Season 52 Featured Game No. 6...Oklahoma City at Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA 92, OKLAHOMA CITY 77

PHOBIA SHOOTS 74 % IN ROUT OF LARIATS

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Phobia evidently have the Oklahoma Lariats figured out, besting them for the eighth consecutive time in the past four seasons, this time shooting 74.1 percent in a 92-77 triumph that was never in doubt.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

34 GVP...The only Oklahoma City starter to deliver in this game was third-year point guard KING CZARDINES, who led all scorers with 26 points and tied for game-high in assists with 6. Czardines added 1 rebound and 1 steal. He was nigh-perfect from the field, going 11 for 12 and potting 4 of 5 from downtown. The 6-footer scored 22 against the Phobia in the team's earlier meeting.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

31 GVP...Fourth-year Phobia forward D. Fenestration has really upped his offensive output this season with a move to small forward. Always fundamentally sound, the two-way star, fresh off his All Star Game MVP delivered a dominant 24-point performance here, going a perfect 11 for 11 from the floor that included 2 for 2 from long distance. His only foibles in this game came at the free throw line where he went 0 for 3. Fenestration also handed out 4 assists, grabbed 2 boards and blocked 1 shot. He destroyed his opposite, Buba Lipa.

26 GVP...Philadelphia point guard Dick Papers contributed 18 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds to the convincing win.

25 GVP...12-season veteran Wawa Wewa dominated foul-prone Toilety T. Paper with a 15-point game that included game-highs in both assists (6) and steals (2). He also had 2 rebounds.

21 GVP...More dominance came at the shooting guard position for Philly, where Ehhy Table took it to Handsy Joe Potatoe. The 6-5 Table scored 15 points, tied for game-high in rebounds with 4 and handed out 2 assists. 

MBA Standings … Season 52

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….4-1

PHILADELPHIA………4-2

OKLAHOMA CITY…..3-3

MILWAUKEE……….. 2-3

CHARLESTON………..2-3

 

 

WEST DIVISION

SACRAMENTO…5-0

SAN JOSE………….2-3

GILLETTE………….2-3

SEATTLE…………..1-4

LOS ANGELES…..1-4

 

NEXT UP:  First-place Dallas travels to last-place Charleston, where a win would give Tyler’s two powerhouses in the East a stranglehold at the top of the division. The Demons, behind Juzan Djinn and Pete Marzano, easily bested the Mountaineers in the first meeting, 75-59. 

Season 52 All Star Game

EAST 91, WEST 73

EAST THE BEAST ONCE AGAIN

SAN JOSE -- Despite the presence of three Hall of Fame players in the West starting lineup, the East prevailed easily 91-73 in this 52nd All Star Game. They now lead the series 33-19.

Hall of Fame center J.J. Gargantuan of Sacramento's 2 rebounds in this game tied him for fifth place all time in All Star Game rebounds with Hall of Fame center Bart Pitbull. Both have 26. The all-time leader in that category is Diamond Dallas Paige with 45. 

MVP OF THE GAME

36 GVP...As correctly predicted by Dave Masterson, Philadelphia's first-time All Star D. FENESTRATION took MVP honors. The fourth-year forward follows teammate Ehhy Table's MVP of the All Star Game last season. The 6-7 do-everything Fenestration posted a game-high 26 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, tied for team-high with 3 assists, blocked 1 shot and accounted for his team's only steal. He was 12 for 15 from the floor and 2 for 3 from the foul line in his ASG debut. 

Other 20-plus GVP performers

31 GVP...Perhaps the league's finest two-way guard, Juzan Djinn of Philadelphia delivered a triple-double while frustrating Hall of Famer and league scoring leader Jesse Shershot into a low-percentage shooting game. The third-year man scored 17 points, snared 7 rebounds and tied for game-high in blocked shots with 5, adding 2 assists for good measure.

28 GVP...Sacramento's shining star rookie forward Kevin Duran-Duran did not disappoint in his first All Star Game, leading the West in scoring with 20 points and in rebounds with 4. The 6-9 newcomer also doled out 3 assists and had 1 steal.

22 GVP...Silky smooth rookie guard Kopi Luwak of Dallas showed off his superb offensive chops in the East victory. Despite being guarded by Great Gruncle Terry, the 6-2 Luwak scored 14 points, had 5 rebounds and tied for team-high in assists with 3. 

