Season 52...Featured Game No. 9...Dallas at Oklahoma City

Dallas 86, Oklahoma City 68

WHIZ KIDS WIN WIRE-TO-WIRE

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The fresh-faced Dallas Demons became the second MBA team of Season 52 to clinch a post-season berth (the other is Sacramento) as they controlled the Oklahoma City Lariats 86-68, never trailing in the game at any point.

The young Demons (now 7-2) showed off their defensive prowess in the first quarter, blocking 6 shots on the way to a 23-14 lead. The closest Oklahoma City (now 5-4) came to Dallas was when they came within 4 points halfway through the final quarter. Dallas then hit the warp speed button to close things out by 18 points. This is their third win in a row.

The free-throw discrepency is worth noting...21 Dallas attempts to 4 for Oklahoma City.

The same two teams meet in bracket 10 to close out the season, but by that time, Oklahoma City could be mathematically eliminated.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

34 GVP...He came on like gangbusters in the second half of the season in Season 51 to earn Rookie of the Year and All-MBA honors, and Dallas' second-year forward SATAN ISRAEL is following that same script. The 6-8 power forward captured his third consecutive POG (and third overall) with another brilliant performance. He dominated anyone the Lariats put up against him with a game-high 25-point performance that included 11 for 13 from the floor (including 4 power slams), 7 rebounds and a game-high 2 steals. He is right back in the running for All-MBA again.

Other 20-plus GVP performances

30 GVP...Powerful Dallas rookie center Biggus Dickus out-played 7-1, 2-time All-MBA pivot Chochky Galumpkus. Dickus was masterly in coming up with the first triple-double of his career, scoring 15 points and leading everyone in both rebounds (8) and assists (7) while limiting Galumpkus' scoring and eventually fouling him out.

27 GVP...Defending All-MBA guard Juzan Djinn of Dallas increased his league lead in the shot-blocking department, adding a game-high 6 blocks for a season total of 29. Offensively he scored 17 points, including three treys while handing out 2 assists and grabbing 2 boards. He's in a dogfight for the second All-MBA guard spot with teammate Kopi Luwak and King Czardines of Oklahoma City.

22 GVP...Third-year point guard King Czardines of Oklahoma City, who came into the game second in the league in scoring, led his club with 17 points, pulled down 3 rebounds and handed out 2 assists. He added 3 deep bombs to his resume from beyond the arc. He is currently second in the league in that department and leading the league in assists.

20 GVP...Second-year Oklahoma City forward Buba Lipa led his team with 7 rebounds while scoring 10 poiints, adding 1 steal and 2 assists.

MBA Standings … Season 52

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………7-2 (clinched playoff spot)

PHILADELPHIA………5-3

OKLAHOMA CITY…..5-4

MILWAUKEE……….. 3-5

CHARLESTON……….3-5 (eliminated from playoff contention)

 

 

 

WEST DIVISION

SACRAMENTO…6-2 (clinched playoff spot)

SAN JOSE………….4-4

SEATTLE…………..4-4

GILLETTE………….3-5

LOS ANGELES…..1-7 (eliminated from playoff contention)

 

NEXT UP:  The Philadelphia Phobia can become the third team to clinch a playoff spot with a win at home against visiting Charleston. The Mountaineers could put those plans on hold, having barely lost to the Phobia 86-84 in their last meeting. Odds are against it, however, since Charleston will be without star center Johnny Bananas, lost to injury.  A Philly win would also eliminate Oklahoma City and Milwaukee from the post-season.

Season 52 Featured Game No. 8...Dallas at Philadelphia

DALLAS 79, PHILADELPHIA 72

DEMONS SWEEP PHOBIA

PHILADELPHIA -- The Whiz Kids from Dallas wrested control of the game from the home team Phobia in the third quarter, out-scoring Philly 29-17, and were firmly in control from then on in a 79-72 road win over the Evil Empire.

The third-quarter charge was led by Dallas rookie point guard Kopi Luwak, who scored 12 of his 15 points in that period. 

The win gives Dallas a season sweep of Philadelphia, as well as control of both the division wins tie-breaker and the head-to-head. 

The Demons' win ended the three-game winning streak of the Phobia.

Philly got off to a 22-18 lead after the first quarter, thanks to the hot hand of its point guard Dick Papers, who scored the first 10 points for his team. They led by 3 at the half, 34-31, but the young Demons proved to be too much in the final two quarters.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

30 GVP...Offensive juggernaut SATAN ISRAEL again led his Demon brothers in scoring against the mighty Phobia. The 6-8 second-year forward scored a game-high 22 in the first meeting between these two teams and followed with a team-best 20 this time around. This was his second consecutive POG. He was 9 for 12 from the floor, canned 2 of 3 from beyond the arc and slammed home 4. He also tied for game-high in rebounds with 7, led his team with 2 assists and poached his club's only steal. 

