Season 47 Playoff Semifinals Game 1...Milwaukee at Sacramento

Sacramento 83, Milwaukee 77

R-Dogs hold upset-minded Greyhounds at bay

 SACRAMENTO -- The favored Sacramento River Dogs withstood a first-quarter barrage from visiting Milwaukee, then used their usual offensive balance to slowly take control of the game, coming away with an 83-77 Game 1 victory in this best of three semifinals. 

Milwaukee, making its first playoff appearance in seven seasons, got off to a rousing start, led by an 11-point first quarter from center Sabado Gigante to take a 23-14 advantage. 

Sacramanto came back strong in the second quarter to take the lead, but the Greyhounds were still in the game at crunch time, trailing by just five points with 18 time units remaining in the contest. 

Both teams shot over 60 percent for the game, with Milwaukee scoring at a 61.8 percent clip despite Lannigan Lord Hobo going just 2 for 10; while the victors from Sacramento shot 63.3 percent, with all five starters scoring between 14 and 19 points and each taking between 10 and 13 shots each.

POINTS PREVENTED BY QUARTERS

Milwaukee.....2...4...2...0 Total=8

Sacramento ...0...4...2...2 Total=8

Top players, points prevented

3 tied with 4 points prevented each: Tree Fiddy and Doo-rag Dripp of Sacramento and Sabado Gigante of Milwaukee.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Milwaukee's team MVP during the regular season, center SABADO GIGANTE, was a handful all game for the Sacramento River Dogs, especially in the first quarter when his 11 points got his team a 9-point lead. Gigante and Tree Fiddy of Sacramento knocked heads all night, with the 6-9 Gigante scoring a game-high 22 points, pulling down a team-high (tied) 5 rebounds, adding 1 assist and his team's lone steal while blocking 1 shot. His 4 points prevented tied for the most in the game. The fourth-season pivot, who came to Milwaukee in a trade with Charleston, was 9 for 13 from the floor, going 2 for 3 from beyond the arc (the same numbers he posted during the regular season) and showing off his array of dunks (4) around the hoop. He was also 2 for 2 from the foul line.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

-- Sacramento point guard Great Gruncle Terry started at the two but was soon switched back, and the league's top assist man distributed a game-high 7 helpers in the win while scoring 14 points to boot.

-- Terry's running mate at guard Potus Obama contributed 17 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and a game-high 2 steals (he led the league in that department again this season) in a strong showing for the River Dogs.

-- Longtime R-Dogs center Tree Fiddy answered the Gigante challenge with 16 points, a game-high 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 blocked shot, while tying for most points prevented. The home team went to him down low numerous times in the home stretch and he answered every time. 

-- Retiring 11-season veteran Pap Smearz led his Sacramento team with 19 points while pulling down 4 rebounds.

-- Second-year forward Wardy Joubert III had a fine game at the small forward position for the Greyhounds, scoring 18 points and tying for team-high in rebounds with 5. He also hit a desperation full-court trey to end the game. 

NEXT UP: Game 1 of the other Semifinals, with Los Angeles (8-2) traveling to unbeaten Dallas (10-0).  They did not meet in the regular season. The game features the top two MVP finishers -- Hall of Fame winner Chip Battoe of Dallas and the league's top scorer, Dr. Marcus Brody of L.A. The Big One beat Dallas in the semis two seasons ago on the way to the championship in a thrill-packed 2 of 3 first-round win that concluded with an over time win in which both teams hit triple digits in scoring.

RANDOM MBA FACTS: 

Although it will not garner an award on the player's card, we have started naming the Most Improved Player beginning with this season. Potatoes O'Gratin, the top 3-point shooter in the league and Seattle's team MVP and top scorer, capped this season's initial honor.

Half of the playoff coaches are rookies at their position, the two being Naf Naf for Milwaukee and Naceg Gecan for Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Dallas' head man Country Slaughter has never been replaced since coaches were first installed 31 seasons ago. He is, obviously, the longest tenured coach in the MBA. Sacramento's Frankie Pantangeli is in his 9th season at the helm.

No team has ever had more than two Mastersons on their roster simultaneously until this season's Dallas team. The defending champions have starters Meat Pants Masterson and Tiger Masterson as well as substitute forward Goodbar "Muddy" Masterson.

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