Featured Game No. 9...Gillette at San Jose...Plus bonus on Prime Picks

SAN JOSE 72, GILLETTE 63

AMIGOS TAKE FIRST; HUMPS LOSE DYLAN

SAN JOSE -- The San Jose Fighting Amigos clinched first place in the West with a 72-61 win, while the second-place Humps from Gillette lost star center Blob Dylan for three games to injury (one regular season and 2 in playoffs).

This marks the fourth time in the last five games that a starter has gone down for a Dave team, as the familiar pattern of late-season injuries begins to once again poison the very foundation of potential contenders. This latest injury to Dylan steals the show as it impacts the playoffs. Gillette is now going to face Dallas in the SemiFinals best of three, meaning Dylan, short of a miracle, will likely miss the entire series.

Research shows that this will also be the fifth consecutive season a Dave team will be forced to compete without a starter in the playoffs. Meanwhile, we calmly wait for the law of averages to start evening things out in this department. It seems, alas, we have a better chance of Godot making an appearance. 

PLAYER OF THE GAME

26 GVP...San Jose coach Louie Subgum almost started cut pile replacement Harry "Big Stink" Merdaio for the injured J.J. Gargantuan in this game. But he went with last-season's rookie center ST. IDES, who rewarded the decision with a Player of the Game performance. The 6-9 Ides got a break when defensive stalwart Blob Dylan of Gillette went down early in the first quarter to injury, and Ides responded with a game-high 18 points, 10 of which came in the first quarter. Ides was 7 for 10 from the floor with a pair of dunks while going 2 for 2 from the foul line. Additionally, he tied for game-high in rebounds with 6 and tied for game-high in assists with 3, adding a steal for good measure. Prior to the game, Subgum was pondering who to keep on the roster when Gargantuan returns from the injured list. The performance by Ides made the choice easy, and "Big Stink" simply walked his note card from the San Jose envelope to that of Gillette, where he will now replace Dylan on the Humps roster.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

25 GVP...San Jose power forward Eddie "The Milkman" Creamer...18 points (4 slams)...6 rebounds...1 assist.

24 GVP...Retiring Gillette two guard Lefty Scavenger...17 points...3 assists...2 steals...1 block...1 rebound.

MBA Standings … Season 56

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….7-2 (clinched playoffs)(clinched first)

MILWAUKEE………..4-4

OKLAHOMA CITY…..4-5

PHILADELPHIA………4-5 (eliminated)

CHARLESTON………. 3-6 (eliminated)

 

WEST DIVISION

SAN JOSE…………8-1 (clinched playoffs)(clinched first)

GILLETTE…………6-2 (clinched playoffs)

LOS ANGELES….4-4 (eliminated)

SEATTLE………….3-5 (eliminated)

SACRAMENTO… 0-8 (eliminated)

 

NEXT UP: Los Angeles at Seattle in a battle for third place.

BONUS

A Look at Prime Picks

Prime picks during the MBA have been in existence since Season 44. While every other pick for each team is random, prime picks allow the team to name a specific player in the draft that the team is going after. A 1 or 6 on the die roll gets that player. Any other number and the team has to go to a second choice for its prime pick. This continues until a prime pick is actually made. Each team (unless trades are made) is given one prime pick per draft.

Here are some of the best prime picks, team by team, to come out of the draft. Their impact on a team's success is undeniable.

Oklahoma City

Season 47…center Chochky Galumpkus (7^th overall pick…future Hall of Famer)

Season 48…guard Handsy Joe Potatoe (rookie who made Rookie of the Year…2^nd overall pick)

Season 53…forward Phillip Mianus (rookie…4^th overall pick)

Season 54…forward Crentis Dentist (29^th overall pick…future Hall of Famer)

Season 55…center Poop-Rupiah 3000 (rookie who made Rookie of the Year…19^th overall pick)

 

Gillette

Season 46…guard Freddy Chepuzzo (rookie who made Rookie of the Year…11^th overall pick)

Season 50…forward Billie “Be-Bop” Bauer (rookie…7^th overall pick)

Season 51…guard Lefty Scavenger (rookie…3^rd overall pick)

Season 53…center Blob Dylan (rookie…3^rd overall pick)

Season 55…center Blob Dylan (returns to team from free agency…5^th overall pick)

Season 56…guard Joey Joe-Joe Shamadu, Jr. (returns to team from free agency…26^th overall pick)

 

Sacramento

Season 44…guard Great Gruncle Terry (rookie and future Hall of Famer…3^rd overall pick)

Season 52…forward Kevin Duran-Duran (rookie…11^th overall pick)

Season 56…forward Satan Israel (26^th overall pick)

 

Dallas

Season 44…guard Louie Subgum (16^th overall pick)

Season 48…center J.J. Gargantuan (Hall of Famer…30^th overall pick)

