Season 53 Featured Game No. 9...Philadelphia at Oklahoma City

PHILADELPHIA 88, OKLAHOMA CITY 55

PHOBIA CRUSHES LARIATS TO STAY ALIVE

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The visiting Philadelphia Phobia (now 5-4) took their playoff hopes to the final bracket of the regular season, crushing the team they're chasing, the Oklahoma City Lariats, 88-55.

The beat-down began in the first quarter when Philly exploded for 34 points to just 15 for the home team, silencing the fans who had come to celebrate a playoff-clinching win.

The size of the victory may come into play as the third tie-breaker (behind division wins and head-to-head competition) is overall team points differential, the advantage of which Philadelphia now holds.

Still, all Oklahoma City has to do is beat last-place Milwaukee to earn a playoff berth. A loss to the Greyhounds (who have won two of their last 3 games) and a Phobia win over Charleston would make their records identical, and since the two teams split the season series, points differential would come into play.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

32 GVP...Retiring Philadelphia center TACO TOOSDAE dominated the center position in this game, scoring a game-high 22 points on 9 of 10 shooting that included 4 of 5 from the charity stripe. The 6-11, 7th year man added 6 rebounds, tied for team-high in assists with 3 and blocked 1 shot in this important win.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

30 GVP...Smooth Philly forward D. Fenestration hauled in a game-high 7 rebounds while scoring 19 points, tied for team-high in assists with 3 and blocked 1 shot. He absolutely dominated Buba Lipa of Oklahoma City.

26 GVP...Fourth-year Philly mainstay Ehhy Table tickled the twine for 20 points while pulling down 3 boards and tying for team-high in assists with 3. He dominated Handsy Joe Potatoe, who was the POG of their previous meeting.

23 GVP...Phobia point guard Dick Papers scored 16 points, snagged 2 boards, tied for team-high in assists with 3 and swiped a game-high 2 steals. 

21 GVP...Oklahoma City's rookie forward Phillip Mianus tied for his team's top scorer with 12 points, prevented a game-high 8 points, blocked a game-high 5 shots, grabbed 3 rebounds and handed out 1 assit. He leads the league in blocked shots with 32 and would be the first rookie since Hall of Famer Chip Battoe to do so.

Points prevented by Philadelphia=14

Points prevented by Oklahoma City=12

Tops in points prevented

1. Phillip Mianus, Oklahoma City 8

2. Wawa Wewa, Philadelphia 6

3. D. Fenestration, Philadelphia 4

Changes in standings since last bracket

The only change in either division was Sacramento moving past Seattle into second place in the West, thanks to the R-Dogs beating (and eliminating) San Jose and Seattle getting upset by Milwaukee. 

COMING UP: The final bracket of the regular season starts with San Jose over Gillette. That game has no bearing on the playoffs, but is notable for it being the last contest ever played by Hall of Fame guard Jesse Shershot of the Fighting Amigos.

That contest is followed by the FEATURED GAME of the final bracket, Sacramento at Seattle, with the winner advancing to the playoffs. Sacramento bested Seattle at the buzzer 79-78 on a short jumper at the buzzer by Kevin Duran-Duran of the River Dogs. 

The third and fourth games of the bracket are playoff pressure pots, the first being Charleston at Philadelphia, followed by Milwaukee at Oklahoma City. Philly needs a win and a Lariats loss. Oklahoma City just needs a win to make the playoffs.

Season 53 Featured Game No. 8...Oklahoma City at Dallas...PLUS BONUS

OKLAHOMA CITY 63, DALLAS 62

PERFECT SEASON HALTED

DALLAS -- So you say there's a chance?

The Oklahoma City Lariats now 6-2) gave themselves an inkling of post-season hope with a 63-62 victory over the previously unbeaten (and thought-to-be unconquerable) Dallas Demons (now 7-1).

The defensive struggle came down to the last few time units, with Oklahoma City ahead by three. Dallas guard Juvan Djinn took a short jumper and was fouled, but the shot did not go down. He then made both free throws (he's the league leader with 19 for 19 in that department), erasing Dallas hopes of a make, miss, offensive rebound basket scenario that could have tied the game.

The teams thus split the season series, with Dallas having beaten the hell out of OKC 100-68 in their previous meeting.

