PCTI: The World's Most Exclusive Club

PCTI XIV AWARDS!!

2024-12-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

JUST MISSED

AHOP: 3 D-MVP, 2 AT. Votes for vibes IMO.

The Don: Donley has turned into a fringe AT guy, garnering 7 AT votes this year. Don had a great shooting performance and was the best shooter in XIV with 42/50/83 splits! Always solid on D, will next year be the year he makes the leap?

Osama BEN Wilson: Ben recived 1 D-MVP vote, and 6 AT votes. Ben came out HOT scoring 16, 15, and 13 before cooling off. He also led everyone in rebounds, snagging 7.7 RPG. I feel Ben has some momentum and is close to returning to old form.

ALL-TOURNAMENT

Kyle: Kyle collects his second All-Tournament selection (1 D-MVP, 12AT), breaking his streak of 3 straight MVPs and has collected awards in all 6 of his PCTIs. This was a down year for Turbo with him only averaging 11.7 points and 6.7 boards. Kyle has been the most dominant player in PCTI the previous 5 years. Will this performance and Juice pwning him motivate him to get back to dominance? Rumor has it, he has taped Juice's picture to his punching bag!

Juicy: Juice created the most in PCTI drama, causing his fully sober captains to trade him for someone who physically could barely hoop and TP. Stirring the pot with Kyle led to the first person getting traded mid PCTI, allowing Juice to have a personal 6-0 record for the weekend and winning his second straight All Tourney selection (1 MVP, 1 D-MVP, 12 AT). He did not produce huge numbers, but he was the spark that propelled our team to victory. The longer court day 2 helped Juice's biggest strength, running/fast breaks, and he and Team Sexy never looked back! Well played Juice, well played!

Beas: Beas is truly a BEAST, no offense Bambi! The guy is relentless on defense and is usually matched up against one of the other team's best player. He handles the ball when most of us are shaky at best. Being one of PCTI's most in shape players (he's hot), Beas gets better as other's legs fail them. Beas got 4 MVP, 4 D-MVP, and 8 AT votes, which shows me how well rounded he is considered. Congrats to Beas for filling our last All-Tournament spot!

MVP & Defensive MVP

Abe: For the first time in PCTI history, we have a person win both MVP and Defensive MVP!! Abe adds to his impressive collection of awards, winning his first defensive MVP award (6 votes) and his 5th MVP (11 votes + 1 AT). This is his first MVP since X and retakes the lead from Kyle for overall MVPs. He led all scorers with 14 PPG + 7RPG. He battled with Kyle down low on D and kept him in check and off the boards better than most have. He had the best SPERM (130) by a full load. Abe has some super power that the more drugs + booze he consumes at night, the less sleep he gets, the better he plays. Congrats ABE!

Will He?

2024-01-26T15:37:00.000-08:00

As I sit here in my parents sauna (where you aren’t allowed to drip sweat, true story) and Christian Ponder PCTI, I started thinking about important questions…

Beast: Ever earn his nickname? We have beaten this to death, but the reality is he hasn’t averaged over 5 rpg since rebranding as the Beast, and there’s never been a more important year for him to do so.

Smooth: Find his demon to motivate him? The screws are always loose in this brain, but the implementation of how it motivates is another story. Will Smooth find the right comment to set him off and motivate him? Many factors are required… Has to be authentic. Has to be timed perfectly. Has to be before he gets tired. Goodness gracious.

Dan: Play hard? PCTI’s beached whale loves to screen but not role, won’t move without the ball, and doesn’t play help defense… But what a teammate!!!

Beas: Touch a ball? Having a good body is great, and he definitely has one, but will he break his PCTI conditioning routine and incorporate a couple shooting sessions?

Spotlight: Return to form? One of PCTI’s most closet competitive guys, will he return to form as a premier shooter and ball movement guy after a long layoff?

Donley: Build on momentum? Not sure anyone’s ticker is trending more upwards right now… We know he’s going to bring it full throttle. No one finds open shots better, if the shots keep falling at the rate they currently are, The Don is going to the top of the guard cluster.

Smo: Care? No one has stacked a better (and longer) off-season then old Smo. Can he complete his resurrection after almost three years off? His issue has always been apathy, and that appears to be gone. Would be a huge boost if he could pair up with the Beast and formulate a Psychological Bash Brothers duo.