22 GVP...Third-year Gillette forward Billie "Be-bop" Bauer celebrated his first All Star start with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 blocked shot. 

21 GVP...Oklahoma City center Chochky Galumpkus had to really work, but managed to score 17 points against Hall of Fame defender J.J. Gargantuan, adding 2 assists, 1 rebound and 1 blocked shot. 

20 GVP...Hometown hero Jesse Shershot was shadowed most of the game by defensive master Juzan Djinn, but the Hall of Famer used volume shooting to put in 19 points despite the harrassment. He added 1 board. 

NEXT UP: We start the second half of the season with the FEATURED GAME of bracket No. 6 as third-place Oklahoma City travels to second-place Philadelphia. The Phobia had an easy time with the Lariats in their earlier meeting, besting them 80-63 behind the POG performance of D. Fenestration.

 

Season 52 All Star Rosters, League Leaders, All Star Game facts...plus Newest Hall of Famer

Season 52 All Star Game Rosters

--first appearance of critics' favorite D. Fenestration of Philadelphia

-- Sheetrock Hudson of Charleston is the only repeat starter for the East from last year's star team

-- Half of the two all star rosters, i.e. 10 players, are first-timers in the Star Game

-- Last season's All Star Game MVP, Ehhy Table of Philadelphia, did not make it back to the game. Thus, this guarantees there will be a new ASG MVP this season.

-- The East leads the series 32-19

-- Hall of Fame center J.J. Gargantuan of Sacramento is making his 10th All Star Game appearance, tying him with Uncle Bob Masterson and Momadou Zongo for second-most appearances ever. The most appearances ever belongs to Max Payne, with 11. It is Gargantuan's first ASG appearance since Season 47.

-- The West All Stars have a Hall of Fame backcourt in the starting lineup in Great Gruncle Terry and Jesse Shershot. Add Gargantuan to that starting lineup and the West has three active Hall of Famers in its starting lineup. 

-- This ASG appearance by Jesse Shershot gives him 15 awards on his card, tying him for 15th place all-time in the Hall of Fame with Doc Watson and Cam Bodia. Shershot moves past Cheetos Jones, Dan Mann and Colquitt Croix in the rankings.

-- This will be the final All Star Game for Great Gruncle Terry of Los Angeles. It will also be the first and last All Star Game appearance for Buddy "Stankpig" Pigglesworth of Sacramento. Both will be retiring.

-- Three rookies made it to the game this season, with two making it as starters.

-- One of the three rookies in the game, Kopi Luwak of Dallas, was not even deemed "excellent" in pre-draft scouting reports. He is currently leading the way for Rookie of the Year honors.

Recent All Star Games 

This Season's Game will be players in San Jose.

League leaders at the Halfway Mark

Great Gruncle Terry ... 57th Member of the MBA Hall of Fame

-- One of the greatest defensive guards of all time and one of the most impactful

-- A record six-time league-leader in assists who led every team he was on in that department.

-- In eight seasons thus far, led four teams to championships from his point guard position -- two in Sacramento and two in Los Angeles. In five of those seasons, his teams won their division and his teams made the playoffs in every season but two.

-- He led his team in blocked shots five times. One of the times he did not lead his team in blocks was the season he blocked a career-best 25 shots for Milwaukee.

-- Did not even make the All-Rookie team his first year, losing out to Fatty McButterpants and Lannigan Lord Hobo; but he was the only one of that special rookie trio of guards to make the Hall of Fame. 

-- Enjoy him while you can...this is his ninth and final season.

Ten Most Recent Hall of Famers

Season 52...Great Gruncle Terry...guard...Active

Season 51...Dr. Marcus Brody...guard (by veteran's committee)

Season 50...Jesse Shershot... guard ... Active

Season 49...Doo-rag Dripp... forward

Season 48...Tree Fiddy... center

Season 47...Dis Reflexia... center (by veteran's committee)

Season 46...Baba Brinkman... forward (by veteran's committee)

Season 45...Chip "the Crip" Battoe...forward

Season 44...J.J. Gargantuan... center ... Active...and Colquitt Croix... guard

Anybody care to make a prediction on which Division will win the game or who will be the Game MVP?

I'm predicting the West...with D. Fenestration as my pick for MVP. 

NEXT UP: The 52nd MBA All Star Game

 

Season 52 Retirements

 

-- Spicey "Chicken" Choop-Choop's long residency in the cut pile comes to an end after 11 long seasons...never having seen the light of day (or the tabletop lamp) in the MBA. He was the longest "active" member in the cut pile, but fell well short of the record 16 consecutive seasons served by Jalapa Valley.

