THE EXTRA GAME
In the first extra game in MBA history, the Seattle Stampede absolutely massacred the Oklahoma City Lariats 95-61 to earn the fourth and final playoff spot for Season 25. Zooch Managoogie was the MVP of the game for Seattle with game-high totals in points (27), rebounds (7) and assists(5) in the first triple double of his career.
We in the MBA front offices are actually glad that Oklahoma City did not make it to the post season. The Lariats were totally unworthy, especially with such a putrid effort.
ROUND 1, GAME 1 (BEST OF THREE)
San Jose Fighting Amigos 71, Philadelphia Phobia 69 (at San Jose)
A legend is born. League MVP and Rookie of the Year Saggital Occlusal of the Fighting Amigos hit the winning short jump shot with two time units remaining, then denied fellow rookie Ricket E. Rack a shot at the buzzer, giving San Jose it's first post-season win in the team's 21-season history.
The game was nip and tuck throughout with neither team leading by more than five points at any time.
Occlusal led his team in scoring with 18. The game MVP award went to Ross "Cement Head" Harris of Philadelphia, who led the three-time defending champs with 25 points off the bench in his first game back from a 5-game injury.
ROUND ONE, GAME ONE
Charleston Rebels 94, Seattle Stampede 89 (at Charleston)
The Charleston Rebels, 9-1 during the regular season, used a 32-point third quarter to propel them to their first playoff win since Season 8. Newly-elected Hall of Fame center Jonny Cockaroo, the league's all-pro pivot, led the way with 24 points while teammate Kippy Kinski ("as if we had to tell you") added 21 from his guard position.
Veteran Jim Linzy was outstanding off the bench, putting down his guitar and getting 16 points for the foul-plagued rookie Soh Cah Toa.
Zooch Managoogie was high scorer for Seattle with 21.
The Stampede pulled to within two points with 2 time units remaining, when Charleston's Newty McNewtsalot, the league's top rebounder, grabbed a key offensive rebound on teammate Benny Gumm's miss, scored and was fouled. He made the charity toss to account for the final margin.
Charleston set a playoff record in this one with 23 made free throws in 27 attempts, besting (ironically) a mark of 22 the Rebels had established in Season 8. Oklahoma City had tied that mark in Season 13.
ROUND 1, GAME 2
Philadelphia Phobia 81, San Jose Fighting Amigos 58 (at Philadelphia)
This dragon refuses to be slain. Or is that slayed?
The three-time defending champs, led by Ross "Cement Head" Harris' 21-points, turned a tight game into a blowout, outscoring San Jose 27-8 in the final quarter. Harris' running mate at guard, the longtime cut pile resuscitee "Spit Can" Sammy Sampson, the league's smallest player at 5-9, added 21. Together, the Philly guards refused to let San Jose ball handlers penetrate, either dribbling or passing, racking up five steals between them. Rafe Hollister, the back woods moonshiner from Mayberry, North Carolina, had 18 from his center position, manhandling opposing center Zlatko Korkovic of San Jose.
Guard Felipe Jazzman of San Jose continues to have a rough post-season. After averaging 16 a game during the regular season, he has shot a horrendous 4 for 18 (22.2 percent) and scored just nine points in two games.
The Amigos managed just one assist in the game, in this, only their third loss of the year. It will now come down to a final contest to see who advances to the title series.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Extra game to detrmine final playoff spot
Almost unbelievably, aside from division winners Charleston (9-1) and San Jose (8-2), getting two other teams to EARN playoff spots for Season 25 has been a near impossiblity.
Case in point -- the final game of the regular season. Seattle just needed to stay within shouting distance of San Jose in order to get the fourth and final playoff spot. So what happens? They get blown away 91-70.
So when it comes to calculating the third tie-breaker for the final West Division playoff spot (all but San Jose finished 4-6 in the West) a first occurred.