Other 20-plus GVP performers

29 GVP...Philly forward Wawa Wewa tied for game-high in scoring with a 21-point effort that included 5 rebounds and a game-high 2 steals. He also blocked 1 shot. 

24 GVP...Philadelphia point guard Little Dickie Papers also tied for game-higgh in points with 21 while grabbing 2 boards and 1 assist.

24 GVP...The other Phobia forward, D. Fenestration, tied for game-high in rebounds with 7, scored 14 points and handed out 3 helpers in the losing cause. 

20 GVP...Always lurking in the background, 7-foot rookie center Biggus Dickus of Dallas was his usual rim-protecting self in this win, blocking a game-high 3 shots while contributing 12 points, 4 rebounds and an assist. 

MBA Standings … Season 52

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS……………….6-2

PHILADELPHIA……...5-3

OKLAHOMA CITY…..4-3

CHARLESTON……….3-5

MILWAUKEE……….. 3-5

 

 

WEST DIVISION

SACRAMENTO…6-1

SAN JOSE………3-4

GILLETTE………3-4

SEATTLE……….3-4

LOS ANGELES….1-6

 

NEXT UP:  The long rivalry between Sacramento and San Jose continues as the first and second-place teams in the West go at it on the Fighting Amigos’ home court. The R-Dogs could clinch the division title with a victory and take another big step for securing home court throughout the playoffs. San Jose, meanwhile, would fall two games under .500 with a loss. Sacramento, in keeping with the strong rivalry tradition, won by 2, 80-78, in their first meeting. Hall of Famer Jesse Shershot scored 37, the most by anyone this season, in the losing cause.

 

Season 52...Featured Game No. 7...Gillette at Sacramento

GILLETTE 89, SACRAMENTO 72

HUMPS GIVE RIVER DOGS FIRST LOSS

SACRAMENTO--The visiting Gillette Humps used their first Featured Game of the season to make a big splash, as they ambushed the previously unbeaten R-Dogs 89-72.

The game was more or less decided in the first quarter when Gillette, the lowest scoring team in the MBA. exploded for 34 points in the first quarter against the league's top defense, thanks mainly to a 19-point initial outburst by a red-hot Freddy Gooch.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

44 GVP...Fourth-year point guard Freddy Gooch of Gillette came out of his long shooting slump with a vengeance, scoring 19 of his game-high 35 points in the first quarter to give his team a 17-point margin that turned out to be the final difference in scores. That first quarter saw Gooch out-score the entire Sacramento team as he hit his first 7 shots, going 7 for 8 for the quarter and 3 for 3 from beyond the arc, adding 2 free throws. For the game, the 6-2 Gooch was 10 for 16 from the floor, 4 for 7 from deep and 11 for 16 from the foul line. He tied for game-high in steals with 2, handed out 3 assists and grabbed 4 rebounds. He dominated every guard Sacramento put up against him. This was his second POG of the season

Other 20-plus GVP performers

27 GVP...Gillette small forward LaJon Brames played a key role in the upset, dominating none other than 2-time All-MBA Crentis Dentist.The 6-6 Brames scored 18 points, tied for game-high in rebounds with 6, blocked a game-high 2 shots and registered 1 steal.

25 GVP...The man Tyler loves to hate, Buddy "Stankpig" Pigglesworth, just keeps on producing for the River Dogs from his shooting guard position. Pigglesworth scored a team-high 20 points, tied for team-best in rebounds with 4 and handed out 1 assist.

23 GVP...Joe Momsawhore got his first start of the season for the Gillette squad and responded with the 2nd triple-double of his career. The 6-year man scored 11 points, tied for game-high in rebounds with 6 and handed out a game-high 6 assists.

22 GVP...Reliable Gillette swinger Billie "Be-Bop" Bauer contributed 16 points, 4 rebounds, a steal and a blocked shot to the victory.

22 GVP...Sacramento's prize rookie forward Kevin Duran-Duran was steady in defeat, scoring 17 points, grabbing 3 rebounds, blocking 1 shot and assisting 1 before fouling out late.

MBA Standings … Season 52

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….5-2

PHILADELPHIA………5-2

OKLAHOMA CITY…..4-3

CHARLESTON……….3-4

MILWAUKEE……….. 2-5

 

 

WEST DIVISION

SACRAMENTO…6-1

SAN JOSE………….3-3

GILLETTE………….3-4

SEATTLE…………..2-4

LOS ANGELES…..1-6

 

NEXT UP:  Bracket No. 7 concludes with San Jose traveling to Seattle. On the surface, one would think this was a cakewalk for the Fighting Amigos, but Seattle is coming off an overtime win against Milwaukee and can move into serious playoff contention if they can pull an upset. And the underdogs in the league have been rising up and biting people lately.