TP: Take the leap? Teetering at the top of the pecking order, will he complete the power struggle and bump Kyle off his tower? We know Kyle won’t hand it over easy, but maybe the mental midgets Kyle’s playing with this year will do the dirty work for TP.

Hops: Get unhot? An unprecedented run the last few years in all ways PCTI. Whether it be on the court, off the court, or aesthetically, all things are clicking to the point that he’s co-captaining the first team ever centered around beauty… Can it continue at such a rapid rate?

Abe: Ever regress? How many straight years has Abe been in the top three in points, rebounds and assists? How many straight ATT selections has he stacked? Has he ever been in single digits points? Going on his 14th year, he’s as solid and productive as ever.

Juice: Get bullied? After receiving protection from the Alpha Academy in 13, will he be able to tackle a duo that’s haunted him for a long time? With Hops’s brawn and Beas’s speed, they can overpower Juice and he knows it… One thing we know about Juice, he’s not going to tweak his approach, so it will be interesting to see how this shakes up.

Bottles: Buy a bottle? A lot of buzz about Bottles being in line for the BMAC Award this year, and I’m a big supporter of that movement. That being said, he’s going on year 3, and still no bottles. To his defense, Seattle doesn’t have people and Tahoe doesn’t have bottles since it shuts down at 10, but this year there are no excuses.

Deuce: Show any signs of physical, mental, emotional regression? Seriously, when is this guy going to slip even just a little?

Sabin: See synergies between his bench press increases SPERM increases? A very unconventional off-season for Sabin where he uses a narrative to drive him into his next PCTI, then support it with random strategy. Last year he lost his legs, so he combated that with a heavy dose of upper body strength improvements. Will that strategy yield increases in SPERM?

Virgil: Lift his team? This team invested a high pick in a bucket getter, and if he gets them like he did last year, let alone more as he gets comfortable, it could be lights out for a very slow, methodical team Ugly.

Kyle: Handle the glass? Very sensitive to rebounding feedback, Kyle will not only be asked to handle the scoring duties, but also the rebounding ones as he’s surrounded with the worst rebounding guards and bigs as teammates. Juice is his next best option on the glass based on numbers. Good luck buddy.

Ben: Stay Healthy? It seems the former Sick Boy has gotten in a good place, and it showed last year. But there’s a substantial amount of data that shows that Ben’s productivity fluctuates depending on how he’s feeling. He’s had years at the top of the pecking order, and he’s had some down piggy backing off side effects from a Z-Pack, cramps, and I’m sure others. Let’s hope it’s a healthy year, followed by an MVP award.

PCTI XIII All Tournament

2023-08-24T11:00:00.003-07:00

PCTI XII All Tournament Winners

Another PCTI in the books and I am in awe of how we continue to improve the experience. As we do every year, we vote on the All Tournament team but I want to give a few shout outs before we jump to the awards.

First to Beas! What an incredible location! I enjoyed the experiences and time away from the court so much!! The resort was perfect and felt we got closer as a group than we have in any previous year. To host takes more than most know, especially when the refs get canceled in the days before everyone arrives.

Second, to Virgil and Mike. We all felt like we were punched in the gut when Spotlight had to stay back and tend to his fam but Mike came in and played great! He also meshed well off the court and gave a boost to the weekend. And Virgil came in and played well and was an easy addition to the cool guys. Your first year is tough because you are learning who everyone is, how everyone plays, where you fit in, how things operate off the court, etc. I'm pumped to see what Virgil does in year 2! On to the awards...

Got votes but not enough

Ben (2 AT votes) - What a return for Ben after a 2 year hiatus. Offensively, he is a guy that can handle, score, and dish but defensively he is known as a liability. This year, not only did he play well offensively but I thought he did very well on D.

Beas (3 AT votes) - Beas was solid all weekend but exploded game 3 to help lead his team to the only win for the weekend with 25 points, 5 assists, and 4 boards.

Donley (2 DMVP, 1 AT votes) - Game 5 Donley! He did not miss in game 5 and helped secure the win for the Alphas. While defensive stats are harder to get, Donley was a menace on D. Surprised there wasn't more votes for him.