The Whiz Kids suffered another loss in this one as veteran forward Al A. Orden was injured in the second quarter and will miss the remaining regular schedule games, plus the first playoff game. Orden was already subbing for former All-MBA forward Satan Israel, who suffered a season-long injury early in the campaign. 

Six-ten rookie forward Philibuck Davia will now man the starting forward position for the Whiz Kids until Orden can return. 

PLAYERS OF THE GAME 

24 GVP...Going head-to-head with a fierce battle throughout the contest, the point guards for both teams set the pace in this excellent contest. Fourth-year Oklahoma City star KING CZARDINES, the league leader in assists, led everyone in that department with 3 while scoring 16 points, grabbing 4 boards and registering 1 steal. The team's top overall scorer was 8 for 12 from the floor (0 for 2 from deep). It was his second POG of the season.

AND

24 GVP...The league's leading scorer, KOPI LUWAK of Dallas, had a tough shooting day (7 for 17) but still tied for game-high scorer with 17 points, dropping in 3 long ones in 7 tries. The second-year man also tied for team-high in rebounds with 5 and team-high in assists with 2.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

22 GVP...League MVP candidate Pete "the Steakman" Marzano shut out his man Buba Lipa, accounting for a game-high 4 blocked shots while scoring 10 points, tying for team-high in rebounds with 5, tying for team-high in assists with 2 and getting his team's only steal. 

MBA Standings … Season 53

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….7-1 (clinched playoffs)

OKLAHOMA CITY…..6-2

PHILADELPHIA………3-4

CHARLESTON………. 3-4 (eliminated from playoffs)

MILWAUKEE……….. 1-6 (eliminated from playoffs)

 

WEST DIVISION

GILLETTE…………. 5-2

SACRAMENTO…4-3

SEATTLE…………..3-4

SAN JOSE………….3-4

LOS ANGELES….. 1-6

 

NEXT UP: Sacramento at Los Angeles...The River Dogs destroyed last-place L.A. 81-44 in their previous meeting. The Big One has lost five in a row. 

BONUS

DYLAN IS FAVORITE AMONG ROOKIE OF THE YEAR CONTENDERS AFTER 7 BRACKETS 

Note how the GVP order is a direct reflection of the prime pick order in which these rookies were drafted. 

25.1 GVP...Gillette 6-11 center BLOB DYLAN (3rd pick in the draft, 1st prime pick)...15.6 ppg, 5.9 RB, 11 blocked shots...Not only the favorite for Rookie of the Year, but currently in the hunt for overall MVP. He has the Humps in the unfamiliar spot of first place in the West.

22.0 GVP...Oklahoma City 6-8 power forward PHILLIP MIANUS (4th pick in the draft, 2nd prime pick)...11.9 ppg, 24 blocked shots, 5.0 RB...League's leading shot blocker has changed the Lariats defensive identity.

20.0 GVP...Seattle 5-11 point guard BELLYBUTTON INQUISITION (6th pick in the draft, 3rd prime pick)...12.9 ppg, 8 steals, 3.6 RBs...Steadying force on the Stampede...team's top assist man. Big rebounder for his small stature.

18.9 GVP...Milwaukee's 6-foot shooting guard ITSTHA BISHOP (9th pick in the draft, 4th prime pick)...14.6 ppg). Top scorer on his team despite being guarded by top defenders in the East.

18.6 GVP...7-foot center CHINA P  (11th pick in the draft, 5th prime pick) 10.6 ppg, 5.7 RBs...Leads the River Dogs in rebounding. Came to team in trade with Los Angeles, who originally drafted him.

Season 53 Featured Game No. 7...Dallas at Oklahoma City

DALLAS 100, OKLAHOMA CITY 68 (Slaughter rule enforced)

DEMONS UNRAVEL LARIATS

 OKLAHOMA CITY -- As if anyone needed further authentication as to which team rules the roost in Season 53, the visiting defending champs from Dallas destroyed the would-be challengers to their supremacy, crushing the home team Lariats 100-68.

The game was a close, spirited affair for one quarter before things got totally out of hand. After out-scoring Oklahoma City 27-17 in the second quarter, the Whiz Kids held a 12-point lead at halftime, where they had already accumulated 10 blocked shots.

They would go on to tie the single-game record for blocks (15...established twice by Seattle; once in Season 27 and once in the playoffs in Season 49) while becoming the first team in Season 53 to hit the 100-point mark. The triple-digit score was achieved on the final time unit of the game when Dallas sub Philibuck Davia scored down low, was fouled and converted the free throw.