The first tie-breaker is division wins, of which Seattle and Oklahoma City each had four. The second is head to head competition, with Seattle and Oklahoma City splitting their two regular season meetings. The final tie-breaker is points differential over the entire season...the number of points per game compared with points per game yielded. The 21-point win by San Jose over Seattle, amazingly, resulted in an exact tie in points differential between Seattle and Oklahoma City, with both the Stampede and the Lariats giving up exactly 38 points more than they scored over the 10-game season.
This unprecedented situation necessitates a playoff game between the two teams to determine the fourth playoff team. The stats from the game will not count toward regular season totals, but any injuries that occur in the game will.
Unbelievable. One more point either way in the final game of the regular season and this situation would have been resolved. Instead we will have, for the first time in MBA history, an extra game prior to the playoffs.
Neither Seattle nor Oklahoma City deserves it, although the Lariats actually won their last game (89-75 over hapless Sacramento) to help set up the extra contest.
Case in point -- the final game of the regular season. Seattle just needed to stay within shouting distance of San Jose in order to get the fourth and final playoff spot. So what happens? They get blown away 91-70.
So when it comes to calculating the third tie-breaker for the final West Division playoff spot (all but San Jose finished 4-6 in the West) a first occurred.
The first tie-breaker is division wins, of which Seattle and Oklahoma City each had four. The second is head to head competition, with Seattle and Oklahoma City splitting their two regular season meetings. The final tie-breaker is points differential over the entire season...the number of points per game compared with points per game yielded. The 21-point win by San Jose over Seattle, amazingly, resulted in an exact tie in points differential between Seattle and Oklahoma City, with both the Stampede and the Lariats giving up exactly 38 points more than they scored over the 10-game season.
This unprecedented situation necessitates a playoff game between the two teams to determine the fourth playoff team. The stats from the game will not count toward regular season totals, but any injuries that occur in the game will.
Unbelievable. One more point either way in the final game of the regular season and this situation would have been resolved. Instead we will have, for the first time in MBA history, an extra game prior to the playoffs.
Neither Seattle nor Oklahoma City deserves it, although the Lariats actually won their last game (89-75 over hapless Sacramento) to help set up the extra contest.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Not This Year
In answer to Tyler's question, only three times in MBA history, has there been a playoff shutout for one of the two team owners.
In Seasons 19, 20 and 23, no Dave Masterson teams made the playoffs.
With Philly making it this season, there will be no addition to that trio of shutouts.
In Seasons 19, 20 and 23, no Dave Masterson teams made the playoffs.
With Philly making it this season, there will be no addition to that trio of shutouts.
AAAAAAAAAAAArrrrrrrrrgh!
With the Milwaukee Greyhounds building up an 11-point lead half-way through the fourth quarter, members of the Chicago Gale team broke open a case of champagne to prepare to celebrate their first playoff berth in eight seasons.
Then Philadelphia, the three-time defending champion, mounted a comeback for the ages, with the lowest-scoring team in the league racking up 35 fourth-quarter points on the way to a stunning 90-86 victory that clinched the second Eastern Division playoff spot.
The comeback began with a 3-point bomb from Philly point guard Paul Reed-Smith, who was fouled by Othos Wives of Milwaukee. Wives, who had scored 20 in the game, fouled out on the play, a record eighth time this season.
From then on, Philly dominated, led by Hall of Famer Cam Bodia (19 points), Smith (20), center Rafe Hollister (18) and the 5-9 "Spit Can" Sammy Sampson (21).
Sampson continues to be unbelievable. After spending four years in the cut pile, he was added to the Phobia roster but saw little action this season until Ross "Cement Head" Harris was injured in game five. Since then, Sampson has averaged 17 points.
This was a contest that was supposed to be low scoring, pitting the two most inept scoring teams in the league. Instead, neither team could miss, with both shooting over 60 percent for the game.
Every time the MBA attempts to drive a stake through the heart of the Phobia, this resilient team wiggles out of the way and triumphs.
