Montana Glaciers 37-45 (0-6)

So Cal Surf 54-28 (6-0)

Score (click for boxscore)	Game MVP	Hi Points	Hi Rebounds	Hi Assists
1. Surf 119, Glaciers 117	Chris Mullin	35 Chris Mullin	13 Rik Smits	14 Kenny Smith
2. Glaciers 142, Surf 135	Kelly Tripucka	34 Kelly Tripucka	22 Moses Malone	11 Kenny Smith
3. Surf 160, Glaciers 156 OT	John Stockton	31 R.Smits/C.Mullin	19 Billy Thompson	15 J.Stockton/K.Smith
4. Glaciers 137, Surf 131	Kelly Tripucka	38 Kelly Tripucka	14 Chris Mullin	14 John Stockton
5. Glaciers 133, Surf 128	Kelly Tripucka	42 Kelly Tripucka	13 Billy Thompson	17 John Stockton
6. Surf 160, Glaciers 150	Mitch Richmond	49 Mitch Richmond	22 Moses Malone	14 John Stockton
7. Surf 149, Glaciers 144	Chris Mullin	40 Chris Mullin	15 Moses Malone	14 John Stockton

Game 1 – Overmatched in talent coach Chris Mannen decided to go into game #1 with a slow pace and pound the ball inside to limit So Cal’s explosive offense. The strategy worked for the first 12 minutes as Montana scored 24 points in the paint and led by 8 for most of the period. Rik Smits scored 20 points in the quarter while getting Moses Malone into early foul trouble. So Cal was led by Mitch Richmond with 8 points. Montana 32 – So Cal 26 after one. Early in the 2nd period Montana extends the lead to 10 but then Chris Mullin and John Stockton took over scoring 18 and 9 points. So Cal outscores Montana 41-25 in the period and takes a 10 point lead into the half. Montana 57 – So Cal 67 at halftime. Montana comes out in the 3rd period and goes on an 8-0 run to draw within 2 points. Foul trouble plagues both teams though as Montana finds Tripucka, Smits, Smith, and Humphries draw their 4th fouls while So Cal’s Malone, Manning and Richmond leave to the bench with 4 apiece also. Montana 93 – So Cal 87 after three. Montana builds a 105-98 lead with 4:53 remaining but So Cal stages a comeback, led by Mullin 12p and Stockton 9p, to regain the lead 110-109 with 2:02 remaining. Down by 2 with 47 seconds left Hot Rod Williams missed two free throws while Malone converts 2 of his own and So Cal hangs on for the 119-117 win.

Game 2 – Losing a heart-breaking game #1 Montana looks to even the series up on the road.  Chris Mullin scores 10 first period points and So Cal takes a 7 point lead early but Montana fights back.  The Glaciers get 27 points from their bench, led by Hot Rod Williams with 14, and ends the first 12 minutes on a 10-0 run.  Montana 43, So Cal 38 after one. Both teams continue to score in the 2nd period and Montana manages to increase their lead to 14 at one point late in the period.  Stockton keeps So Cal inthe game with 8 points while Kelly Tripucka scores 10 in the period to lead Montana.  Montana 78, So Cal 68 at the half. Determined to keep the pressure on Montana comes out hot in the 3rd period and extends their lead to 29 points midway through the period despite Smits and Tripucka picking up their 4th fouls and having to sit.  So Cal was ice cold early in the period but found a little momentum in the last few minutes to go up 113-91 heading into the 4th. Entering the final 12 minutes with a 22 point lead Montana was looking to even the series but nothing is ever easy for the Glaciers.  So Cal comes out with energy they hadn’ displayed all game and managed to get within 3 points when Mullin hit a 3 pointer with 23 seconds remaining.  Shaky free throw shooting by Kenny Smith late in the game hindered Montana but Dailey and Tripucka converted 4 free throws to seal the 142-135 Montana win. It was an ugly game that had 71 fouls and 107 free throws, with Montana taking 65 of their own.  The Glaciers got a solid effort from their bench with 51 points – 18 more than the Surf

Game 3 – An Overtime Thriller that sees the Surf ride scoring waves at both the end of Regulation, so force OT, and in Overtime itself to win the game. SO CAL’S “Big Four” just could not be contained and win the game for the Surf. Billy Thompson was a BEAST on the Boards like never before, clutch stuff Billy! For MONTANA their Center Rick Smits was only stopped by Foul Trouble. And he received excellent support from Kenny Smith and Kelly Tripucka.

