Season 44 Position Rankings...Playoff Preview...Colquitt Croix Hall of Famer

PLAYOFF FACTS
**All 4 playoff teams have one All-MBA player...Dallas has the MVP
**Two of the 4 playoff teams from last season have returned...Sacramento and Dallas new to field since last season.
**Best offense in MBA was Dallas at 82.1 ppg...San Jose was second in league at 80.2 ppg...Philadelphia ranked third at 78.2 ppg...Sacramento sixth at 74.6
**Sacramento was first in defense at 65.7 ppg...Philadelphia was 3rd at 67.9 ppg...San Jose 5th at 73.7...Dallas 6th at 74.3
**Philadelphia boasted the best points differential at +10.3...Sacramento was second at +8.9...Dallas was fourth at +7.8...San Jose was fifth at +6.5
**Sacramento was second in rebounding with 22.2 rpg...San Jose was third with 21.8 rpg...Dallas was fourth with 20.9 rpg...Philadelphia was ninth with 19.0


SEMIFINALS...PHILADELPHIA VS. SAN JOSE
** Rematch of last season's Finals teams...Philadelphia bested San Jose 3 Games to 1

Defending champions from Philly have replaced star center Diss Reflexia with able-bodied Carga Larga and forward Poodle "Stix" Jackson with Wawa Wewa. They are probably a better team than the one that won it all last season.
Philadelphia led the league in assists with 15 per game, falling just short of the all-time record of 15.8 per game.
The Phobia boasts the best on-the-ball, smothering defense...getting a league-best 46 steals. They bother opponents all game long which usually translates into turnovers.
They have the only Hall of Fame player in the playoffs...Colquitt Croix...and he could be the difference.

This looks like the last round-up for the Fighting Amigos from San Jose, who will see both star guards retire following the post-season.
Rookie forward Cam Caldwell replaced Mike Hunt in the starting lineup this season and is considered an upgrade.
Of the four playoff teams, only San Jose has all five starters who finished the season averaging over 20 GVP per game.
If Philly is to be beat, San Jose likely has a better chance in the shorter semifinals portion of the playoffs, where only two wins are needed.





SEMIFINALS...SACRAMENTO VS. DALLAS
The River Dogs are making their first playoff appearance since Season 34...they are the only team in the MBA without a championship.
The division title by Sacramento is only the second in team history. The first was in Season 15 when they went 9-1 and advanced to their only Finals.
By making the playoffs this season, Sacramento warded off a dice roll to see if it would leave the city. (10 seasons without a playoff and you roll.)

Dallas is the best shooting team in the MBA at 61 percent, and the only team in the league to reach 60 percent. Plus, they are the only team in the league to boast two players in the top 5 in scoring.
Although the Demons are fourth best defensively among the playoff teams, they led the league in blocked shots by a wide margin.

Sacramento and Dallas are the only semifinal teams that met during the regular season, with the River Dogs edging the Demons 69-65, despite Chip Battoe's POG performance.





THE MBA's NEWEST HALL OF FAMER




Earmarked for stardom since coming into the MBA, Colquitt Croix of the Philadelphia Phobia became the 49th member of the Hall of Fame when he earned his third All-MBA star this season. He is just the sixth player in history to attain Hall of Fame status within the first five seasons of his career and joins J.J. Gargantuan of Charleston as one of two active Hall of Fame players.
Currently ranked as tied for 28th most honored player of all time, he will undoubtedly move up the ranks in the Hall of Fame book before his career is over.
Runner-up in the league in scoring five consecutive times, he has been the Phobia's best scorer since his rookie season while leading that team in assists three times. A free-throw shooter supreme, he's led the league twice and his team four times. And much to the chagrin of the rest of the MBA, Croix has added quickness and anticipation defensively to such an extent that he led the league in steals for the first time this season, more than doubling his previous total.


NEXT UP: Let the playoffs begin! San Jose at Philadelphia for Game 1 in the best of three semis.

Season 44 Featured Game No. 10...Dallas at Charleston...and Hall of Fame quiz

Dallas 69, Charleston 68
DEMONS WIN 1-POINT THRILLER TO GAIN PLAYOFFS
CHARLESTON -- Late-game heroics by second-year superstar forward Chip Battoe earned the visiting Dallas Demons the final playoff spot as they edged the Charleston Mountaineers 69-68 in a showdown game that more than lived up to expectations.