Prior to the start of the year they lost Curly Hogbottom, the best player in league history, to retirement, and future Hall of Famer Mamadou Zongo in the draft. Then Harris goes down. Then in this last game power forward Shoo-Shing Wine is badly injured (out for seven playoff games) and the team is down by 11. But somehow, they come back.
Philadelphia ends the regular season 6-4, while Milwaukee finishes with its worst record in history at 2-8.
Then Philadelphia, the three-time defending champion, mounted a comeback for the ages, with the lowest-scoring team in the league racking up 35 fourth-quarter points on the way to a stunning 90-86 victory that clinched the second Eastern Division playoff spot.
The comeback began with a 3-point bomb from Philly point guard Paul Reed-Smith, who was fouled by Othos Wives of Milwaukee. Wives, who had scored 20 in the game, fouled out on the play, a record eighth time this season.
From then on, Philly dominated, led by Hall of Famer Cam Bodia (19 points), Smith (20), center Rafe Hollister (18) and the 5-9 "Spit Can" Sammy Sampson (21).
Sampson continues to be unbelievable. After spending four years in the cut pile, he was added to the Phobia roster but saw little action this season until Ross "Cement Head" Harris was injured in game five. Since then, Sampson has averaged 17 points.
This was a contest that was supposed to be low scoring, pitting the two most inept scoring teams in the league. Instead, neither team could miss, with both shooting over 60 percent for the game.
Every time the MBA attempts to drive a stake through the heart of the Phobia, this resilient team wiggles out of the way and triumphs.
Prior to the start of the year they lost Curly Hogbottom, the best player in league history, to retirement, and future Hall of Famer Mamadou Zongo in the draft. Then Harris goes down. Then in this last game power forward Shoo-Shing Wine is badly injured (out for seven playoff games) and the team is down by 11. But somehow, they come back.
Philadelphia ends the regular season 6-4, while Milwaukee finishes with its worst record in history at 2-8.
Monday, July 13, 2009
MBA Season 25 Home Stretch
STANDINGS
EAST
Charleston 7-1
Chicago 5-4
Philadelphia 4-4
Houston 4-5
Milwaukee 2-7
WEST
San Jose 7-2
Sacramento 4-4
Dallas 4-6
Seattle 3-5
Oklahoma City 3-5
Most recent games
* San Jose Fighting Amigos behind super rookie Saggital Occlusal's 20 points, 4 rebounds and 4 blocked shots, down Dallas at home 73-63.
* Sacramento River Dogs beat Oklahoma City Lariats with a 83-73 home triumph behind center Beer Keg Carlisle's 18 points and 9 rebounds, both game-high marks. Guard Jebediah Wacknut gets triple double for the victors.
* Only one team coming into this game had scored 100 points in Season 25, and that same team, the Chicago Gale, did the same again against the same vanquished opponent, the Milwaukeee Greyhounds. Chicago scored 102 earlier in the season and pounded home 113 this time around. Mamadou Zongo and Achilles Heel each had 28 points for the winners.
*The Seattle Stamped hurt the Dallas Demons playoff chances with a 93-80 win, with small forward Zooch Managoogie scoring 27, popping in six treys in the process. Major Hassle led the losers with 19.
*In a low-scoring defensive contest, Charleston continued it's winning ways with a 61-58 win against the Houston Iguanas. Benny Gumm, the league's leading point guard, led the way for the winning Rebels with 20.
*The Chicago Gale put their old rivals the Houston Iguanas out of the playoff hunt with a 77-65 road win. Eighth-year center Achilles Heel, having his best season since his rookie year, led the way for Chicago with 25 points. Teammate Tub O'Gutz, a shooting guard, led both teams in rebounds with 6, while scoring 17, as Chicago stayed alive for the post season.
