Lariats returned to the championship series from the previous year when they lost in five games to Houston. They upended a strong Philadelphia team in round 1 of the playoffs, but lost Hall of Fame center Diamond Dallas Paige for the remainder of the run. Meanwhile, Milwaukee presented Hall of Famers Dan Mann, Marshall Stax (who had played for OKC the previous season), Raisin Sport and Rip Slamjam. Still, Oklahoma City, behind Playoff MVP Streetcar Johnny Masterson, took the series to the five game limit before getting blown away 92-56 in the last game.
This Season 46 Finals is tough to predict, with two teams of definite championship caliber. I give a slight edge, based on their Semifinals performance, to Dallas, which is looking for its fourth title and first since Season 28.
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