As was fitting for the competitive contest this was, Charleston had the ball in the closing time units, down 3, with Player of the Game Flip Testerton taking a 3-point shot that would have tied the game. The shot was off, but Testerton rebounded, and with no time left to do anything else, put it back in as the buzzer went off, giving Dallas a one-point victory.

Dallas and Charleston both ended the season with 7-3 records, but the Demons held the tie-breakers. The Mountaineers thus become just the second team to not make the playoffs with 7 wins. The other was also Charleston.

The East is a bitch.

PLAYER OF GAME
Fifth-year small forward FLIP TESTERTON of Charleston kept his team in the game for much of the second half, scoring and handing out assists. The 6-5 leaper tied for game-high scoring honors with 20 points and led everyone with 5 assists, while grabbing 3 boards and blocking 1 shot. He was 10 for 15 from the floor (0 for 1 from deep and 0 for 1 from the foul line). If there was any doubt that he joins Chip Battoe at forward on the All-MBA team, this game removed it. It was his fourth POG this season.

Other 20-plus GVP performers
-- Behemoth Demons center Gotoo Grot had a monster game that matched his 7-2 size at the exact right moment for Dallas. Grot, who came into the game averaging a little over 10 points, scored 17 points against the best defensive center in the game while cleaning the backboards for a game-high 8 rebounds. He also dished 1 assist and blocked 1 shot.

-- Sure to grab his second MVP award in as many campaigns, Dallas forward Chip "the Crip" Battoe turned on the juice late in the fourth quarter to tie for game-high in scoring with 20 points. His quick-as-shit drive late in the game turned into a 3-point play that was a turning point for Dallas, tying the game when they had been down five just a few time units prior. The league's premier shot-blocker rejected a game-high 6 shots and added 1 assist. When Frog Morton of Charleston was killing Dallas in the first half, Battoe switched over to guard him and shut the rookie down. That was the key move of the game by coach Tyler Masterson.

-- Charleston shooting guard Cat Timol did a little of everything for the Mountaineers in this game, and was especially effective scoring in the first half. Timol scored 15 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, dished 3 assists, blocked 1 shot and was game-high in steals with 2.

-- Charleston's rookie forward Frog Morton scored 15 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, had 1 assist and blocked 1 shot, with most of the scoring coming in the first half before Battoe switched to him defensively.

NEXT UP: The anti-climatic final game of the regular season, a cross-over, with Milwaukee (2-7) at Los Angeles (5-4). Milwaukee needs to upset The Big One to even up the cross-over games, or The West will come away a rare winner in this regard. Milwaukee point guard Fatty McButterpants is in a dead heat with Dayshotta Leo for All-MBA and needs a big game in order to earn the right of slapping that star on his card.

BONUS QUESTION ON QUICK HALL OF FAMERS
In answer to Tyler Masterson's question as to how many of the 48...soon to be 49...Hall of Fame members gained the distinction in their first six games in the league, we will answer with a quiz.

The short answer is 17, which is approximately 35 percent of the current members of the Hall (which is more than I thought it would be). It would be unfair to have quiz participants name all 16, so we will list 26 players and ask which which 9 players did not achieve MBA immortality within six seasons. Here are the players.

Name the nine imposters.

Forward -- Gato DoMato

Forward -- Bub Wright

Center -- Alex Pal

Guard -- Ginger Vampire

Forward -- Ceasar Seizure

Guard -- Tommy Zoop

Forward -- Art Vandelay

Center -- Tom "the Bomb" Kondla

Guard -- Cheetos Jones

Forward -- Link Lennex

Guard -- Naf Naf

Guard -- Joey Two-Tones

Guard -- Shucks Oyster

Center -- Mable Reed

Guard -- Wes Montgomery

Guard -- Hrundi V. Bakshi

Guard -- Soul Duran

Guard -- Jalapa Valley

Center -- Diamond Dallas Paige

Forward -- Cam Bodia

Forward -- Sagittal Occlusal

Forward -- Guru Gannon

Forward -- Gulemon Mon-Mon

Forward -- Curly Hogbottom

Forward -- Boone Doggle

Guard -- Cappy Gambol

Season 44 Featured Game No. 9...Los Angeles at San Jose on Dayshotta Leo Day

Los Angeles 78, San Jose 72 (Dayshotta Leo Day)
BIG ONE PUTS DAMPER ON AMIGOS' DIVISION HOPES
SAN JOSE -- The home team Fighting Amigos, behind guards YourMajesty Lumpkins and Dayshotta Leo, put on a mad crunch time rush that fell short as the visiting Big One from Los Angeles registered a 78-72 victory, halting a five-game winning streak by the home team. The teams split the season series.