*The San Jose Fighting Amigos, enjoying the best season in franchise history, edged perennial division champs the Dallas Demons 73-72. San Jose trailed 18-7 after the first quarter but came roaring back behind Hacksaw Rooney and Ed Masterson, who both finished with 18 points. It was the final game of Hall of Famer Shooter Flatch's career for Dallas, as well as longtime center Buzzy Bazinski, the game MVP with 22 points and 7 rebounds, both game high marks.
* Lowly Seattle rises up and smites the Philadelphia Phobia 69-63, seriously wounding the loser's playoff hopes. Peepers Pupswell is the game MVP for Seattle and teammate Othos Wives, a rookie, adds 18.
EAST
Charleston 7-1
Chicago 5-4
Philadelphia 4-4
Houston 4-5
Milwaukee 2-7
WEST
San Jose 7-2
Sacramento 4-4
Dallas 4-6
Seattle 3-5
Oklahoma City 3-5
Most recent games
* San Jose Fighting Amigos behind super rookie Saggital Occlusal's 20 points, 4 rebounds and 4 blocked shots, down Dallas at home 73-63.
* Sacramento River Dogs beat Oklahoma City Lariats with a 83-73 home triumph behind center Beer Keg Carlisle's 18 points and 9 rebounds, both game-high marks. Guard Jebediah Wacknut gets triple double for the victors.
* Only one team coming into this game had scored 100 points in Season 25, and that same team, the Chicago Gale, did the same again against the same vanquished opponent, the Milwaukeee Greyhounds. Chicago scored 102 earlier in the season and pounded home 113 this time around. Mamadou Zongo and Achilles Heel each had 28 points for the winners.
*The Seattle Stamped hurt the Dallas Demons playoff chances with a 93-80 win, with small forward Zooch Managoogie scoring 27, popping in six treys in the process. Major Hassle led the losers with 19.
*In a low-scoring defensive contest, Charleston continued it's winning ways with a 61-58 win against the Houston Iguanas. Benny Gumm, the league's leading point guard, led the way for the winning Rebels with 20.
*The Chicago Gale put their old rivals the Houston Iguanas out of the playoff hunt with a 77-65 road win. Eighth-year center Achilles Heel, having his best season since his rookie year, led the way for Chicago with 25 points. Teammate Tub O'Gutz, a shooting guard, led both teams in rebounds with 6, while scoring 17, as Chicago stayed alive for the post season.
*The San Jose Fighting Amigos, enjoying the best season in franchise history, edged perennial division champs the Dallas Demons 73-72. San Jose trailed 18-7 after the first quarter but came roaring back behind Hacksaw Rooney and Ed Masterson, who both finished with 18 points. It was the final game of Hall of Famer Shooter Flatch's career for Dallas, as well as longtime center Buzzy Bazinski, the game MVP with 22 points and 7 rebounds, both game high marks.
* Lowly Seattle rises up and smites the Philadelphia Phobia 69-63, seriously wounding the loser's playoff hopes. Peepers Pupswell is the game MVP for Seattle and teammate Othos Wives, a rookie, adds 18.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
MBA Update
New Standings
East
Charleston Rebels 6-1
Philadelphia Phobia 4-3
Houston Iguanas 4-3
Chicago Gale 3-4
Milwaukee Greyhounds 1-6
West
San Jose Fighting Amigos 5-2
Dallas Demons 4-3
Oklahoma City Lariats 3-4
Sacramento River Dogs 3-4
Seattle Stampede 2-5
Most recent games:
San Jose at Dallas
Oklahoma City at Sacramento
Chicago at Milwaukee
Dallas at Seattle
Charleston at Houston
Chicago at Houston
Dallas at San Jose
Milwaukee at Philadelphia
Charleston at Oklahoma City
Seattle at Sacramento
Philadelphia at Houston
Charleston at Chicago
Philadelphia at Milwaukee
Sacramento at Oklahoma City
San Jose at Seattle
East
Charleston Rebels 6-1
Philadelphia Phobia 4-3
Houston Iguanas 4-3
Chicago Gale 3-4
Milwaukee Greyhounds 1-6
West
San Jose Fighting Amigos 5-2
Dallas Demons 4-3
Oklahoma City Lariats 3-4
Sacramento River Dogs 3-4
Seattle Stampede 2-5
Most recent games:
- Charleston, behind center Jonny Cockaroo's 21 points, pounds Milwaukee 83-57
- Milwauakee gets biggest game of career from retiring Baby Backribs (26 points) and shocks the Iguanas of Houston 83-64.
