MBA SEASON 42 PLAYOFF FINALS GAME 3...DALLAS AT CHARLESTON

Dallas 87, Charleston 83
PERFECT STORM ENDS PERFECT SEASON FOR CHARLESTON
CHARLESTON -- Everything went almost 100 percent precisely correct for the visiting Dallas Demons and the result was the end (at 14 straight) of the record winning streak of the Charleston Mountaineers.

The game was rolled in Cape Coral, Florida, and was by all accounts one of the more exciting contests ever played.

Twenty-five time units into this high-octane contest, Charleston's All-MBA two guard Beezow Bop-Bop went down to injury and was lost for the remainder of the game. This opened the door for second-year scoring sensation, Bingo Bango of Dallas, to let loose with an offensive torrent, which is exactly what he did. Unencumbered by the defensive prowess of Bop-Bop, the 6-4 Bango put up 37 points, a number eclipsed in MBA playoff history just four other times.

Three of those times were by Charleston's own Hall of Famer, Naf Naf, who suffered through a horrendous game in which he scored just 8 points, connecting on just 2 of 9 from 3-point range, where he was constantly harassed by the defensive efforts of Dallas guard Bootlace Barnaby.

Additionally, Charleston had one of the worst free-throw shooting games of any team in recent memory, sinking just 1 of 9 charity tosses. Even a paltry 5 for 9 would have tied the game.

But with all that going against them, the Mountaineers still managed to make a close, exciting game out of it before finally succumbing.

PLAYER OF GAME
BINGO BANGO, the league's fourth-best scorer this season, had the biggest game of his young career, exploding for a game-high 37 points on 13 of 21 shooting. The long-range gunner was 5 for 8 from beyond the arc and a perfect 6 for 6 from the charity stripe. Additionally, the 6-4 Bango pulled down a game-high 7 rebounds and registered 1 assist and 1 steal. His 4-point play to end the first half was HUGE and had excited Dallas coach Tyler Masterson slapping his opponent Dave Masterson repeatedly on the back in joyous celebration.

Other 20-plus GVP performers
-- "Old Reliable" Matthew Vanden Boogart got his team out of the gate in style, leading the way in their 26-point first quarter with 10 points in the first 70 time units. The 10-year veteran forward ended up with 17 points, adding 2 rebounds and 2 assists in the major upset win.
-- Charleston center J.J. Gargantuan scored 12 points on just 7 shots, tied for top team rebounding with 4, distributed 4 assists and blocked 1 shot in the loss.
-- Second-season Charleston forward Wawa Wewa, who usually plays a subservient role on offense for Charleston, rose to the fore when needed in this game and scored 20 points while tying for team-high in rebounds with 5. Wewa also tied for most blocks in the game with 3, and had 1 steal and 1 assist.
-- One can hardly blame the injured Bop-Bop's Charleston replacement, Jesus Moron Joseph, for the loss. Although he could do little to stem the offensive shooting barrage by Bango, Joseph did swipe the ball from the Dallas guard a game-high 4 times. An 8-year veteran and longtime starter for Charleston, Joseph came up huge in the scoring ledger, leading his team in that department with 22 points while getting the most assists in the entire game with 5. He also blocked 1 shot in a rousing effort that fell just short for the home team.

MBA Season 42 Playoff Finals Game 2...Charleston at Dallas

CHARLESTON 84, DALLAS 61
MOUNTAINEERS CLIMB TO RECORD 14TH WIN
DALLAS -- The Charleston Mountaineers are breathing heady MBA air, winning a record 14 consecutive game and besting the old mark of 13 in a row set by Oklahoma City last season.

Now...can they be perfect?

No team in the previous 41 seasons has managed to run the table with a 15-0 mark, but judging by the ease in which they handled the Dallas Demons in the first two games of the finals, it appears almost a certainty.

Like the Finals opener, Charleston and Dallas were separated by one point at the half, but Charleston, which featured lock-down, smothering defense in the first two quarters, took total command in the third quarter and coasted home to an 84-61 win.