Season 49…center Chochky Galumpkus (Hall of Famer…22^nd overall pick)

Season 50…guard Juzan Djinn (rookie and future Hall of Famer…4^th overall pick)

Season 51…forward Santan Israel (rookie…2^nd overall pick)

Season 52…guard Kopi Luwak (rookie who made Rookie of the Year…6^th overall pick)

Season 54…guard Vicious Hick (rookie …23^rd overall pick)

Season 56…forward Grand Demur Fuyacho (rookie…10^th overall pick)

 

 

Los Angeles

Season 44…guard Norman Conquest (15^th overall pick)

Season 45…forward Sloppy Dollop (5^th overall pick)

Season 47…forward Sheetrock Hudson (rookie…13^th overall pick)

Season 50…guard Great Gruncle Terry (future Hall of Famer…5^th overall pick)

Season 50…guard Flufferton Springs (rookie who made Rookie of the year…6^th overall pick)

Season 54…guard Pinky Toes (rookie who made Rookie of the Year…22^nd overall pick)

Season 55…forward Turk Attaturk (21^st overall pick)

 

Milwaukee

Season 45…center Poppa “Pupa” Popcorn (rookie…1^st overall pick

Season 49…guard Great Gruncle Terry (future Hall of Famer…10^th overall pick)

Season 53…guard Itstha Bishop (9^th overall pick)

Season 54…guard Ehhy Table (1^st overall pick)

 

Philadelphia

Season 46…center Chutcher Mouthchair (15^th overall pick)

Season 47…guard Dick Papers (rookie…16^th overall pick)

Season 49…forward D. Fenestration (rookie…15^th overall pick)

Season 50…guard Ehhy Table (rookie…7^th overall pick)

Season 54…forward Leonard Pinth Garnel (rookie…26^th overall pick)

Season 56…forward Phillip Mianus (24^th overall pick)

 

Charleston

Season 44…forward Frog Morton (rookie…14^th overall pick)

Season 49…guard Mister Methane (23^rd overall pick)

Season 50…guard Splash Gordon (rookie…9^th overall pick)

Season 55…forward Nick Kenpoop (rookie…6^th overall pick)

Season 56…guard Famichiki Whiskey (rookie…29^th overall pick)

 

Seattle

Season 44…guard Potatoes O’Gratin (rookie…12^th overall pick)

Season 45…forward Pietro Destroyer (4^th overall pick)

Season 47…center Willie Carry McCoffee (15^th overall pick)

Season 48…forward Charles Broccoli (rookie…3^rd overall pick)

Season 51…center Johnny Bananas (rookie…14^th overall pick)

Season 53…guard Bellybutton Inquisition (rookie…6^th overall pick)

Season 54…forward Eric A. Crocidale (rookie…7^th overall pick)

Season 55…center Chochky Galumpkus (future Hall of Famer…12^th overall pick)

 

 

 

San Jose

Season 45…guard Mister Methane (rookie…7^th overall pick)

Season 47…guard Jesse Shershot (rookie and Future Hall of Famer…12^th overall pick)

Season 49…guard Cremeofsum Yunguy (26^th overall pick)

Season 51…guard Cremeofsum Younguy (returns from free agency…8^th overall pick)

Season 52…forward Charles Broccoli (19^th overall pick)

Season 54…center Sky Masterson (24^th overall pick)

Season 55…guard Donny Dupons (rookie…14^th overall pick)

 

Chicago

Season 44…guard Lannigan Lord Hobo (rookie…8^th overall pick)

Hey Tyler....I'd be interested in seeing your ranking of the franchises who have had the best prime picks over the past 12 seasons. 

 

 

  

Season 56 Featured Game No. 8...Milwaukee at Dallas

DALLAS 90, MILWAUKEE 81

DEMONS PULL IT OUT TO CLINCH PLAYOFFS

DALLAS -- The Dallas Demons (now 6-2), challenged mightily in this game for a share of first place, finally shook off the pesky Milwaukee Greyhounds (now 4-4) in the fourth quarter to escape with a 90-81 victory. The win clinches a fifth straight playoff appearance for Dallas.

The four-time-defending champs were trailing by 3 going into the final stanza but were able to pull away on the strength of four late long bombs, two each by Vicious Hick and Mini Carfartt, the later who was subbing for a fouled out Juzan Djinn.

Meanwhile, the high-octane Milwaukee offense, which had been on display for three quarters, could only manage 11 fourth-quarter points. The Greyhounds thus yielded second place to Philadelphia, at least for the moment.

The teams came into the game ranked first and second in offense and did not disappoint the packed house in Dallas. This win, plus the two-point victory two games ago, gave Dallas a sweep of Milwaukee for the season.