- Philadelphia stays in the thick of the playoff hunt with a 81-67 win over Sacramento, with retiring Shoo-Shing Wine starring for the Phobia with 22 points.
- Dallas, like Philly, still hanging around in playoff push despite limited talent, destroying Seattle 94-77 on Buzzy Bazinski Night, despite 20-point performance from Stampede's Nipple Rings Raguski in a losing effort.
- Looking like they were done for the season, the Lariats of Oklahoma City rise up and smite the mighty Fighting Amigos of San Jose, 70-63. Longtime star guard Marcus Pettis of Oklahoma City (19 points) and diminutive guard Felipe Jazzman (21 points) of San Jose share player of the game honors.
- In big showdown game and must-win contest for Chicago, the Gale goes down to Charleston 81-73. Rebels first team to six wins seem to be emerging as league's toughest team. Great team effort from Charleston overcomes big day from Chicago point guard veteran Mamadou Zongo, who gets 22 points that include 5 of 6 from 3-point land, three steals and two blocked shots.
San Jose at Dallas
Oklahoma City at Sacramento
Chicago at Milwaukee
Dallas at Seattle
Charleston at Houston
Chicago at Houston
Dallas at San Jose
Milwaukee at Philadelphia
Charleston at Oklahoma City
Seattle at Sacramento
Philadelphia at Houston
Charleston at Chicago
Philadelphia at Milwaukee
Sacramento at Oklahoma City
San Jose at Seattle
Saturday, June 6, 2009
A Little Past Mid-Season Update
MBA STANDINGS Season 25
East
1st Charleston 4-1
2nd Houston 4-2
3rd Philadelphia 3-3
4th Chicago 3-3
Last Milwaukee 0-5
West
1st San Jose 5-1
2nd Sacramento 3-3
3rd Dallas 3-3
4th Seattle 2-4
Last Oklahoma City 2-4
Standings notes: The Philadelphia/Dallas stranglehold finally appears to be broken this season, with giant retirements (Curly Hogbottom for Philly) and team losses (All-league forward Boone Doggle to Chicago and forward Ed Masterson to San Jose from Dallas) hurting the traditional front runners. Meanwhile, San Jose the doormat of the East, is finally having its day. In addition to picking up Ed Masterson, the Fighting Amigos are enjoying the services of 6-8 rookie savior Sagittal Occlusal, a shot-blocking, rebounding machine who has sparked the resurgence and may end up the league MVP. A power forward, Occlusal is third in the league in scoring (18.8 per game), second in rebounding and is on pace to beat the single-season blocked shots record of 35 set by J.D. Jedreat of Charleston way, way back in Season 8. Occlusal has 23 with four games remaining.
If things hold up, Charleston will break the longest playoff-appearance drought in the MBA. The last time the Rebels made the post-season was in Season 15. They have never won a title.
San Jose, also without a title, last made it in Season 17 and has finished last two years running. Chicago, which has been disappointing despite picking up Boone Doggle and future Hall of Famer Mamadou Zongo, last made the final four in Season 17.
Top Scorers
Benny Gumm, Charleston 22.0
Shooter Flatch, Dallas 19.3 (Flatch made Hall of Fame this season...will retire at season's end)
Saggital Occlusal, San Jose 18.8
Horn E. Goatweed, Seattle 18.5
Jonny Cockaroo, Charleston 16.6
Best rookies thus far this season
Sagittal Occlusal, San Jose, 6-8 power forward
Soh Cah Toa, Charleston, 6-10 power forward starting for first-place Rebels
Othos Wives, Milwaukee, 6-0 starting point guard, great O, no D
Dickie "Dog Dirt" Davis, Dallas, 6-0 point guard, great passer and dribbler, who recently lost starting spot.