TEAM POINTS SAVED PER QUARTER
Charleston...9...8...4...2...total=23
Dallas..........0...2...2...2...total=6

TOP INDIVIDUALS, POINTS SAVED
1. Gargantuan, Charleston...10
2. Wewa, Charleston...6
3. Bop-Bop, Charleston...5

PLAYER OF GAME
Hall of Fame Charleston guard NAF NAF went on a 3-point spree to easily nail down his second POG of the post-season. The sixth-season sharp-shooter drilled the home team Demons for 31 points on 8 of 16 shooting that included 8 for 13 from beyond the arc. All of his field goals were treys. He was also 7 for 9 from the foul line, had 3 rebounds, 1 assist and swiped the ball away from his opponents 2 times.

Other 20-plus GVP Performers
-- All-MBA shooting guard Beezow Bop-Bop again filled up the stats sheet for Charleston, getting 11 points, 4 rebounds, dishing a game-high 7 assists, and following his 4-steal game with a 3-steal game (high in contest) and blocking 1 shot. He was third in the game in points saved with 5.
-- Charleston center J.J. Gargantuan turned away 10 Dallas points, scored 14 of his own, pulled down a team-high 5 boards and swatted away a game-high 3 shots in the pivot.
-- Charleston small forward Wawa Wewa frustrated Matthew Vanden Boogart all night long, holding him to just 5 points and saving 6 points in the process, second in the game. Wewa had 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 blocked shot in the historic victory.
-- For a while there, Dallas point guard Bootlace Barnaby was matching his opposite, Naf Naf, point for point. Both players had 14 points at the half, but Barnaby would only get two more for a total of 16. Before fouling out late, the fifth-year player nabbed 5 boards and 1 assist.
-- Dallas shooting guard Bingo Bango again led his team in scoring with 17 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and had 1 assist.
-- The curtain is about to come down on the career of Dallas power forward Gulemon Mon-Mon, but the two-time All-MBA star is still getting the edge on his opponents. Although he only scored 10 points, the 6-11 Mon-Mon tied for top rebounding honors in the game, getting 7 while leading his team in assists with 4.

NEXT UP: Charleston returns to West Virginia to nail down its fifth MBA championship, and to take its place in history with the first perfect campaign in league annals.

MBA Season 42 Playoff Finals Game 1...Dallas at Charleston

CHARLESTON 83, DALLAS 59
MOUNTAINEERS WIN STREAK TIES RECORD
CHARLESTON -- The Charleston Mountaineers showed off their explosive balance, pulling away in the fourth quarter for an opening 83-59 Finals triumph that tied the record of 13 consecutive victories set by last season's Oklahoma City championship team.

All five Charleston starters were in double figures in scoring in a game that was actually much closer than the blowout final score would indicate. Dallas, after a slow start, came roaring back to take a halftime lead, and after losing that advantage, again rallied to within 6 points early in the fourth. That's when the 13-0 Charleston squad pressed hard on the gas and left them in the lurch, showing off on both ends of the court.

It was the second such surge by the Mountaineers, who exploded for 29 points in the third quarter to take control of the game before Dallas worked their way back into contention.

This game fit the formula for a Demons potential victory, with Charleston's Hall of Fame guard Naf Naf sitting with foul trouble for much of the contest and taking the least amount of shots by any of his team's starters. But second-year small forward Wawa Wewa, who usually contributes with passing and defense, stepped up to lead everyone in scoring with 20 points.

On the verge of enjoying the best single season in the history of this league, the Mountaineers now eye a record 14 wins in a row and a possible, thought to be impossible, 15-0 campaign.

POINTS SAVED PER TEAM PER QUARTER
Dallas..........7...0...7...0...Total=14
Charleston...5...2...2...7...Total=16

TOP INDIVIDUALS POINTS SAVED
1. Bop-Bop, Charleston 6
2. Bromberger, Dallas 5
2. Mon-Mon, Dallas 5

PLAYER OF GAME
The most unsung player of this starting five, Charleston's WAWA WEWA stepped into the limelight with a huge game to start the Finals. Tied for second in the entire league in assists, the second-year forward abandoned his usual role and scored a game-high 20 points on 9 of 13 shooting that included a trey in his only deep try. The 6-7 Wewa, who replaced two-time All-MBA forward B. Quiet in the starting lineup this season, also pulled down 4 boards, tied for team-high in assists with 3 and registered 2 steals. He was also 1 for 1 at the foul line.

