Season 49 Featured Game No. 8...Seattle at Charleston

 CHARLESTON 80, SEATTLE 66

MOUNTAINEERS DISMANTLE STAMPEDE

CHARLESTON -- The Charleston Mountaineers used a fourth-quarter surge to put down Seattle's challenge, winning handily 80-66 in this cross-over battle of the two division leaders. 

It was the firth consecutive victory for Charleston (now 7-1) and the third loss in a row for Seattle (now 5-3).

The East is now 7-1 over the West in cross-over games.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

In his first opportunity to play against the team that gave up on him, Charleston center SEVEN CASTANZA  scored a game-high 22 points, dominated his opposite, Carga Larga and gained a heaping measure of sweet revenge. This was the team that benched him after he produced his All-MBA season (Season 46) then cut him from the squad entirely prior to the start of Season 49. Not only did Castanza lead in scoring with a perfect 8 for 8 game, he slam-dunked 4 times, hit the only 3-pointer he attempted and was 5 for 5 from the foul line. The 6-8, sixth-year man, eagerly claimed in the cut draft by Charleston, also topped everyone in rebounding with 6. He can retire after this season with warm thoughts of this retaliatory performance. 

Other 20-plus GVP performers

-- Charleston power forward Frog Morton dominated Charles Broccoli with an 18-point performance that included 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Broccoli, who was drafted by Charleston, then traded for point guard Don Barzini and a draft pick next season, fouled out with 10 points.

-- Another player who came over to the Mountaineers via trade this season, third-year forward Sheetrock Hudson, continues to be the leading candidate for league MVP. The 6-9 Hudson scored 16 points in this win, grabbed 5 boards and handed out 2 assists while tying for most points prevented.

-- Seattle shooting guard Andamian Wayne clearly out-played Mister Methane of Charleston. Wayne tied for team-high in scoring with 15 points, grabbed the most boards on his team with 5 and had 1 assist. Methane only managed 7 points before fouling out.

POINTS PREVENTED BY TEAM

Seattle---8

Charleston---9

TOPS IN POINTS PREVENTED

Sheetrock Hudson of Charleston...4

Charles Broccoli of Seattle...4

Reed Lemur of Seattle...4

WEST STANDINGS

1st -- Seattle Stampeded 5-3 (unchanged) (3-game losing streak) (clinched playoff spot)

2nd -- San Jose Fighting Amigos 4-4 (unchanged) (3-game winning streak)

3rd -- Sacramento River Dogs 3-5 (up from 4th) (head-to-head tie-breaker)

4th -- Los Angeles Big One 3-5 (down from 3rd)

Last -- Gillette Humps 2-6 (eliminated from playoff contention)

CONTENDERS DOWN THE STRETCH

-- Seattle has games left against San Jose and Philadelphia

-- San Jose has games left against Seattle and Gillette

-- Sacramento has games left against Gillette and Los Angeles

-- Los Angeles has games left against Dallas and Sacramento

EAST STANDINGS

1st -- Charleston Mountaineers 7-1 (unchanged) (5-game winning streak) (clinched playoff spot)

2nd -- Philadelphia Phobia 6-2 (unchanged) 

3rd -- Dallas Demons 4-4 (up from 4th) (division wins tie-breaker) (eliminated from playoff contention)

4th -- Milwaukee Greyhounds 4-4 (down from 3rd) (eliminated from playoff contention)

Last -- Oklahoma City Lariats 2-6 (unchanged) (eliminated from playoff contention

FIGHTING FOR FIRST DOWN THE STRETCH 

-- Charleston has games against Oklahoma City and Milwaukee

-- Philadelphia has games against Milwaukee and Seattle 

**both teams have five division wins right now...Philly has just one division game left.

UPCOMING BRACKET OF GAMES (NO. 9)

-- Charleston at Oklahoma City ... a win here by Mountaineers removes all drama in the East and clinches first for Charleston...they pounded OKC by 29 first meeting

-- Philadelphia at Milwaukee...Phobia bested disappointing Greyhounds 66-59 in their prior game.

-- Gillette at Sacramento...The Humps try for most wins in a season (3) which would knock defending champs out of contention.

-- Dallas at Los Angeles...Cross-over only has meaning for L.A., which clings to slim playoff hopes.

-- FEATURED GAME: Seattle at San Jose...With the Fighting Amigos streaking one way (5 straight wins) and Seattle the other (3 straight losses) this game could see San Jose supplant the Stampede atop the West Division standings. Seattle has a playoff spot clinched, and could put San Jose's playoff celebration on hold by taking them down. The two played a ripping good game in the first meeting, with Seattle winning 76-73 behind the POG of Carga Larga.