Featured Game No. 4...Dallas at Oklahoma City...plus Retirements announced

DALLAS 90, OKLAHOMA CITY 86

DEMONS REMAIN ON TOP 

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Whiz Kids from Dallas, trailing by as many as 10 points in the first half, took control of this showdown game to go up by 10 in the third quarter before coasting home to a 90-86 road victory against their main rivals from Oklahoma City (now 2-2).

The final score is not indicative of the Lariats' chance to come up a winner, since the Demons led by 10 points with 24 ticks remaining; an uphill battle that the losing team had little chance of overcoming, despite their final surge.

The game was entertaining throughout and marks the second straight contest that the 4-0 Dallas club has been put to the test, with Philadelphia having previously taken the Demons to overtime before bowing.

But the fact remains that two-time defending champions Dallas and its outstanding balanced attack, combined with timely defense, is still very much the class of the MBA. In this win they shot 62.9 percent as a team while going 7 for 12 from deep and getting valuable bench contributions from forward Al A. Orden and center China P. The two combined to go 7 for 7 from the floor in a game in which two Dallas starters fouled out.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

29 GVP...Rookie point guard sensation VICIOUS HICK of Dallas picked the right game to deliver the first POG of his MBA career. The 6-2 Hick tied for game-high in scoring with 20 points, going 8 for 13 from the floor and tickling the twine on 3 of 5 deep balls while going 1 for 2 from the foul line. He flat-out dominated King Czardines, pulling down 4 rebounds, handing out a team-high 4 assists and registering one steal for good measure. 

Other 20-plus GVP performers

26 GVP...Dallas power forward Satan Israel...16 pts...7 RBs...2 steals...1 assist

26 GVP...Oklahoma City power forward Phillip Mianus...18 pts...5 RBs...2 blocks...1 assist

26 GVP...Oklahoma City shooting guard Handsy Joe Potatoe...20 pts...5 RBs...1 assist

24 GVP...Dallas shooting guard Juzan Djinn...17 pts...3 blocks...3 assists...1 RB

23 GVP...Oklahoma City center Chochky Galumpkus...17 pts...3 assists...2 RBs...1 steal

MBA Standings … Season 54

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….4-0

CHARLESTON………. 2-1

OKLAHOMA CITY…..2-2

PHILADELPHIA………1-2

MILWAUKEE……….. 0-3

 

WEST DIVISION

SACRAMENTO… 2-1

SAN JOSE………….2-2

SEATTLE…………..2-2

LOS ANGELES….. 2-2

GILLETTE…………. 1-3

 

NEXT UP:  Philadelphia at Charleston. This is a bigger game than what one might have thought prior to the start of this season. Philadelphia crushed San Jose and took Dallas to overtime while Charleston hung within four points of Oklahoma City in a loss, then beat the Lariats by three. So what looked like a two-team playoff shoo-in in the East has three clubs vying for the second post-season spot. This game will be a key.

RETIREMENTS FOLLOWING SEASON 54

-- 19 players, including 3 from the cut pile, will hang it up at the conclusion of Season 54

-- 6 of the 16 rostered players who will retire are currently starters

-- The hardest hit team by far was also the league's oldest...San Jose...which will lose three players and two key front line starters in center Sky Masterson and power forward Charles Broccoli.

-- Gillette and Los Angeles will each lose key starting forwards in Sheetrock Hudson and D. Fenestration, respectively. 

-- Philadelphia will be losing both of its centers.

-- Two of the youngest teams, Dallas and Seattle...escaped unscathed

-- Dave lost 10 players overall...with 3 being starters

-- Tyler lost 6 players overall...with 3 being starters