Other 20-plus GVP performers
--He sat out most of the second quarter when Dallas rallied back into the game, but All-MBA guard Beezow Bop-Bop's numbers don't reflect a player who missed anything. Responsible for guarding one of the league's top scorers in Bingo Bango, the nine-near veteran blocked a game-high 3 shots, swiped the ball away a game-high 4 times, and thwarted a pair of would-be treys by his opposite on the way to a game-high 6 points saved. He also added 12 points, 4 rebounds and dished out 2 assists.
--Demons centers scored a total of 4 points against the defensive prowess of Charleston pivot J.J. Gargantuan. Meanwhile, the 6-8 fifth-year man scored 17 points (including a trey), snagged a team-high 5 boards and had 3 assists.
--Second-year shooting guard Bingo Bango of Dallas shook himself loose enough times to lead his team in scoring with 17 points while muscling up for a game-high 6 rebounds. The 6-4 Bango hit 4 from downtown and also added 1 assist.
--In his 16th and final season, 6-11 power forward Gulemon Mon-Mon did not disappoint. The All-MBA player scored 15 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, had 1 assist, blocked 1 shot, and prevented 5 points, which trailed only Bop-Bop in that department.

NEXT UP: Charleston travels to Dallas in an attempt to snare a record-breaking 14th consecutive victory and take a commanding lead in this best of 5 series.

MBA Season 42 Playoff Semifnals...Game 2 Oklahoma City at Dallas

DALLAS 74, OKLAHOMA CITY 70
DEMONS SWEEP TWO-TIME CHAMPS; PAYNE GOES DOWN
DALLAS -- There will be no much-anticipated Finals rematch between unbeaten Charleston and two-time defending champion Oklahoma City. And there is no longer a chance for the Lariats to three-peat.

Instead, the Dallas Demons, by virtue of a two-game sweep of the favored Lariats, will advance to the MBA Finals to take on the Charleston Mountaineers in an all-East Division match-up.

The Demons dispatched Oklahoma City 74-70 in a nip and tuck contest in which Oklahoma City's Hall of Fame center, Max Payne, was injured with 43 time units remaining in the second quarter. Dallas was leading 31-26 at the time, and Oklahoma City was forced to go the rest of the way without their All-MBA pivot. They made a game of it, staying close and even taking the lead down the home stretch.

But with Dallas up 71-70 and 13 time units remaining, second-year shooting guard Bingo Bango of the Demons, splashed home a medium jumper, was fouled and canned the resulting free throw to put the game pretty much out of reach.

And so now Dallas, which has won three championships, will proceed to the finals for the first time as an East Division team. They have not fared well at all against the Mountaineers during the regular season, losing 95-61 at home and 68-57 in the final game of the regular season. No team in the 41 previous campaigns has ever won an MBA championship with less than 6 regular season victories. Dallas went 5-5 during the regular season.

Payne, in his 17th and final season, suffered his second major injury this year. It was a seven-game injury, which would have made him ineligible to play in any of the Finals contests.

This was the fifth time the big 7-footer has suffered an injury in his MBA life. And the loss, caused in part by his injury, eliminates the opportunity to become the first player ever to earn 7 championship rings.

--Max Payne retires as the second most honored player in the history of the game, behind only Curly Hogbottom.
--He finished fifth all time in scoring; the top scoring center in history.
--He was named on the Four Decade first team of two franchises, both Dallas and Oklahoma City.
--He retires tied with Cam Bodia and Tug Hershorts for playing on the most championship teams --- 6.
--He played for four franchises (Dallas, Oklahoma City, Charleston and Chicago) and brought home at least one championships in each of those stops, and in the case of Oklahoma City had two stints as a Lariats player winning titles both times.
--He led the league in rebounding once...his final season, led the league in steals once, led the league in blocked shots three times and led the league in free throw shooting once (again, his final season).
--He led his team in scoring once, rebounding 11 times, steals twice, blocked shots 12 times, free throwing twice and shooting percentage five times.
--Payne made a record 11 All Star Games, and was one of just 11 players to earn 5 All-MBA stars.
--He accomplished all this despite all of his injuries and the fact that he played back-up for three seasons to a Hall of Famer midway through his career.

