Season 58 ... SemiFinals Game 2...Philadelphia at Sacramento

PHILADELPHIA 65, SACRAMENTO 64

PHOBIA 'D' SNUFFS OUT R-DOGS

SACRAMENTO -- Philadelphia's Itstha Bishop force-missed what would have been a game-winning 3-pointer by Sacramento's Bellybutton Inquisition on the final time unit, giving the visiting Phobia a 65-64 win and a ticket to the team's first Finals in eight seasons.

That play was fiitting, as the league's best defensive team all season held the River Dogs to a paltry 37.7 percent shooting. The suffocating D was at its best in the final 24 time units.Trailing by 5, Philadelphia proceeded to shut out the River Dogs the rest of the way when any kind of a River Dogs score could have wrapped up the game for the home team.

The winning bucket, delivered at the 2 time unit mark, came from an unlikely source, with Phobia substitute guard Whitey "White Boy" White hitting a clutch medium jumper. Sacramento had held the lead for the previous 42 time units up to that point, but never by more than the aforementioned 5.

The Philadelphia win sets up the Season 58 Finals between the two winningest MBA teams in history (Philly with 16 championships) and Dallas (with 11 titles, including the last 6 in a row...a record).

PLAYER OF THE GAME

29 GVP...Sacramento point guard RABBIT MUNCHERS came into the playoffs after earning the MBA's Most Improved Player honor and a berth on the Second Team All-MBA, finishing third in the league in scoring at 19.1 ppg. He did not disappoint in the playoffs, tying for the leading scorer in Game 1 and posting a game-high 23 points in this soul-wrenching defeat. He was 7 for 14 from the floor, potting 2 out of 4 from deep and going 7 for 11 from the foul line. He dominated his man Tut Ankhamun, causing him to foul out early in the fourth quarter. While playing tough defense all game long, the 6-3 Munchers hit the boards for 6 rebounds as well. He finished with a post-season average of 20.5 per game...high for the two-game series. With Spring about to burst on the scene, he now has time to be a menace to Phil and other gardeners across the Midwest.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

26 GVP...Retiring Sacramento power forward Satan Israel...18 points (3 slams)...8 rebounds.

25 GVP...Philadelphia small forward Leonard Pinth Garnel, the MBA's regular season MVP...8th triple-double of his career and fourth this season...13 points...6 rebounds...5 assists...1 steal.

20 GVP...Philadelphia's retiring shooting guard Itstha Bishop...17 points (3 treys)...2 rebounds...1 assist.

NEXT UP: Dallas at Philadelphia Game 1 of Finals