Virgil (1 DMVP, 4 AT votes) - And just like that we have a new talent making a case for AT. Watching the tapes, some of the plays he made jump out. 12 steals lead the tournament and 9.4 PPG was 4th. I wouldn't be surprised if he is in the MVP conversation in the next few years.

ALL TOURNAMENT

DK (8 AT votes) - After a few years of not being AT, Dan returns. His efficiency on offense and his defensive presence bring him back to all tournament status. I thought this year was hard to figure out the last 2 players for all tournament, but with the Alphas winning 4 games to 1 and DK shooting in the 60% range for both 2's and 3's, he deserves the nod.

AHOP (4 DMVP, 5 AT votes) - I did not think I deserved to be all tournament when I shot a mind numbing 20% from the line and one of the more embarrassing missed layups in a long history of them. After not getting any AT the first 11 PCTI's, this is my second consecutive. Already moved on to 14 in my mind.

Abe (3 MVP, 1 DMVP, 11 AT votes) - The last 3 guys were unanimous. Abe returns to the AT team after missing last year. Second on the Alphas in scoring, first in rebounds and assists. Had a SPERM of 102 and continues to chug along as one of the top players in PCTI. Can he return to being MVP as his last MVP was in PCTI X.

D-MVP

TP (7 DMVP, 8 AT votes) - Just a monster on both ends of the court! 16 stocks and guarding Kyle all weekend gives him the votes for best defensive player (wake me up when he's not). He also average 15 and 12 nbd. He also seems to get in better shape each year, so when does he get over the hump and win MVP?

Kyle (12 MVP, 3 AT votes) - 5 years: 4 MVPs, 1 All Tourney and a 4-1 record. He and TP have set a high bar to reach to get MVP and not sure he is slowing down. 15.8 ppg and 6.6 rpg is a career year for most and a down year for Kyle. Being a captain and calling everyone on his team an Alpha the night before the games is one for the ages. The Alpha of Alphas.

How We Built This - PCTI Edition

2023-06-13T10:12:00.010-07:00

Last night during a discussion with the BORED I started thinking about how my relationship started with all the guys in PCTI, and after reminiscing on a couple, I started laughing over how much of a miracle it is that this exists given how things started between myself, and the majority of you.

Not all are negative, but most are. Below are a few lines about how my relationship started with each of you, in chronological order.