Also playing his last MBA game with this loss was Ginger Vampire, whose 11-season career included:
-- Seven All-Star Game appearances
-- a championship ring with Chicago
-- a finishing flourish to his career that included the only three seasons he led his team in scoring.
-- Vampire, who played mostly with Seattle, with stops in Chicago and Oklahoma City also led his team in assists twice, in steals three times, in blocked shots twice and in free throwing twice.

POINTS SAVED PER TEAM BY QUARTERS
Oklahoma City 4...2...3...4...total of 13
Dallas........2...2...2...4...total of 10

TOP PLAYERS POINTS SAVED
1. Bang-Bang Reiner, Oklahoma City 4
1. Sloppy Dollop, Oklahoma City 4
3. Akbar Zagobia, Oklahoma City 3

PLAYER OF THE GAME
Second-year shooting guard BINGO BANGO of victorious Dallas was outstanding in this important game. The 6-4 Bango, acquired via the draft from Los Angeles, popped in 25 points on 10 of 17 shooting that included 4-of-8 long ones. He was 1 for 2 from the foul line and had 2 rebounds. Bango, who hit the big bucket near game's end that turned into a 3-point play, did all his scoring despite being guarded by defensive specialist Akbar Zagobia.

Other 20-plus GVP performers
-- Forward Bang-Bang Reiner of Oklahoma City led his team in scoring with 20 points, totally outplaying his opposite, the bigger Gulemon Mon-Mon. Reiner also snagged 5 rebounds, had 1 assist and tied for most points saved on defense.
-- The other Oklahoma City forward, Sloppy Dollop also excelled for the second straight game, getting 15 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 blocked shot and 1 steal in the loss.

NEXT UP: The Finals begin, with the huge underdog Dallas visiting Oklahoma City, with the unbeaten home team looking to tie the all-time record for consecutive victories at 13. The question is not so much can Dallas win the title as it is "can they win a game" in this best of five championship series.

Dallas and Charleston have met in the Finals just one other time, in season 39, won 3 games to 1 by Charleston, with Beezow Bop-Bop as the Playoff MVP.

Season 42 Semifinals Game 2 ... Charleston at Seattle

CHARLESTON 87, SEATTLE 82
MOUNTAINEERS OUTGUN STAMPEDE; ADVANCE TO FINALS
SEATTLE -- The 12th consecutive win by the visiting Charleston Mountaineers was fraught with peril, as the MBA's top two scoring teams again put on an offensive show before the unbeaten victors finally survived 87-82.

The triumph advances Charleston to its third finals appearance in four seasons and puts them one victory away from tying the MBA mark of 13 straight wins set by Season 40's Oklahoma City Lariats.

Both Charleston and Seattle displayed quick, accurate passing and dead-eye shooting in this close contest. Charleston finished with 17 team assists while shooting 67.3 percent, while Seattle racked up 16 team assists and shot 65.5 percent.

In a back-and-forth game, the Mountaineers lead was cut to 79-78 with just 15 time units remaining following a fast-break bucket by Jairo Capoeira of Seattle. Then buckets by Pietro Destroyer and Beezow Bop-Bop went unmatched thanks to two empty trips by Seattle.

A missed 3-pointer by Capoeira with 7 left was followed by the coup de grâce from Hall of Famer Naf Naf of Charleston, who delivered a 3-point hammer to put his team ahead 86-79 and ice the game.

PLAYER OF GAME
BEEZOW BOP-BOP, having the best season of his 9-year MBA career, continues to shine in the playoffs. The 6-1 All-MBA Charleston guard dominated Bob Kittle, scoring 19 points, on 8 of 13 shooting that included a perfect 3-for-3 from the foul line. He pulled down 3 rebounds, dished out 4 assists and blocked a game-high 3 shots while holding Kittle to just 7 points.