L.A., boasting the MBA's statistically best defense, stifled the league's second-best offense in the first half to lead by 10 at the halfway mark. They took a 12-point lead into the final quarter, which San Jose could not cut into until late. But the Amigos got to within 4 points and in possession of the ball with 13 time units remaining. San Jose's Egg Yolk Carpaccio took an ill-advised trey that missed, Anurag Dickshit of Los Angeles hit a short J and the game was sealed.

Los Angeles is now 5-4, tying its best win total since moving from Houston to La La Land (they went 5-5 in Season 40, their first on the West Coast),

San Jose is now 6-3, with its chances of maintaining first place in the West considerably diminished.

PLAYER OF THE GAME
Yet another late-season triple-double was delivered in this game, this one from Los Angeles' second-year point guard DR. MARCUS BRODY, who captured his first POG this season. Last season's All-MBA guard as a rookie was struggling offensively this sophomore campaign, averaging just 12.6 per game and shooting just 40.4 percent. But he looked like last season's version of himself in this win, getting 16 points, tying for game-high in assists with 5 and tying for team-high in rebounds with 5. The 6-1 Brody was 5 for 9 from the floor and a perfect 4-for-4 from deep, delivering many a back-breaker for the opponents. He was also 2 for 2 from the foul line. Brody also tied for most blocked shots in the game with 2.

Other 20-plus GVP performers
-- Seventh-season Los Angeles forward Baba Brinkman led everyone in scoring with 20 points while pulling down a team-high (tied) 5 rebounds and adding 1 assist. He dominated rookie Cam Caldwell of San Jose.

-- San Jose point guard YourMajesty Lumpkins led his team in scoring with 19 points, grabbed 2 boards, had 1 assist and 1 steal in a spirited battle with Brody.

-- Honored by the hometown fans with a halftime ceremony that noted his six illustrious seasons in San Jose, shooting guard Dayshotta Leo started slowly ON HIS DAY before picking up the pace in the fourth quarter to finish with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and tying for most blocked shots with 2.
"The way I played in the first half," he said, pointing to his 2 for 12 shooting at the break, "I deserved to be shot in the head."
Leo plans to be a delivery man for a dry cleaning establishment upon retirement at the end of this season.

-- San Jose center Hunk R. Down also had a rough first half, taking just two shots and scoring 0 points in the first half. But the 7-footer played with passion in the second-half near-comeback, ending up with a game-high 11 rebounds, scoring 12 points, getting 1 assist and tying for game-high in blocks with 2. It's safe to say he got much the better of Los Angeles center Chutcher Mouthchair.

-- 6-10 San Jose power forward Egg Yolk Carpaccio finished with 14 pooints, 4 rebounds 1 steal and tied for most blocked shots with 2.

HONORING LEO
Noted at halftime was the six superb seasons Dayshotta Leo had while playing for his only club, the Fighting Amigos.
A steady scorer, the 6-5 guard has led his team in scoring three times, including this season. His lowest points per game campaign was 14.1 in the one season he was injured. He was never under 15 per game since, and expects to exceed his best season average of 18.2 this season. He is currently averaging 19.1 this campaign and is in position to retire after earning his first All-MBA star.
They begged him to stay another season, at least, but the streets of Cicero, where he plans to launder more than clothes, are calling.

NEXT UP: Sacramento (6-2) at Seattle (3-5). The River Dogs can move back into first place in the West with a road win here. They gobsmacked the Stampede 88-47 in their first outing behind POG Doo-rag Dripp.

Season 44 Featured Game No. 8...Charleston at Dallas...with Bonus

Dallas 92, Charleston 72
DEMONS WARD OFF REAPER IN STYLE
DALLAS -- In the first of two showdown games with the visiting Mountaineers of Charleston, the Dallas Demons not only kept themselves mathematically in the playoff hunt, but did so in such dominant fashion that they look like the favorites to land the second playoff spot in the East Division.