For the game, Dallas shot a ridiculous 74.5 percent, while Oklahoma City was held to 41.2 percent.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

42 GVP...A game-high 29 points, a game-high 8 blocked shots, 4 rebounds and 1 assist. Those were the final totals for fourth-year Dallas superstar guard JUZAN DJINN who totally frustrated his counterpart Handsy Joe Potatoe, sending one would-be 3-pointer after another back in his face. (Potatoe was 1 for 13 from deep). Djinn was a solid 11 for 16, canning 2 of 6 from beyond the arc and maintaining his perfect season at the free throw line, where he went 5 for 5 (he now leads the league there at 15 for 15.) This is the kind of game that could vault him into his first regular season MVP honor.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

32 GVP...Dallas center Biggus Dickus totally destroyed two-time All-MBA pivot Chochky Galumpkus, allowing him just 3 points while scoring 26 of his own. Lariats back-up Chat Bot fared slightly better, but not much. The second-year 7-footer added 3 blocked shots, 2 rebounds and 1 assist to his superb outing.

27 GVP...The lone bright spot in the game for Oklahoma City was point guard King Czardines, who led his team in scoring with 18 points (including 3 buckets from deep), tied for game-high in assists with 5, pulled in 2 boards and registered 1 steal. 

25 GVP...The leading candidate for MVP going into the game, second-year forward Pete "the Steakman" Marzano had another stellar game, scoring 15 points, grabbing a game-high 5 rebounds, swatting away 4 enemy shots and adding 1 assist.

22 GVP...The league's leading scorer, Dallas point guard Kopi Luwak, contributed 16 points, grabbed 4 boards and added 2 assists to the massacre.

MBA Standings … Season 53

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….7-0

OKLAHOMA CITY…..5-2

PHILADELPHIA………3-3

CHARLESTON………. 3-4

MILWAUKEE……….. 0-6

 

WEST DIVISION

GILLETTE…………. 5-1

SACRAMENTO…4-3

SEATTLE…………..2-4

SAN JOSE………….2-4

LOS ANGELES….. 1-5

 

NEXT UP: Win-less Milwaukee travels to Philadelphia. A win by the Phobia puts them just one game behind Oklahoma City, and the Lariats have to play Dallas again the next game while Philly gets the Greyhounds. It’s getting close.

Season 53 Featured Game No. 6...Oklahoma City at Gillette

GILLETTE 85, OKLAHOMA CITY 81 in DOUBLE OVERTIME

HUMPS OUTLAST LARIATS

GILLETTE -- In a game for the ages the home team Gillette Humps (now 5-1) endured double-overtime to drop the visiting Oklahoma Lariats (now 5-1) out of the ranks of the unbeaten.

The first OT came when Gillette forward LaJon Brames hit a short jumper at the buzzer in regulation to tie the score at 71, requiring the extra playing time.

Gillette was smelling victory at the end of the first overtime when Humps center Blob Dylan force-missed a game-tying put-back off an offensive rebound by the Lariats' Chat Bot. But Oklahoma City rookie Phillip Mianus was there to tip in the miss and tie the score again at 77-77 just as time ran out. 

Not to be denied, Gillette finally gained more than a 2-point lead early in the second OT and hung on to win 85-81.

The victory gives the first-place Humps its most triumphs ever in one season with four games still on the schedule. 

It's the second win for the West in cross-over battles this season. The East has won four times.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

33 GVP...Three-time All Star Game selection BILLIE "BE-BOP" BAUER earned his second POG in a row with a perfect shooting day that tied him for team-high in points with 19. The 6-7 forward was 8 for 8 from the floor and 3 for 3 from the foul line while tying for game high in rebounds with 8. Now in his fourth season, last year's All-MBA player also tied for team-high in blocks with 2, while assisting 3 times and swiping his team's only steal.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

32 GVP...Third-year Oklahoma City player Buba Lipa controlled his small forward position, leading all scorers with 23 points and tying for game-high in rebounds with 8. He added 1 steal.

30 GVP...Gillette's outstanding rookie center Blob Dylan has gotten this franchise over the Hump, so to speak. He out-played veteran big man Chochky Galumpkus here, tying for game-high in scoring with 19 points, grabbing 6 boards and tying for game-high in assists with 4. The 6-11 savior added 1 blocked shot.