POINTS PREVENTED BY QUARTERS

Milwaukee...6...2...0...4  Total=12

Dallas...........5...0...4...4  Total=13

MOST POINTS PREVENTED

1. Itstha Bishop, Milwaukee...8

2. Pete Marzano, Dallas...5

3. Nick Kenpoop, Dallas 4

TURNOVERS CAUSED

Milwaukee 1, Dallas 2

PLAYER OF THE GAME

34 GVP...The top 3-point shooter in the MBA made his presence felt in this one, as point guard VICIOUS HICK of Dallas potted 6 treys, including 3 in the fourth quarter to lead the Demons to a playoff-clinching win. The third-year sharpshooter scored a game-high 27 points on 9 of 15 shooting, including 6 of 9 from long range and 3 of 4 from the foul stripe. Additionally, he pulled down 3 rebounds and assisted 4 times. This was the second POG of the season for the 6-2 guard, who is now averaging 19.4 ppg, currently third in the league in scoring. With superstar Djinn fouled out and 32 time units still remaining in a tight game, Hick came up big when needed the most.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

31 GVP...Milwaukee shooting guard Itstha Bishop...24 points...5 rebounds...2 assists...8 points prevented.

25 GVP...Milwaukee point guard Ehhy Table...16 points (3 treys)...6 assists...3 rebounds.

25 GVP...Milwaukee center...Johnny Bananas...21 points (6 slams)...3 rebounds...1 blocked shot.

23 GVP...Dallas center...Biggus Dickus...16 points...4 rebounds...2 blocked shots...1 assist.

22 GVP...Dallas power forward Nick Kenpoop...9 points...6 rebounds...5 assists...2 blocked shots.

MBA Standings … Season 56

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………6-2

PHILADELPHIA………4-3

MILWAUKEE………..4-4

OKLAHOMA CITY…..3-4

CHARLESTON………. 1-6

 

WEST DIVISION

SAN JOSE…………6-1

GILLETTE…………5-2

LOS ANGELES….4-3

SEATTLE………….3-4

SACRAMENTO… 0-7

 

NEXT UP:  .A cross-over between two 3-4 teams trying to get back into the playoff hunt as Seattle visits Oklahoma City. 

Season 56 Featured Game...San Jose at Dallas...plus 7th bracket roundup...plus the Rookie of the Year race

SAN JOSE 75, DALLAS 64

AMIGOS WIN SHOWDOWN 

DALLAS -- The San Jose Fighting Amigos (now 6-1) got out of the gate quickly and were never really challenged as they bested the four-time-defending champs from Dallas (now 5-2) in this cross-over featuring the two division leaders.

The Demons are showing a chink in their armor, having lost two of their last three games and not scoring in the 70s in any of those contests.

For the first time in recent memory, the West now has the edge over the East in cross-over contests, 4-3. 

PLAYER OF THE GAME

32 GVP...San Jose's second-year point guard DONNY DUPONS led the way in this huge win for the Fighting Amigos, scoring a game-high 24 points, tying for game-high in assists with 3, grabbing 2 boards, blocking 2 shots and registering 1 steal. He was 10 for 17 from the floor, sinking a pair of treys in 6 attempts. He's now averaging 13.7 ppg and is now second in the league in steals with 8. His 10 first-quarter points got the visitors from San Jose off to an excellent start in this game.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

28 GVP...Dallas center Biggus Dickus...19 points...6 rebounds...2 assists...1 blocked shot.

23 GVP...Dallas point guard Vicious Hick...13 points...7 rebounds...3 assists. 

22 GVP...San Jose power forward Eddie "the Milkman" Creamer...16 points (5 slams)...5 rebounds...1 steal.

21 GVP...Dallas power forward Nick Kenpoop...15 points...3 rebounds...2 assists...1 block.

Bracket 7 Summary

No changes in the West, but in the East, Milwaukee and Philadelphia flip-flop in the standings again, with the Greyhounds edging Charleston and the Phobia dropping a two-point decision to Oklahoma City. 

NEXT UP- We start bracket No. 8 with a FEATURED GAME right out of the gate as second-place Milwaukee invades the Dallas home court with a chance to take over first place in the East. Dallas managed to squeak by with a 66-64 victory in the last meeting between these two, with Greyhounds guard Itstha Bishop taking POG honors. 

BONUS

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RACE

With three games remaining, all three of the viable candidates are Dave guys, with two both on the under-achieving Charleston team.

1.       The leading candidate at this point is the league’s leading scorer, Charleston shooting guard Famichiki Whiskey, with a 22.6 GVP. The top rookie prospect in the draft, Whiskey is the only MBA player averaging 20 points per game…20.3ppg to be exact.

2.       Right behind him with a 20.6 GVP is Gillette point guard Maboroshi No Hotcake. This rookie is second in the league in assists with 3.4 per game while scoring at a 13.4 ppg clip, hitting 42.6 percent of his deep shots.