With its 92-72 thrashing of the Mountaineers, Dallas (now 5-3) moved to within one game of Charleston (6-2) and Philadelphia (6-2). A loss would have eliminated the Demons from the post-season race.

Meanwhile, it's discouraging for Charleston to shoot 60.7 percent and still lose by 20, but they were killed on the glass and shot themselves in the foot at the free throw line where they were 3 for 12. Plus, they could not stop Dallas, which shot 63.9 percent, getting off more shots and bombing home 8 treys to just 1 for Charleston.

Game Note: All 10 players on the Dallas roster scored in this game.

PLAYER OF GAME
Having the best season of his four-year career, Dallas shooting guard BINGO BANGO engaged his opposite, Cat Timol, in a powerhouse battle and came out slightly on top. The 6-4 Bango tied Timol for high scorer with 23 points on 9 of 11 shooting, missing just two shots, both from beyond the arc, where he potted 4 of 6. Additionally, he was 1 for 1 from the foul stripe. Among the leading scorers and 3-point shooters in the league, Bango also pulled down 5 rebounds while dishing out 4 assists. It was his first POG this season.

OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMERS
-- Tyler was right to say that the league's most frequent foul man, Louie Subgum, stood a good chance of not fouling out against Charleston. Subgum has fouled out 6 times (three times as many as the next closest player) but has not done so in the last two games. Against Red Reparee, who took just one shot, the oldest player on Dallas (9 seasons) finished the game with a foul to spare. Subgum gets a starting position at point guard, because when he doesn't foul, he produces. This game is an example of that. The 6-4 lefty scored 14 points, led his team in assists with 5 and pulled down 1 rebound while dominanting Reparee.

-- The behemoth Dallas center GoToo Grot scored just 9 points against Hall of Fame center J.J. Gargantuan of Charleston, but the 7-2 monster pulled down 6 boards, had 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 blocked shot in a fine all-around performance.

-- After getting a forced rest that kept him out of most of the first quarter, Dallas small forward Chip "the Crip" Battoe still managed to score 15 points, pull down 4 boards, get 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 blocked shot against one of the league's top forwards, Flip Testerton.

-- Charleston's plucky little shooting guard Cat Timol tied Bingo Bango for game-high scoring honors with 23 points while leading everyone in steals with 2. The 5-10 Timol pulled down 2 rebounds, had 3 assists and blocked 1 shot.

-- Charleston's rookie power forward Frog Morton scored 17 points, had 2 boards, 2 assists and 1 block, despite his ridiculous tendency to chuck up off-the-mark 3-point attempts at alarmingly inopportune times.

-- The other Charleston forward, fifth-year man Flip Testerton, played the dominant defending league MVP Chip Battoe to a standstill, getting 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocked shots. That kind of performance could eventually net the 6-5 jumping jack his first All-MBA foil star.

NEXT UP: San Jose (5-2), looks to keep its tentative hold on first place in the West and extend the league's longest win streak (4 games) as it visits Milwaukee (2-5) in a cross-over. The Fighting Amigos could even up the season cross-over series for the West with a victory. The visitors feature the league's second best offensive average, but the Greyhounds are right behind them at fourth in the league. Milwaukee, however, is last in defense.

A BONUS LOOK AT THE RECORDS SHEET

As one might expect, it's getting pretty damned hard to get on the One-Game Records Sheet in either the Team or Individual categories.
The fact of the matter is that no new records were posted at all last season, and none have been added this season.

Last record added: Season 42, when Oklahoma City established a new one-game rebounding mark by hauling in 42 boards against Sacramento.
Oldest Team Mark: Milwaukee pumping in 90.9 percent of its treys against San Jose in Season 5.
Oldest Overall One-Game Record: Milwaukee guard Sal Mambo going 13 for 13 at the free throw line way way way way back in Season 2 against Oklahoma City. Little did we know at the time that Mambo's mark would stand the test of time.
The MBA Sound Barrier: Before Chuck Yeagar broke the sound barrier in 1947, it was believed that no one could get past the invisible wall in the sky. In the MBA, that wall is represented by 14 rebounds in one game, a mark that has been achieved, but never passed, by 6 different players, the last being Pippi Pippistrelli four seasons ago. The first to do it was Hall of Fame forward Raisin Sport in Season 11. So many have approached it since then that it seems obvious that 15 rebounds is inevitable. But so far, getting that one more board has been unobtainable.