Other 20-plus GVP performers
-- Charleston center J.J. Gargantuan had one hell of a final conflict with Naceg Gecan, with the two playing to a virtual stand-still while each performed superbly. Gargantuan led all scorers with 23 points and pulled down 2 rebounds in the big Charleston win.
-- Charleston power forward Pietro Destroyer scored just 10 points, but led his victorious team in rebounds with 4 while tying for team lead in assists with 5. He also registered a steal.
-- He fouled out with 9 time units left in the game, but before doing so, Seattle point guard Mel A. Noma got the better of Naf Naf in this one. Not many can claim that. Noma scored 16 points, going 2-for-2 from 3-Point Land, pulled down 5 rebounds and distributed 3 assists.
-- Eight-season star center Naceg Gecan played this game like it was his last; which it was. He scored 18 points against one of the top defensive centers in the league, pulled down a game-high 6 rebounds and dished out 2 assists. Fare thee well, Naceg.
-- Seattle power forward Pap Smearz had his usual solid, all-around game, contributing 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal.
-- Seattle small forward and crowd favorite Jairo Capoiera, also playing his final game in a career spent entirely with the Stampede, went out big. The thin, 6-7 speedster led his team in scoring (19 points) and topped everyone in assists with 6 while also pulling down 3 rebounds. He dominated Wawa Wewa of Charleston. "Cappy" will be missed in Seattle.

NEXT UP: Two-time defending champion Oklahoma City, down 1-0 in the best of three Semifinals to Dallas, must stave off elimination on the home court of the Demons.

MBA Playoffs Game 1 Semifinals Dallas at Oklahoma City

Dallas 57, Oklahoma City 56
DEMONS' COMEBACK STUNS OKLAHOMA CITY
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Dallas Demons came all the way back from a 22-6 first-quarter deficit to beat the two-time defending champion Oklahoma City Lariats 57-56 before a thoroughly stunned home crowd.

After losing semifinals contests by five and one point to this same team last season, the Demons looked totally outmatched in the first quarter of this season's playoff opener. Oklahoma City's No. 1-rated defense was dominant, holding the visitors to a measly 6 points while the Lariats fired off 22 of their own. It looked like game over.

But Dallas chipped away at the lead for the next three quarters as the Lariats, who shot just 40.7 percent for the game, could not buy a bucket.

A 4-point play by Dallas guard Bingo Bango brought the Demons to within 2 in the third quarter, 40-38, and they tied the game early in the fourth quarter 43-43 on a drive by Matthew Vanden Boogart.

When Dallas' All-MBA forward Gulemon Mon-Mon hit a cold-blooded 3-pointer with 25 time units remaining, it gave his team their first lead of the contest 55-52. Mon-Mon's short jumper moments later increased the advantage to five.

The final moments went like this:
-- Sloppy Dollop of Oklahoma City blocked two consecutive "good" shots down low by Boogart, but Dallas still led 57-54 with 9 ticks left.
-- Oklahoma City point guard Ginger Vampire missed a medium shot but was fouled in the act by Bango who fouled out of the game. With 7 left, Vampire made both charity tosses and the Dallas lead was now 57-56.
-- Boogart launched a trey that was way off, Max Payne of the Lariats grabbed the rebound, and with 3 time units remaining, Oklahoma City was set up to win the game.
-- Dollop, who has been missing this shot the entire game, delivered a "good" short jumper, but Boogart force missed it with a game-saving defensive play. Mon-Mon grabbed the rebound for Dallas and the upset was complete.

Now, down 1 game to zero, Oklahoma City must win two in a row, the first coming on the Dallas home court, or be eliminated.

PLAYER OF THE GAME
Despite having a bad shooting day, Oklahoma City forward SLOPPY DOLLOP gets the POG nod. The third-year man led the Lariats in scoring with 14 points, despite going just 5 for 15 from the field. Three of those five field goals were slam-dunks on tip-ins. He was 4 for 4 from the foul line. The 6-7 Dollop pulled down 6 rebounds, blocked a game-high 3 shots, dished 2 assists and registered 1 steal.

Other 20-plus GVP performer
-- Second-year shooting guard Bingo Bango scored 14 points despite fouling out, grabbed 5 rebounds, had 1 assist and 1 steal.

NEXT UP: The Charleston Mountaineers look for their 12th consecutive win as they travel to Seattle in an attempt to eliminate the Stampede. Charleston leads the best of 3 series 1-0 after winning 102-92 in Game 1 at home.