-- 18 players retired, meaning that the MBA will be two players less next season, since 16 rookies join the league every season. Six of the 18 players were starters.

-- Amazingly, half of the franchises suffered zero retirements.

-- Two-time defending champion Los Angeles was the hardest hit team, losing four players, including two starters, one being Great Gruncle Terry, the most accomplished new retiree, who led Los Angeles to its two most recent championships and Sacramento to two others.  

-- Sacramento lost three players, including both starting guards.

-- San Jose lost three players, including starter Otto Palindrome, who, in the tradition of MBA retirees,  is having the best year of his career.

-- Milwaukee lost two players, including starting forward Entha Shortzone.

-- Seattle lost two bench guys.

-- Gillette, Charleston, Dallas, Philadelphia and Oklahoma City all escaped without a retirment. Note that four of this quintet are from the powerful East Division.

-- 8 guards, including 4 starting guards, retired.

-- 8 forwards, including 2 starting forwards, retired.

-- just 2 centers, neither a starter, retired.

--

Season 52 Featured Game No. 5...Dallas at Sacramento

SACRAMENTO 86, DALLAS 71

R-DOGS WHIZ ON DEMONS

SACRAMENTO -- "No team starting Pigglesworth is a viable contender."-- Tyler Masterson

With that bulletin board material posted prominently in the Sacramento River Dogs' lockerroom, Buddy "Stankpig" Pigglesworth and the R-Dogs proceeded to dismantle the previously unbeaten Dallas Demons 86-71, proving in the process that these young index cards from Texas are, in fact human and beatable.

The game featured the top two defenses in the league, but while Dallas struggled to overcome the ball pressure of Sacramento (now 5-0), the Saluting Dog exploded for 68.5 percent shooting that led to a 20-point halftime lead.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

36 GVP...Sacramento's rookie power forward KEVIN DURAN-DURAN dominated last season's All-MBA and Rookie of the Year Satan Israel, holding him to 9 points while scoring a game-high 28 of his own. The River Dogs went to the 6-9 rookie constantly in the first half to build their huge lead, as Duran-Duran continuously beat Israel down low. He was 13 for 15 from the field and continued his league-leading free-throwing with a 2 for 2 day. Additionally, KDD led his team with 4 rebounds, tied for team-high in blocks with 2 and handed out 2 assists. He's a shoo-in for the All Star Game.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

29 GVP... Fired-up Sacramento shooting guard Buddy "Stankpig" Pigglesworth dominated...yes, dominated...All-MBA defensive stalwart Juzan Djinn in this game. The Stanky One rippled the cords for 24 points, including 4 for 4 from beyond the arc, while tying for game-high in steals with 2 and pulling down 3 rebounds. "Viable" enough?

22 GVP...One of four excellent rookies in this game, Dallas point guard Kopi Luwak had his usual team-high in points, scoring 17, while assisting 2 times, grabbing 2 rebounds and recording 1 theft. He made Freddy Chepuzzo stink, showing he is an All Star for sure.

21 GVP...In a battle royale of centers, Sacramento's Hall of Fame center J.J. Gargantuan battled the hot new kid on the block, Biggus Dickus, to a standstill. Gargantuan scored 10 points, handed out a game-high 5 assists, tied for team-high in rebounds with 4 and in blocked shots with 2. 

21 GVP...Sacramento small forward Crentis Dentist contributed 14 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and tied for team-high in blocks with 2.

20 GVP...Although he scored just 6 points against one of the great defensive players of all time, rookie center Biggus Dickus contributed mightily otherwise, leading everyone in both blocked shots (3) and rebounds (7). Additionally, the 7-footer led his team with 3 assists and accounted for 1 steal.

MBA Standings … Season 52

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….4-1

OKLAHOMA CITY…..3-1

PHILADELPHIA………2-2

CHARLESTON………..2-2

MILWAUKEE……….. 1-3

 

 

WEST DIVISION

SACRAMENTO…5-0

SAN JOSE………….1-3

SEATTLE…………..1-3

GILLETTE………….1-3

LOS ANGELES…..1-3

 

NEXT UP:  With the second playoff spot in the West totally up for grabs, the next game on the schedule, Gillette at Seattle, will put one of these 1-3 teams squarely in the post-season picture as we head into the break.