MBA Featured Game No. 7 Philadelphia at Charleston

Philadelphia 82, Charleston 60
DEFENDING CHAMPS FLEX MUSCLES TO WIN SHOWDOWN
CHARLESTON -- The Philadelphia Phobia dealt the first-place Charleston Mountaineers their first loss of the season in a game the defending champs dominated start to finish, winning 82-60.

The Phobia is now one game behind Charleston (which won the first meeting by two points), with Philadelphia holding a 5-2 record to the 6-1 mark of the Mountaineers.

PLAYER OF THE GAME
Fifth-year star guard COLQUITT CROIX of Philadelphia notched his third POG with a game-high 24-point performance, getting the Phobia off to a 7-0 start and pouring in 20 of his points by the halfway mark. Croix, who totally out-classed his counterpart, Red Reparee, was 10 for 12 from the floor, shooting a lethal 4 of 5 from beyond the arc. He also pulled down 3 rebounds while dishing out 3 assists. He also added to his league-leading total of steals, swiping one, to give him 10 for the season. That is twice his previous high of five, established last season, with three games remaining.

OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMANCES
-- 6-4 shooting guard Akbar Zagobia of Philadelphia only scored 8 points, but the fifth-year man pulled down 7 rebounds, registered a team-high in assists with 4 and pilfered one ball.
-- Anytime you can get double-digits in points against Hall of Famer J.J. Gargantuan, you are having a productive game. Philly center Carga Larga scored 14 points, grabbing a game-high 8 rebounds and played J.J. to a standstill.
-- Every once in a while Philly forward Wawa Wewa will step out of the shadows and have a big offensive game. This was one of those times, as he lorded it over Flip Testerton and took more shots than any Philly player in scoring 19 points. He also had 1 rebound, 2 assists and 1 blocked shot.
-- The little man from the cut pile, 5-10 Cat Timol, Charleston's shooting guard, continues to shine for the Mountaineers. Timol, despite being guarded by defensive-minded Zagobia, was the top scorer for his team with 20 points while also leading his club in assists with 4. He also pulled down 2 boards.
-- The league's only active Hall of Fame player, center J.J. Gargantuan of Charleston, had his usual efficient day, getting 17 points, tying for team-high in rebounds with 3 and getting a game-high 2 steals.

NEXT UP: Chicago (1-5) travels up the road to Milwaukee (1-5) in a battle to see who can stay out of the East cellar. the Greyhounds stunned the Gale to open the season, 84-65 behind the debut POG of rookie sensation Fatty McButterpants.

Season 44 Featured Game No. 6...San Jose at Sacramento

San Jose 73, Sacramento 69
VISITING AMIGOS UPEND FIRST-PLACE SACRAMENTO
SACRAMENTO -- Two of the league's best centers put on a titanic show in a game that saw Sacramento's nemesis, San Jose, grab a 4-point halftime lead and hold it until the end for a scrappy 73-69 victory.

Both teams are now 4-2 in a three-way West Division race, with San Jose extending its winning streak to three games while halting a 4-game win streak of Sacramento's.

The teams split the season series 1-1.

This was the last home game of the season for Sacramento.

PLAYERS OF GAME
Defending All-MBA center HUNK R. DOWN was outrageous around the basket in this game. The 7-footer led all scorers with 19 points, coming on 9 of 12 shooting, with seven of those buckets ending in slam dunks. He was also 1-for-1 from the foul line. The big guy also hit the boards hard, coming up with 9 caroms. He also had 1 assist and 1 blocked shot to earn his first POG this season.

Down's magnificent game was matched by 6-8, sixth-year center TREE FIDDY of Sacramento, who did his opposite one better in the rebounding department, hauling down a game-high 10 boards. Fiddy had 15 points on 7 of 9 shooting, including 1-for 1 from 3-Point Land, 2 blocked shots, 2 assists and 1 steal. When Sacramento got down 9 points down the stretch, Fiddy blocked a sure bucket by Down, then popped in the trey to pull his team back into the game with 14 left.
This was his second POG this season.

Other 20-Plus GVP performers
-- Solid shooting guard Dayshotta Leo of San Jose scored 16 points, grabbed 3 rebounds and tied for game-high in blocked shots with 3 in this big win.

-- Rookie forward Cam Caldwell of San Jose thoroughly out-played All Star forward Doo-rag Dripp for the victors. Caldwell scored 16 points, had 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 blocked shot while holding Dripp, the top scorer on Sacramento, to just 10 points, 8 under his average.