Game 4 – A great back and forth contest that saw the hosts control most of the game, essentially, except for that scare they put into their fans in the stands in the final quarter, before regaining control for the win. This game was the Glacier’s small forward Kelly Tripucka Show. He just could not be stopped. His playing partner in the front court Hod Rod Williams gave Kelly plenty of support.

Game 5 – With the series tied two games apiece the teams travel back to So Cal for game #5. The Surf take a quick 7 point lead early in the first period but Montana stays to their game plan of pounding the paint and the Glaciers go on a 14-2 run to end the period. Montana shoots .640 from the field and got 9 points from Tripucka, Montana 39 – So Cal 28. Tripucka scores 11 points in the 2nd period but Montana goes cold from the field. Mitch Richmond scores 12 points to bring So Cal to within 8 as the teams enter to locker room with the score Montana 70, So Cal 62. Hot Rod Williams scores 10 points in the 3rd period but Chris Mullin explodes for 21 points to lead the Surf back into the game and actually take the lead entering the final 12 minutes. So Cal, behind their bench and 5 quick fouls by Montana in the first 4 minutes, take a 9 point lead in the 4th quarter and looked to take control of the game. Montana though was not done and got the Surf into foul trouble of their own. Managing to tie the game at 124 with 1:13 remaining Kelly Tripucka took over, scoring 6 of the last 8 points for the Glaciers from the line, Montana 133 – So Cal 128. Montana: Tripucka 42 points (20-21 FT), WIlliams 23p, Smith 16p/10a, Smits 13p, Dailey 12p. So Cal: Mullin 35p, Richmond 30p, Malone 21p, Stockton 11p/17a. The game featured 62 fouls (39 from So Cal) and Montana shot 56 free throws (making 47) compared to 29 FT for the Surf.

Game 6 – A tight opening quarter ended with Montana holding serve on its Home Court in taking a small 30-28 in the 2nd Quarter. That is when the fireworks of the contest began. SO CALS Mitch Richmond went OFF this quarter scoring 18 big points in leading the Surf to splash the scoreboard to the tune of 51 Points to take a large 17 point lead into the Half with the score being 79-62. So Cal also 13 points from Moses Malone, while Montana’s PG Kenny Smith did all he could to keep his team within shouting distance by popping 11 points in the Quarter. The script flipped though as the Host Glaciers went off for 50 Points of their own in a Quarter to narrow So Cal’s advantage to 7 at 119-112 at the end of the 3rd Quarter. Leading the was for Montana was against PG Kenny Smith, but this time he went for 19 in the twelve minute span and just was unstoppable. For the Surf, Danny Manning started getting hot after scoreless opening quarter as he tallied 16 points and along with Malone continued to grab Rebounds by the bunch. In the Final Quarter Montana tried to close the gap, and got close a couple of times, but when that occurred the Surf would go on a run to deflate the Glacier attempt to over take them on the Scoreboard. Mitch Richmond re-ignited to the tune of 17 Points to lead his team down the stretch to a Clutch Road Victory and 160-150 win at Montana’s Glacier Arena. The Game named So Cal Rookie SG, and 1st Overall Pick in this years Draft, Mitch Richmond for his outstanding 49 Point effort. What a line he had, not to mention a couple off the chart Periods.

Game 7 – No doubt about it, the Surf rode their “Big Four” to the Game #7 win, but actually the rode them the entire seven game Series, that is for sure! And So CAL “NEEDED” them because Montana’s Bench Scoring ALWAYS kept their team in it. You rarely win games were your opponent’s Bench outscores yours 71-15! The Glaciers Big Three off their Bench were just marvelous throughout not only this game, but the entire seven game series. But Montana’s MVP for not just this game, but the entire Series was their outstanding Point Guard Kenny Smith. The Game named So Cal Surf SF Chris Mullin the MVP, and who could argue with that line (40 pts, 6 asts, 5 stls)? He is also my pick for the Series MVP as he led all scorers with a 31.3 Average over the seven games. Mitch Richmond added 34 points and John Stockton was good for 32 points and 14 assists. Hot Rod Williams came off the bench to lead the Glaciers with 26. K.Smith tallied 25 points and 10 dimes. Steve Johnson contributed 20 points and 11 boards. The So Cal Surf take the Series 4-3 and move on to face the Chandler Wolves and their challenges, while Montana moves on the challenges of the Off-Season that will help them build of this 1988-89 Season’s success that they enjoyed.