EAST 91, WEST 80
FAMILIAR STORY AS EAST TOPS WEST
PHILADELPHIA -- In a high-octane all star contest in which both squads shot over 60 percent from the field, the East came out of the gate quickly and sustained their double-digit advantage to the end, triumphing 91-80.
Los Angeles second-year star Pinky Toe and Hall of Fame veteran Crentis Dentist of Oklahoma City lit it up offensively, each scoring 30 points for their respective teams. Toe dominated the ball for the West, shooting 25 times and tossing up 12 3-pointers (of which he hit 4), managing to come up with his large point total despite being guarded by Juzan Djinn, one of the league's premier defenders.
Trailing by 8 going into the final quarter, the West cut the lead to 6 early in the stanza before the East took control again.
This was the 35th win by the East (to 20 for the West) and marks the fourth time they've won this star contest in the past 5 seasons.
Dallas Hall of Famer Juzan Djinn also shined in this, his fifth All Star Game outing, and his 7 assists ties him all time with Percy Faith in All Star contests with 20. Additionally, Djinn's game-high 4 blocks makes him the All Star leader in that department with 18. He is now averaging 20 points per game in All Star competition.
CAREER LEADERS IN ALL STAR ASSISTS
20--Juzan Djinn, Dallas
20--Percy Faith, Dallas/Oklahoma City
19--Uncle Bob Masterson, Philadelphia
18--Pietro Destroyer, Charleston/Chicago/Seattle
15--Marcus Pettis, Sacramento/Houston
CAREER LEADERS IN ALL STAR BLOCKED SHOTS
18--Juzan Djinn, Dallas
16--Curly Hogbottom, Dallas/Philadelphia
16--J.J. Gargantuan, Charleston/Dallas/Sacramento/Milwaukee
15--Tom "the Bomb" Kondla, Seattle/Houston/Chicago/Dallas
14--Jimsy Redfern, Charleston
PLAYER OF THE GAME
35 GVP...Hall of Fame forward CRENTIS DENTIST of Oklahoma City became one of just 10 MBA players to capture multiple MVP of the All Star Game honors, capturing his second in three seasons with a 30-point explosion that included tying for game-high in rebounds with 4 and swiping 1 steal. The 6-6 small forward was 14 for 16 from the field, his only two misses coming on long bombs (in which he was 1 for 3). He was also 1 for 1 at the foul line. He did all this despite spending a good deal of time on the bench in foul trouble and eventually fouling out with 29 time units remaining in the game.
Other 20-plus GVP performers
34 GVP...Los Angeles point guard Pinky Toe...30 points...3 rebounds...1 assist.
28 GVP...Dallas guard Juzan Djinn...15 points...7 assists...4 blocked shots...2 rebounds.
25 GVP...Charleston forward Piping Plover...19 points...4 rebounds...1 assist...1 steal.
25 GVP...San Jose small forward Scobee Bryant...20 points...3 rebounds...1 assist...1 blocked shot.
NEXT UP: The second half of Season 55 kicks off with a cross-over game between the only two teams yet to chalk up a victory. Los Angeles travels to Milwaukee in a contest in which one of them HAS to win.
The next three games in the bracket are all important, but the featured game is the final one in which Dallas visits Charleston, with the three-time defending champions looking for revenge for a slaughter-rule loss to the Mountaineers.
