Season 48 Featured Game No. 3...San Jose at Seattle

Seattle 79, San Jose 60 

Stampede throws hat into playoff ring

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Stampede declared itself a serious post-season contender with this big home win over the high-flying visitors from San Jose as they held the Fighting Amigos 33 points below their season average.

The final score was 79-60, and if there's a paraphrase to be used here for San Jose it's "If you live by the three, you die by the three." At game's end, the Stampede had tallied as many made treys as the Amigos, with 11 less attempts. 

San Jose made a giant third-quarter run to cut Seattle's lead from 15 to 2, but the home team finished that frame strong and were in control from then on. 

Both teams are now 2-1 on the season.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Low-key small forward REED LEMUR was brilliant for Seattle, dominating his man Vito Andolini with a game that included 19 points, 3 assists, a blocked shot and a game-high (tied) 6 rebounds. Lemur came into the contest with a 7.5 points per game average, but turned on his offensive juices going 7 for 12, including hitting his lone trey attempt and a perfect 4 for 4 from the foul line. 

Other 20-plus GVP performers

-- Seattle forward Reed Lemur won POG honors, but it was the Stampede's 6-10 rookie power forward Charles Broccoli who slammed the door on any ideas San Jose had on a comeback in the fourth quarter. Broccoli has been excellent for Seattle this season, and in the final quarter, he tallied 10 of his game-high 22 points to seal the deal. He added 2 rebounds to the mix. Enjoy him now Seattle fans, players like this usually opt for a short stay in the rainy Pacific Northwest.

-- San Jose's veteran power forward Eddie "the Milkman" Creamer was the best player on his team in this game, battling Seattle's new star with an outstanding game of his own. The 6-9, fourth-year man scored a team-high 21 points and tied for game-high in rebounds with 6. 

NEXT UP: Dallas (1-1) visits Charleston (0-2) to complete the back-to-back meetings between these teams. The Demons got a little more of a game than they expected in their first contest, won by Dallas 78-67 behind the POG of Meat Pants Masterson. It's the first home game of the year for Charleston.