Cum: First Grade - Threatened to cut off my head with the switch blade he smuggled into school elementary school. Can't say things have improved since then, but he's somehow still around.
Smo: Third Grade - Pegged me three times in a little league baseball game, had me bawling in tears and lead to a near brawl between Mr. Orr and Mr. Krow.
Beast: Third Grade - New guy, on the play ground was selected first before me, in which a rivalry begun. Got exposure early to the temperament, as he was picked and dubbed "Tall Boy" which made me snap back with a "My name isn't Tall Boy, it's Brent." Once a brat, always a brat.
Beas: Fifth Grade - Although three years younger, took a liking because he was on my brother's team and played the entire season with a broken arm. And when I say broken, I mean right arm was in a sling.
Abe: College - Positioned to me as a package deal with Hops, but ended up as a package deal with John O'Rourke, which meant in order to get Abe, I signed up for years of misery having to deal with Pitto Jr.
Hops: College - Touted by Beast and Act as the second coming of me a hoops lover/top teammate who will take the burden off me on the organizing front. As soon as I got excited, I was told he had a reputation for over organizing, and that the two of us could be highly volatile together.
Cockstrong: College - Having to utilize his nickname to protect his online presence, true to his name I was introduced to him by a female who drunkingly showed me his handprint from the night before.
Ben: College - A morning hoops game was always challenging, and one morning we had nine show up. I would call it fate that Ben just so happened to be the only human in the gym at T-Recs at 8:00 am, as he was on the adjacent court shooting free throws. The rest is history.
Sabin: Post College - The second day after moving to Dallas, a highschool teammate of mine invited me to an organized pickup game. Having thought he coordinated with the organizer, I show up to the game and made 20... Low and behold my old teammate showed up unannounced as well, and Sabin was in a mood. There's next to nothing that makes me more uncomfortable then showing up to an organized hoop game that does not welcome outsiders (no one is less welcoming then Sabin) and I sat there pondering leaving the gym as I watched Sabin in a cranky mood get the group going. Thankfully I stayed, and even more thankfully I ended up on Sabin's team. All it takes to get in his good graces is a good in rhythm chest pass, and the rest is history.
Spotlight: Post College - Man this guy. I moved to Boston and yet again, the dynamic duo of Act and Beast have me setup with a teammate of theirs. Having reached out to Spotlight about six times inquiring about hoops with no response, three months into my stay I get a text saying "League starts tomorrow at 6:00pm, can you make it?" No one can ever accuse Spot of not being spontaneous.
TP: Post College - Not negative at all, at Smo's wedding we sit down and have a face to face interview. Him and his wife pass with flying colors, and unfortunately is one of the few positive introductions.
Juice: Post College - The way to Juice was one of the most excruciating situations I've ever been through, and it's been nothing but pain for me ever since. I was on my last week in a job before making the jump to the PRODUCE BIDNESS, and this guy I was with forced me to go watch a Gonzaga soccer practice because of this "cool kid" on the team. Not sure what I hate more, soccer or hanging out, but I got to do both. Well the "cool kid" somehow won me over, and I gave him my contact info in case he ever wanted a job. Well, three months later he reaches out, and I somehow ended up responsible for bringing on young talent. He gets hired, and somehow manages to do the world's easiest job so bad he gets fired. The one contribution he had along the way was getting Juice hired, and he's done nothing but torture me ever since.
Smooth: Post College - I had joined a gym and was on my first day... Didn't know anyone but was enthused over the idea of the group being good players who don't talk and just play. Well, I made the mistake of guarding Smooth, and as he's slowly dribbling 40 feet from the half court basket, I don't even reach, but make it appear like I am... Little did I know the mistake I was making, as that woke up a mouth I've never seen before. All I could think in my head is who is this doofus, and how I was going to punish him and make him regret running his mouth. Five years later, here we are.
Bottles: Post College - Met the same day as I did Smooth, just a slightly different approach. Such a nice guy I didn't feel comfortable guarding him because I couldn't get motivated, then as I close out he darts by me and throws down a dunk. He maintained the niceness that makes anyone hard to guard, but then slowly became the most difficult person I've ever had to guard.
Kyle: Post College - Had been campaigning to get this guy in PCTI for years before finally meeting him. Was always appalled by how quiet he was and how he kept to himself, and was secretly offended that he never approached me to make a pitch on being a part of PCTI. When approaching Ben about it initially, he said he was probably too good for it, so I villainized him in my head that Kyle was the one saying that.
Virgil: Post College - Moved to Frisco and got his contact info from Hops. His first game he showed up was the worst session of my life (and there have been A LOT of band ones), and I'm not sure I even completed a pass. Nothing he did wrong, but I'll forever associate my first experience with him with that performance...

PCTI XII Seattle All Tournament Team

2022-11-18T13:14:00.001-08:00

PCTI XI Awardz

If you want to relive what is being labeled as the most competitive PCTI ever but don’t want to watch the full games on YouTube, you’re a bitch BUT also Sabin’s recaps are posted here:

· Game 1

· Game 2

· Game 3

· Game 4

· Game 5

· Game 6

· Game 7

As close as the series was, you would not think that was the case based on the awards. I attribute this to the Boxes having a top heavy performance from a couple of guys (especially on the offensive end) and the Bullies had more of a spread of contributions. The Boxes dug in on defense and worked mainly through their offensive weapons and fought their asses off. The Bullies did not have players that were consistent and sputtered on offense because of it. On to the awards!

Just Missed…

BC – 2 All Tourney votes

BC had an “off year” and only received a couple votes for all tourney but he average 9.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. For most that would be a stellar (if not career) year on the offensive side. He realized his role would be better served as facilitator and led the Bullies in assists. Game 5 (half star) and 6 (1 star of the game) he had his best 2 games. If he makes his layups, I think he earns A/T.

Juice – 3 All Tourney votes

The other captain that had his own struggles even though he led his team in assists, 3 point %, and steals. He brought good energy to his defensive, was leading the charge on trying to get his team out and running, and outrebounded everyone except TP and Kyle. Ultimately, his mental weakness prevented him from making all tournament.

