DALLAS 85, CHARLESTON 80 (Biggus Dickus Day)
CHAMPS FIRST TO CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT
DALLAS -- As if there was any doubt, the five-time defending champion Dallas Demons (now 7-1) became the first MBA team to clinch a playoff spot in Season 57. The Mighty Demons used 12 blocked shots, 8 steals and 63.9 percent shooting to outlast a strong-willed Charleston Mountaineer (now 4-4) club.
Most appropriately, Dallas center Biggus Dickus led the way in the clinching game on what had been declared as his day.
The visitors from Charleston, who dropped from second to third place with the loss, got off to a sparkling start and led 25-18 after one quarter. But the veteran champions from Dallas never panicked, and by halftime led by three and held off a late Charleston fourth-quarter charge to get the victory.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
29 GVP...Honored at halftime as "the greatest center in franchise history," Demons retiring mainstay BIGGUS DICKUS put an exclamation point on that distinction with his fourth POG of the season, tying him for the league lead in that department with fellow center Poop-Rupiah 3000 of Oklahoma City. As was noted in the ceremony, Dallas began its string of championships the same season that Dickus first joined the team and they have not stopped winning since. Five championship rings and four All Star Game appearances have the 7-footer just one award shy of Hall of Fame status. Another ring would do the trick. This season, his best as a Demon, is typical of the Dickus touch. He has always been among the top centers in the game, but has been beaten out for the All-MBA foil star by someone having a better campaign every season. This year he is battling 3000 for the right to wear foil. As a gesture of their love for the big lug, Dallas gave away autographed codpieces to the first 10,000 fans to attend Biggus Dickus Day. As for the game itself, the big guy led his team in scoring with 20 points, hitting his first 10 shots before finally missing in the fourth quarter. He led everyone in the game with 6 rebounds and was one of four Demons to lead in blocked shots with 3. He is currently averaging 18 points per game, far and away the best scoring season of his career.
Other 20-plus GVP performers
26 GVP...Dallas Hall of Fame forward Pete "the Steakman" Marzano...18 points...3 rebounds...3 blocked shots...1 steal...1 assist.
26 GVP...Charleston rookie small forward Cheech Aborte...18 points (4 slams)...4 rebounds...2 blocked shots...1 steal...1 assist.
24 GVP...Retiring Charleston point guard Kopi Luwak...21 points (4 treys)...2 rebounds...1 assist.
22 GVP...Dallas Hall of Fame shooting guard Juzan Djinn...12 points...3 blocked shots...3 rebounds...3 assists...1 steal.
21 GVP...Dallas point guard Mini Carfartt...15 points...4 assists...2 rebounds.
21 GVP...Charleston center Flatfoot Floogie...14 points...5 rebounds...2 assists.
MBA Standings … Season 57
EAST DIVISION
DALLAS………………7-1
(Clinched Playoff spot)
PHILADELPHIA………4-3
CHARLESTON……….4-4
OKLAHOMA
CITY…..3-4
MILWAUKEE………..2-6
(eliminated)
WEST DIVISION
SEATTLE………….5-2
LOS
ANGELES….5-3
GILLETTE…………4-3
SACRAMENTO…
2-5
SAN JOSE…………1-6
(eliminated)
NEXT UP: The stage is set for Philadelphia to
push past Charleston into second place. The Mountaineers lost to Dallas, and
the Phobia are hosting a banged up Oklahoma City team that is missing two
starters. This is the first of two remaining meetings between these teams.
Should Oklahoma City somehow overcome its injuries and beat Philly, three teams
in the East would be 4-4 going into the final two brackets.
BONUS
Thirty seven of the 57 rookie classes in MBA history have produced at least one of the 60 players to gain the exalted Hall of Fame status.
Not counting the first season's class of rookies, where 8 Hall of Famers came out of the six original teams (everyone was a rookie that season), the following seasons used 16 rookies to come up with multiple Hall of Fame players.
Season 5 (three)
Center Alex Pal
Center Rip Slamjam
Guard Dan Mann
Season 18 (three)
Guard Joey Two-Tones
Guard Tommy Zoop
Center Jonny Cockaroo
Season 6 (two)
Center Mable Reed
Guard Stu Nod
Season 7 (two)
Forward Marshall Stax
Forward Link Lennex
Season 15 (two)
Forward Cam Bodia
Guard Mamadou Zongo
Season 17 (two)
Center Bart Pitbull
Guard Shucks Oyster
Season 19 (two)
Guard Benny Gumm
Forward Shooter Flatch
Season 25 (two)
Forward Tug Hershorts
Forward Sagittal Occlusal
Season 26 (two
Guard Ching Chong Chung
Center Max Payne
Season 28 (two)
Center Tom "the Bomb" Kondla
Guard Cheetos Jones
Season 29 (two)
Center Ama Spikie
Guard Hrundi V. Bakshi
Season 30 (two)
Guard Lemon Jell-o
Forward Gato DoMato
Season 34 (two)
Forward Art Vandelay
Guard Beezow Bop-Bop
Season 37 (two)
Forward Pap Smearz
Guard Naf Naf
Season 38 (two
Center J.J. Gargantuan
Forward Baba Brinkman
Season 43 (two)
Forward Chip "the Crip" Battoe
Guard Dr. Marcus Brody
None of the 14 rookie classes since Season 43 have yielded multiple Hall of Fame players.
For the record, here are the eight players from Season 1 who had Hall of Fame careers
Rowdy Ron Clutch
Oscar Mudcat
Silo Chamberlain
Bub Wright
Doug Fresh
Bill Rustler
Raisin Sport
Cappy Gambol
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