Three outstanding rookie centers currently backing up big-time starters are: Heater Van Meter of Charleston, Crash D. Bordz of Houston and Trey Bon of Chicago.
This has been the year of very big rookie forwards in the MBA, with Occlusal, Toa and the following who have contributed mightily off the bench for their teams:
Tug Hershorts, 6-11, adding great depth for San Jose; Blue Danube, 6-11 backup for the Greyhounds of Milwaukee; 6-10 Power Tubes Mullard at the big forward post for the River Dogs of Sacramento. This is the tallest group of forwards to ever join the league in one season. And that's not even counting Philadelphia's Ricket E. Rack, who is a viable asset, but at 6-7 is a dwarf compared with his rookie class.
East
1st Charleston 4-1
2nd Houston 4-2
3rd Philadelphia 3-3
4th Chicago 3-3
Last Milwaukee 0-5
West
1st San Jose 5-1
2nd Sacramento 3-3
3rd Dallas 3-3
4th Seattle 2-4
Last Oklahoma City 2-4
Standings notes: The Philadelphia/Dallas stranglehold finally appears to be broken this season, with giant retirements (Curly Hogbottom for Philly) and team losses (All-league forward Boone Doggle to Chicago and forward Ed Masterson to San Jose from Dallas) hurting the traditional front runners. Meanwhile, San Jose the doormat of the East, is finally having its day. In addition to picking up Ed Masterson, the Fighting Amigos are enjoying the services of 6-8 rookie savior Sagittal Occlusal, a shot-blocking, rebounding machine who has sparked the resurgence and may end up the league MVP. A power forward, Occlusal is third in the league in scoring (18.8 per game), second in rebounding and is on pace to beat the single-season blocked shots record of 35 set by J.D. Jedreat of Charleston way, way back in Season 8. Occlusal has 23 with four games remaining.
If things hold up, Charleston will break the longest playoff-appearance drought in the MBA. The last time the Rebels made the post-season was in Season 15. They have never won a title.
San Jose, also without a title, last made it in Season 17 and has finished last two years running. Chicago, which has been disappointing despite picking up Boone Doggle and future Hall of Famer Mamadou Zongo, last made the final four in Season 17.
Top Scorers
Benny Gumm, Charleston 22.0
Shooter Flatch, Dallas 19.3 (Flatch made Hall of Fame this season...will retire at season's end)
Saggital Occlusal, San Jose 18.8
Horn E. Goatweed, Seattle 18.5
Jonny Cockaroo, Charleston 16.6
Best rookies thus far this season
Sagittal Occlusal, San Jose, 6-8 power forward
Soh Cah Toa, Charleston, 6-10 power forward starting for first-place Rebels
Othos Wives, Milwaukee, 6-0 starting point guard, great O, no D
Dickie "Dog Dirt" Davis, Dallas, 6-0 point guard, great passer and dribbler, who recently lost starting spot.
Three outstanding rookie centers currently backing up big-time starters are: Heater Van Meter of Charleston, Crash D. Bordz of Houston and Trey Bon of Chicago.
This has been the year of very big rookie forwards in the MBA, with Occlusal, Toa and the following who have contributed mightily off the bench for their teams:
Tug Hershorts, 6-11, adding great depth for San Jose; Blue Danube, 6-11 backup for the Greyhounds of Milwaukee; 6-10 Power Tubes Mullard at the big forward post for the River Dogs of Sacramento. This is the tallest group of forwards to ever join the league in one season. And that's not even counting Philadelphia's Ricket E. Rack, who is a viable asset, but at 6-7 is a dwarf compared with his rookie class.
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