3.       In third place is another Charleston rookie, power forward Grand Demur Fuyacho, with a 20.3 GVP. The 6-10 Fuyacho is averaging 11.0 ppg and hauling down 5.3 rebounds per contest. His 23 blocked shots lead the league.

Season 56 Featured Game No. 6...Dallas at Milwaukee...Plus a Hall of Fame Centers Spotlight

 DALLAS 66, MILWAUKEE 64

DEMONS HANG ON FOR WIN

MILWAUKEE -- In yet another game where the last shot determined the outcome, the Dallas Demons (now 5-1) escaped Milwaukee's trap with a 66-64 victory. 

Trailing throughout the game but never really out of it, Milwaukee (now 3-3) put on a furious comeback down the stretch only to lose on a desperation full-court shot at the buzzer by Greyhounds forward Scobee Bryant that nearly secured a home team victory. It took three rolls to determine that the longshot attempt did not go in. 

This barn-burner featured fierce defense by both teams, with Milwaukee players preventing 17 Dallas points and the Demons preventing 16.

It also marks the third consecutive game that an opponent has taken the four-time defending champs from Dallas down to the wire, with Oklahoma City having first lost to Dallas by 3, then turning around and beating them by 4.

Points prevented by quarter

Dallas...........1...4...7...4...Total=16

Milwaukee...3...6...4...4...Total=17

Tops in points prevented

1. Juzan Djinn, Dallas...10 points prevented

2. Itstha Bishop, Milwaukee...5 points prevented

PLAYER OF THE GAME

28 GVP...Fourth-year Milwaukee guard ITSTHA BISHOP has no awards on his card, but in that respect, he may be one of the most under-the-radar stars in MBA history. The 6-foot shooting guard has led Milwaukee in scoring every season since joining the league, peaking with a 20.3 ppg average last season that tied for the scoring title. In this game, despite getting his shot blocked 5 times by shut-down defender Juzan Djinn, who prevented 10 of his points, Bishop managed to come away with a game-high 23 on 10 of 19 shooting. Additionally, he stopped 5 opponents' points from hitting the scoreboard with tough D of his own. Bishop was 2 of 6 from deep and 1 of 1 from the foul line while pulling down 3 rebounds and topping his team in assists with 2. He had more than double the points of the next-highest scoring Milwaukee player and most definitely kept the Greyhounds in contention throughout the game.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

26 GVP...Dallas center Biggus Dickus...16 points...6 rebounds...2 assists...1 steal...1 blocked shot.

23 GVP...Dallas point guard Vicious Hick...13 points (3 treys)...6 rebounds...4 assists.

22 GVP...Dallas small forward Pete "the Steakman" Marzano...16 points...3 rebounds...2 assists...1 block.

21 GVP...Dallas power forward Nick Kenpoop...11 points...4 rebounds...4 assists...2 blocked shots.

21 GVP...Milwaukee small forward Scobee Bryant...10 points...6 rebounds...3 blocked shots...2 steals

20 GVP...Dallas Hall of Fame two guard Juzan Djinn...10 points...5 blocked shots...3 rebounds...2 assists.

MBA Standings … Season 56

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….5-1

PHILADELPHIA………4-2

MILWAUKEE………..3-3

OKLAHOMA CITY…..2-3

CHARLESTON………. 1-5

 

WEST DIVISION

SAN JOSE…………5-1

GILLETTE…………4-2

LOS ANGELES….3-2

SEATTLE………….2-4

SACRAMENTO… 0-6

 

NEXT UP:  Another important game, Oklahoma City at Los Angeles, closes out bracket No. 6. The Lariats would be in the thick of things with a cross-over victory here, and Los Angeles needs a win to keep pace with Gillette for the second playoff spot in the West. 

GALUMPKUS 12TH HALL OF FAME CENTER

By earning his 7th All Star Game appointment, Chochky Galumkpus, now of Seattle, becomes the 61st member of the MBA Hall of Fame and the 12th center to join the august company of pivots. The 7-1 Galumpkus, now in his 11th season, has played for three different franchises...two stints with Oklahoma City, one stretch with Dallas and now Seattle...and has been a star in every stop.

Here are the Hall of Fame centers in reverse order of their induction season:

Season 56...Chochky Galumpkus (first center to make the exalted status in 8 seasons)

Season 48...Tree Fiddy

Season 44...J.J. Gargantuan (still active, but retiring after this season)

Season 35...Max Payne

Season 33...Tom "the Bomb" Kondla

Season 25...Jonny Cockaroo

Season 23...Bart Pitbull

Season 17...Mable Reed

Season 16...Diamond Dallas Paige

Season 16...Rip Slamjam

Season 10...Big Bill Rustler

Season 8....Alex Pal