24 GVP...Oklahoma City point guard King Czardines scored 17 points, led his team in assists with 3, stole a game-high 2 passes and pulled down 2 rebounds in the loss.

24 GVP...Before fouling out in regulation, Lariats' veteran shooting guard Handsy Joe Potatoe dominated Lefty Scavenger (who also fouled out), lighting him up for 16 points, blocking a game-high 4 shots, pulling down 3 boards and assisting 1 time.

22 GVP...Power forward Phillip Mianus continued his superb rookie campaign for Oklahoma City with a 13-point performance that included 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 blocked shot. 

MBA Standings … Season 53

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….5-0

OKLAHOMA CITY…..5-1

PHILADELPHIA………3-2

CHARLESTON………. 1-4

MILWAUKEE……….. 0-5

 

WEST DIVISION

GILLETTE…………. 5-1

SACRAMENTO….....3-2

SAN JOSE………….2-3

SEATTLE…………..1-4

LOS ANGELES….. 1-4

 

NEXT UP: San Jose hosts Seattle, a team they handled easily 96-75 in their last outing prior to the break. Vinny Zazeech led the way in the romp for the Fighting Amigos, who are looking to get back to .500 and stay in the playoff hunt. 

Season 53 All Star Game

WEST 80, EAST 73

WEST IS BEST IN SEASON 53

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The West All Stars broke open a tied game late, scoring the last 7 points of the contest to come out on top of the annual MBA classic 80-73.

The victory was the 20th in the series against 33 triumphs for the East and the first West win in three seasons.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

33 GVP...Playing in his first game as a Hall of Famer, Sacramento's star forward CRENTIS DENTIST had his way with Pete Marzano of Dallas. Dentist, playing in his fifth All Star Game in as many seasons, poured in 23 points, going 10 for 15 from the field (1 for 3 from deep and 2 for 2 from the foul line) while pulling down 6 boards. The 6-6 Dentist, the league leader in steals, tied for most thefts in the game with 2, while blocking 1 shot and handing out 1 assist. He is the fifth River Dogs player to earn All Star Game MVP honors. It is his first time winning the award.

The other Sacramento players to earn MVP honors were:

Season 23...forward Dean Wormer

Season 27...guard Wes Montgomery

Season 29...guard Cheetos Jones

Season 49...forward Doo-rag Dripp

Other 20-plus GVP performers

30 GVP...Second-year Gillette guard Joey "Joe-Joe" Shamadu, Jr. celebrated his initial ASG appearance by leading all scorers with 24 points, including burying 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. The 6-2 Shamadu also tied for game-high in assists with 5 and added 1 rebound.

30 GVP...Dallas' star fourth-year guard Juzan Djinn made things miserable defensively for San Jose's Jesse Shershot in the latter's final All Star Game appearance. And while holding the perennial top scorer in the league to just 10 points, Djinn turned in a triple-double, scoring 20 points, tying for game-high in assists with 5 and blocking a game-high 5 shots.

29 GVP...Second-year Dallas guard Kopi Luwak exchanged buckets with his opposite Shamadu, Jr. all game long, coming up with a team-high total of 21 points that included 3 bombs. The 6-2 Luwak also led his team with 6 rebounds and added 2 assists.

NEXT UP: The second half of Season 53 kicks things off with a superb FEATURED GAME contest that has unbeaten second-in-the-East Oklahoma City (5-0) visiting the first-place upstarts in the West, the Gillette Humps (4-1). This is the second Featured Game for both teams this season. Both were winners in their previous spotlight appearances. 

Season 53 All Star Game Rosters and game facts...Plus...New Hall of Fame Member

-- The East leads the All Star series 33-19 and have won 8 of the last 10 games, including the last 2 in a row.

-- Only one player who earned this season's ASG rosters will be retiring...Hall of Famer Jesse Shershot of San Jose.

-- None of the players in this game have ever won the All Star Game MVP...it will be Shershot's last chance to do so.

-- 13 Dave players and 7 from Tyler teams made the squads.

-- It's not unusual for one team to have zero representatives make the game, but this season two teams, Philadelphia and Milwaukee, are not represented. It's especially surprising for the Phobia to be without representation in the Star Game.

-- The two unbeaten teams, Dallas and Oklahoma City, each led the way with four players each. Dallas has the most starters with 3.

-- In a fine year for rookies, four made the All Star Game, with Gillette center Blob Dylan the lone starter.