Season 42 Semifinals Game 1 Seattle at Charleston

Charleston 102, Seattle 92
MOUNTAINEERS OUT-GUN STAMPEDE IN PLAYOFF OPENER
CHARLESTON -- The top two scoring teams in the MBA put on a wild, wooly and highly entertaining offensive display before the still undefeated Mountaineers pulled away for a 102-92 win in the opening game of this best of three playoff match-up.

In the end the difference was Hall of Fame guard and league MVP Naf Naf of Charleston and the defense of the winning Mountaineers.

Trailing 76-73 going into the fourth quarter, Charleston broke the game open with an 11-0 run to start the last 70 time units, and Seattle could never quite recover.

Considering the poker-hot start of the game by the Mountaineers, it's a wonder that Seattle was even in the contest at all. Charleston's first quarter, where they scored 37 points on 15 of 17 shooting, was among the best that can be recalled in MBA history. But Seattle did not lay down and die, coming back to tie the game at halftime and take the lead going into the final frame. In truth, it's hard to imagine the Stampede playing a better game than they displayed in this one.

But in the end, led by Naf's 37-point effort, Charleston secured their 11th consecutive victory of the season.

The series now returns to Seattle for a do-or-die win for the Stampede.

SPECIAL GAME NOTE: For the first time in the entire history of the MBA, a player was booted out of the contest for accumulating two technical fouls for fighting. That player was second-year Charleston forward Wawa Wewa, who missed the entire second half of the game. His first incident came with one time unit left in the first quarter, when he got into fisticuffs with big Pap Smearz of Seattle, who won that battle. Then, again with time running out in the second quarter (this time with 2 time units remaining) Wewa took exception to Mel A. Noma rubbing his tumor-laden body all up against him and took to wailing on the smaller guard, for which he was then ejected.

Points saved by quarters
Seattle 0 - 0 - 2 - 2 Total=4
Charleston 4 - 5 - 2 - 2 Total=13

Top players, points saved
1. J.J. Gargantuan 6
2. Beezow Bop-Bop 5

PLAYER OF THE GAME
Charleston's Hall of Fame guard NAF NAF was his amazing self in securing this Game 1 win for the Mountaineers. His 37-point performance was the sixth-highest scoring playoff game in history. With this latest output, Naf has four of the seven best playoff scoring games ever, including the top three. In this game he was 13 for 19 from the floor, 10 for 13 from 3-Point Land, 1 for 2 from the foul line, responsible for 1 assist and snagged the only steal in the game. He scored 15 points in the first quarter and hit the first 6 treys he took. In the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, he scored 14 points, leaving the Stampede in his wake.

Other 20-plus GVP performers
-- The other Charleston All-MBA guard, Beezow Bop-Bop, scored 17 points, blocked a game-high 6 shots, had 1 rebound, 1 assist and was second in the game on points saved with 5.
-- Charleston center J.J. Gargantuan hit the board hard for the Mountaineers, leading all players with 8 while scoring 15 points, blocking 4 shots and saving a game-high 6 points on defense.
-- Charleston forward Mike Hunt performed wonderfully while subbing for the ejected "Bad Boy" Wawa Wewa. In a little more than half a game, Hunt scored 14 points, pulled down 5 rebounds and dished out a team-high (tied) 3 assists.
-- Point guard Mel A. Noma of Seattle could not slow down the offensive efforts of Naf Naf, but did his best to match the output. Noma tied for his team's high in points, scoring 21, while pulling down 4 boards and dishing out 2 assists.
-- Seattle two-guard Bob Kittle kept pace with his man, Bop-Bop, scoring 17 points, tying for game-high in assists with 4 and grabbing 1 rebound.
-- Stampede center Naceg Gecan hooked horns once more with nemesis Gargantuan and played him to a near standstill. Gecan scored 16 points, tied for team-high with 6 rebounds and dished 2 assists.
-- Any way you look at it, Seattle power forward Pap Smearz got the better of Pietro Destroyer. Smearz scored 17 points and tied for team-high in rebounds with 6 while handing out 3 assists.
-- Seattle small forward Jairo Capoeira tied for top scorer on his team, scoring 21 points while tying for game-hihg in assists with 4. He also pulled down 3 boards.



NEXT UP: The opener of the other semi-final with Dallas traveling to play two-time defending champion Oklahoma City.