Season 48 Featured Game No. 4...San Jose at Sacramento

Sacramento 100, San Jose 64

R-Dogs bark Amigos into submission

SACRAMENTO-- The Sacramento River Dogs (now 3-1) totally out-gunned and shut down a San Jose team that entered the game as the MBA's top scoring unit. The R-Dogs, boasting the league's best defense, had an answer for everything the visitors (now 2-2) threw at them, slaughter-ruling them 100-64.

Sacramento has now won the last 7 games in this rivalry.

PLAYER OF THE GAME 

Sixth-year forward JAMES "CHERRY CHALLENGE" PAYNE, the first new member of the Sacramento starting lineup in five seasons, got a rousing cheer from the Dog Pound fans when he calmly potted two free throws with no time left on the clock to give his team triple digits, the first and only team to reach 100 points this season. The 6-7 Payne, little brother of Hall of Fame center Max Payne, is getting his first opportunity to start this season after five years of coming off the pines. He was gorgeous this game, scoring a game-high 24 points on 10 of 12 shooting, including an accurate trey in his only such attempt. The 6-7 small forward was perfect from the foul line, going 3 for 3. A fine passer, Payne led everyone in assists with 6, tied for most blocked shots with 2, snagged 3 rebounds and swiped 2 steals, giving him a total of 7 thefts already this young campaign. He dominated Vito Andolini.

Other 20-plus GVP performers (none from San Jose)

-- Sacramento point guard Great Gruncle Terry contributed in every capacity with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal. His 2 blocked shots tied for game-high.

-- Sacramento crowd favorite Potus Obama made Mister Methane smell bad in this one. The 7-year shooting guard scored 23 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, doled out 3 assists and like the league's best thief should do, pilfered a game-high 3 more steals, giving him 8 in four games.

-- This game could give Sacramento center Tree Fiddy enough juice to net his 10th award with another All Star Game berth, thereby clinching Hall of Fame status at the halfway mark this season. His opponent, Hunk R. Down, was leading in the West center race, with Fiddy second; but the 10-year River Dogs star destroyed his man in this once. Fiddy had 19 points, a game-high 8 rebounds, 1 blocked shot and 1 assist.

-- All-MBA forward Doo-rag Dripp of the R-Dogs also lorded it over his man Eddie Creamer, scoring 19 points, getting 4 boards and 1 blocked shot while Creamer could manage just 5 points.

NEXT UP: Gillette (1-2), fresh off its first victory is at Seattle (2-1), which is looking to further solidify its West Division playoff position.