-- There are seven players on this season's All Star rosters who made last season's teams...Both of Dallas' guards, Kopi Luwak and Juzan Djinn, and forward Pete Marzano went back-to-back, as did Charleston forward Sheetrock Hudson, San Jose guard Jesse Shershot and Gillette forward Be-bop Bauer. The seventh is the latest Hall of Famer, Crentis Dentist. 

-- Just four players repeated as starters from last season's All Star Game...Luwak, Djinn, Hudson and Shershot. 

-- Almost half the field, 9 players, to be exact, are making their first All Star Game appearances.

-- Four players are making their first starts in the All Star Game: Johnny Bananas, Pete Marzano, Joey Shamadu, Jr., and Blob Dylan.

WHO DO YOU PICK?

To win the game...I pick the East...but it will be close.

For ASG MVP......I pick Jesse Shershot in his final All Star contest.

DENTIST FILLS HALL OF FAME SPOT

Sacramento River Dogs forward Crentis Dentist, in the midst of his 5th MBA season, becomes the 58th member of the Hall of Fame. The 6-6 forward combines ball-hawking skills with impressive offensive ability. After three stellar years in Los Angeles, he's played the last season and a half for Sacramento. During that time he's earned two All-MBA stars, one playoff MVP for Season 51, championship rings in Season 50 and Season 51 and five All Star Game appearances in as many seasons, beginning with Season 49. He joins Jesse Shershot and J.J. Gargantuan as one of three active Hall of Fame players currently in the MBA. 

Note: 877 players have been made by the MBA...so just 6.6 percent of those made have made the Hall of Fame.

SHERSHOT MOVES UP IN ALL-TIME RANKING

Retiring Hall of Fame guard Jesse Shershot of San Jose is now tied with forward Boone Doggle and guard Momadou Zongo for 10th place in Hall of Fame placement. Making the Season 53 All Star Game gives Shershot 18 honors on his card. He passed up forward Link Lennex and guard Stu Nod in the rankings. As far as guards go, only Naf Naf (23), Uncle Bob Masterson (21), Cappy Gambol (19) and Hrundi V. Bakshi (19) exceed Shershot in awards. Shershot can surpass Gambol and Bakshi and tie Masterson if he wins All-MBA, MVP and Playoff MVP honors before retiring at the end of this season.

 

Season 53 Featured Game No. 5...Gillette at Sacramento

 GILLETTE 71, SACRAMENTO 51

HUMPS IN FIRST AT THE BREAK

SACRAMENTO -- The Gillette Humps (now 4-1) put a whoopin' on the Sacramento River Dogs (now 3-2), sweeping the season series and chugging into the halfway house of Season 53 in first place.

The four wins already tie the Gillette record for victories in a season, as the heady Humps held the R-Dogs to the lowest point total of anyone this campaign.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

23 GVP...One of the league's two All-MBA forwards last season, BILLIE "BE-BOP" BAUER likely secured his third All Star Game appearance in a row (in four seasons) with this effort. The 6-7 forward scored 11 points, grabbed 4 boards, assisted 2 times and had 1 steal. His major contribution in this important win was the game-high 5 blocked shots he contributed. He was his usual precise self from the floor, going 5 for 7, including 1 for 2 from deep. This was his first POG of the season.

Other 20-plus GVP performances (none by Sacramento)

22 GVP...Picked up in the cut draft by Gillette prior to the start of this season, veteran guard Ed Balls has proven to be a valuable addition to the team. Coming off the bench in a game in which both Gillette starting guards fouled out, Balls scored a game-high 17 points, came down with 3 rebounds, had 1 steal and 1 assist in the win.

MBA Standings … Season 53

EAST DIVISION

DALLAS………………….5-0

OKLAHOMA CITY…..5-0

PHILADELPHIA………2-2

CHARLESTON………. 1-4

MILWAUKEE……….. 0-5

 

WEST DIVISION

GILLETTE…………. 4-1

SACRAMENTO…3-2

SAN JOSE………….1-3

SEATTLE…………..1-3

LOS ANGELES….. 1-3

 

NEXT UP: Out of the gate slowly for the second straight season, San Jose needs to start winning right now if it wants to make the playoffs in this, Jesse Shershot’s final year in the MBA. They are on the road at Seattle, which has the same record as the Amigos. A loss for either team would seemingly be a post-season death warrant.