Abe – 5 All Tourney votes

The most decorated player in PCTI misses out on an award, which has only happened twice before (PCTI V and VIII). His shooting performance was not up to his usual standards and but when his team needed it, he performed in Game 7 with 18 points on 41% shooting and earning 1 of the stars of the game. Kudos to the Boxes for making his life difficult. To be fair he had a bachelor party (and wedding) to worry about!

All Tournament

Hops – 1 MVP vote, 7 All Tourney votes

“WTF” was my reaction to an MVP (no I did not pull a Joe and vote for myself). I still disagree with the vote, but I guess some people are scared of my new bully persona and don’t want to get on my bad side! Game 4 was his shining moment (earning 1 of the stars of the game) but was also solid on defense all weekend. In a weekend where good performances were hard to come by, intangibles won out. My first ever award will be savored and then I will slip the headbead back on and bully some weights in the gym!

Sabin – 10 All Tourney votes

The resurgence! Sabin continues to inspire me (and hopefully everyone) that PCTI will be around for a long time and hard work in the offseason will pay off. After struggling physically towards the end of recent PCTI’s, Sabin’s consistency and sharp shooting made this an easy decision for most. He split half of a star of the game with Kyle by having 15 points and 9 boards and another star of the game in game 4 with 21 and 6. Just an overall good performance!

All Tournament/Defensive MVP

Beas – 1 MVP vote, 6 D-MVP votes, 6 All Tourney votes

TP – 4 MVP votes, 6 D-MVP votes, 5 All Tourney votes

I grouped these two together because the D-MVP vote was tied but I also think it’s very fitting in the impact they had on our team. While Kyle’s numbers were ridiculous at times, the job TP did on him compared to everyone else cannot be understated. His energy and being an animal on the boards is uplifting for his team. Meanwhile, Beas was a menace on anyone he guarded. He started out making Juice a mental midget, then moved on to try and slow Spotlight and Sabin. Beas averaged 8.1 points, 6.4 boards, and 3 assists per game, while TP led our team in points (9.7), boards (10.9 good lord), blocks (1.7), and steals (1.9). TP was a star of the game in games 1, 4, and 5 but his impact is felt every game. Beas was a star of the game in game 1 and 7 because he kept making plays on both ends of the court. We obviously cannot fail to mention the biggest play in PCTI history from Beas when in the 3^rd OT of game 7 he stole the ball and scored the series clinching layup!!

MVP

Kyle – 8 MVP votes, 6 All Tourney votes

Another year and another MVP award. I think we can all agree my hesitation to add him because of how dominant he can be on the court was warranted (but off the court the dude is perfect, except for skipping going out on Saturday this PCTI). It is hard for some people to vote for an MVP from a losing team, which is why this isn’t unanimous but a well deserved MVP. The first 2 days he was “held in check” and only averaging 15 and 7.5. The last day, his numbers are gaudy. The last 3 games he average 25 points and nearly 10 rebounds per. He earned 5.5 stars. He had 67 more SPERM for the weekend than the 2^nd best. Even though he finally lost a series, this is his 3^rd MVP in his 4 years of being in PCTI. Congrats to Kyle!

PCTI XII Game 7 - Sabin's Analysis

2022-11-14T08:41:00.003-08:00

Recap Game 7

Game 7 is in the books.

Guts. Glory. Disappointment. Exaltation. Injury. Attrition. Relief. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. This game had it all. While it may not go down as the best technical game ever played, it certainly has a chance to be remembered as the most competitive. The Bullies survive a triple OT thriller and win 57-55 on the strength of a championship-level play by Biz with 5 seconds to go. The Biz steal-and-layup will be remembered not just as a series-clinching moment, but as one of the all-time clutch plays in our history. Let me take you through a brief chronology of events that preceded his play:

1) Regulation - Tied at 46, Juice takes a wide open 3 from the corner with 30 seconds to go that just misses, followed by a missed runner from Abe and a missed putback from TP at the buzzer. Any of these shots wins the tourney.

2) 1st OT - Boxes up 49-47 with 20 seconds to go. Biz gets a huge offensive rebound and assist to TP to tie the score. Abe fouls Sabin with 6 seconds to go. Sabin chunks the front end and misses a chance to win the tourney. BC has a chance to win at the buzzer with a long runner but misses. Juice is injured and cannot continue.