-- Rookie point guard Great Gruncle Terry had a fine all-around game, scoring 10 points and accounting for a game-high 9 assists. The 6-5 newcomer also grabbed 3 rebounds and tied for game-high in blocks with 3.

-- Eight-season veteran foward Pap Smearz led all R-Dogs in scoring with 17 points, grabbed 3 rebounds and had 1 assist and 1 steal.



NEXT UP: Unless visiting Oklahoma City (1-4) can come up with an upset win against Los Angeles (3-2), The Big One will become the third 4-2 team in the West Division, joining Sacramento and San Jose. L.A. handled the Lariats by 36 points on the road in their previous meeting.

44th MBA All-Star Game...in San Jose

EAST 95, WEST 70
EAST BREEZES TO EASY WIN
SAN JOSE -- Three East stars posted 20-plus point games and little was in doubt right out of the gate as the visitors pounded the West home team 95-70 in this 44th MBA All Star Game.

The win gives the East the decisive 27-17 win-loss total in the annual affair.

PLAYER OF GAME
Fifth-year Philadelphia point guard COLQUITT CROIX earned his first POG in this, his fifth such outing. The 6-2 Croix scored 21 points, tied for game-high in assists with 5 and snagged 4 rebounds to earn the honor. He was 9 for 15 from the floor and splashed home 3 of 6 long bombs.

OTHER 20-PLUS GVP PERFORMERS
-- The outstanding rookie guard from Milwaukee, 6-7 Fatty McButterpants, deferred to the veteran Croix by moving over to two guard for the All Star contest, but it did not seem to hamper him in the least. McButterpants led all scorers with 23 points, the only shots missed of the 13 he took were a pair of 3-point attempts. The big guard also had 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in his All Star debut.

-- The league's newest and only active Hall of Fame player, center J.J. Gargantuan of Charleston showed the San Jose attendees why he is deserving of the honor. The 6-8 pivot scored 21 points while tying for game-high in rebounds with 6. He also had 1 assist and 1 blocked shot.

-- Charleston forward Flip Testerton making his All Star debut in his fifth season, acquitted himself admirably with 10 points, tying for game-high in rebounds with 6, dishing out 4 assists, getting 1 steal and blocking 1 shot.

-- Chicago forward Pietro Destroyer has not missed an All Star appearance since joining the league five seasons ago. This was his best star game as the 6-8 dynamo came off the bench to record a triple-double, getting 15 points, snagging 5 boards and dishing out a game-high (tied) 5 assists.

-- Playing in his final All Star Game before his home crowd, San Jose guard Dayshotta Leo put on a good show, getting 19 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. He will be retiring after this season.

-- The other upcoming retiree, eighth-season guard Bob Kittle of Seattle, made the most of his first appearance in the star game, leading all West Division players in scoring with 20 points while also leading his team in assists with 4.



THE 15 MOST RECENT ALL STAR GAME MVPS


NEXT UP...BRACKET No. 6
-- Featured Game: San Jose (3-2) at Sacramento (4-1) as the second half of the season gets off with a bang. First and second-place teams in the West go at it as the River Dogs look to add to their 4-game win streak. In their previous meeting, Sacramento, behind rookie point guard Great Gruncle Terry's best game thus far, out-lasted San Jose and Dayshotta Leo's game-high 21 points 72-65, coming from an 11-point halftime deficit in the process.

-- Oklahoma City (1-4) at Los Angeles (3-2). The Big One pounded the Lariats 98-62 last time around behind veteran Steve Carter, and depending on the result of the San Jose/Sacramento contest, L.A. could be back in second place.

-- Dallas (4-1), on a 4-game win streak, travels to Philadelphia (3-2) where the Phobia are poised to wrest second-place in the East away from the Demons. The Phobia dealt Dallas its only loss this season in the opening game for both teams, besting them 74-69 behind Colquitt Croix's 23 points.

-- Charleston (5-0) at Milwaukee (1-4) as the MBA's lone unbeaten team looks to give the home team Greyhounds their fifth consecutive loss and stay atop the East a bit longer.

-- This bracket's cross-over game has puzzling Chicago (0-5) at lowly Seattle (1-4). The Gale needs to start winning a few games to stay out of the cellar and avoid another franchise-moving roll.