3) 2nd OT - Kyle and Biz exchange FTs and account for the only scoring. Tied 50-50, Donley has a 3 ball to win, but misses followed by a Sabin halfcourt heave that is straight but long. Abe is injured and cannot continue.

4) 3rd OT - Kyle’s and-1 gives the Boxes a 53-50 lead, followed by a huge triple from Aubrey to tie it. Spot gets a layup, followed by another Biz offensive rebound to BC putback. Boxes have the final possession, but Biz steals it at halfcourt and converts the layup with 2 seconds to go. Spot gets a decent look from 3 that is just wide at the buzzer.

What a game. What a series. What a finish to an incredible weekend. BC said it best….”I thought we lost it 2 or 3 times, and somehow we won. You guys probably felt the same way.” Not sure how this happens, but these PCTI events just keep getting better. Im already looking forward to Tahoe.

Analysis:

1) Somehow, the Bullies shoot 30% from the field and 20% from distance and still win this game. Look no further than offensive boards, where the Bullies earn their moniker by bashing the Boxes 17-6. This gives them 5 more shot attempts and 8 more free throws in a game that quite literally goes down to the final possession.

2) While there were several heroic efforts in this game, it really was a clash of two titans. Kyle drops a 29-8 while playing EVERY MINUTE of day 3. Meanwhile Abe goes for 18 points and makes several HUGE shots coming down the stretch to keep his team it. I’ve run out of superlatives to describe these two. Just two elite players leading their teams.

3) Fatigue matters. Boxes shoot 3-18 from deep for 17%, while Bullies shoot 4-20 from distance for 20%. Shooting while tired is damn near impossible. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…These games come down to who makes layups and who makes triples.

4) Props to everybody that gave their all in this tournament. This series brought down Dawson in game 4, then got the best conditioned athlete in game 7, then further claimed the Secretariat in overtime. And still, both teams soldiered on toward the final outcome. One of my favorite moments is watching both teams hug each BEFORE game 7 as if to say, “I’m sorry that one of these teams has to lose.” Both teams had a chance to win this event, and both teams gave all of themselves. Like BC said “I’m just spent.”

️ ️ ️ of the Game:

1) Huck - Goes for 29 and 8 with 2 assists and a block on 11-17 FGAs and 6-8 FTAs. It was feared early on that Kyle shouldn’t be a part of PCTI because he was too good. This game and his overall series just fucking confirmed it. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dan tries to kick him out this off-season. What a fucking magnificent performance and player. And one of PCTI’s best dudes.

2) Abe - On 2 bad feet, he uncorks his best game of the series with 18 points, 2 boards, 2 assists, and 1 block on 7-17 FGAs and 3-4 FTAs. Made several huge shots at the end of regulation to keep his team from defeat. PCTI’s most-decorated player shows you why he is still a premium player in this event.

3) Biz - While not his top statistical performance, the quality of the plays he made in OT earn him a spot here. 5 points, 11 boards, 4 offensive, 4 assists, and 2 steals. 2 ENORMOUS offensive rebounds in OT that lead to points for TP and BC. And a series-clinching bucket that will go down in PCTI folklore as one of the best and most clutch plays ever made. Respect.

PCTI XII Game 6 - Sabin's Analysis

2022-11-14T08:40:00.004-08:00

Recap Game 6

Game 6 is in the books.

Wildly entertaining game that moves up and down, filled with great playmaking and shotmaking from both teams. Boxes come out firing and never let their foot off the gas pedal in a 68-50 barn burner that evens up the series at 3-3 and forces a game 7. Boxes are led by a ginormous 23-15 double-double from Huck and Spot pours in 15 points with 3 triples. The game is close at 44-40 with about 10 minutes remaining but the Boxes close the game on a 24-10 run behind great playmaking from Smooth and 3 balls from Spot, Juice, and Sabin. Bullies get a breakout performance from Bc with 20 points, but ultimately the Bullies can’t stay with a balanced attack from Boxes. Game 7 is on deck!!!

Analysis:

1) Shooting once again tells the tale. Boxes shoot 29-62 FGAs for 39% and add 7 triples. Bullies shoot 18-50 FGAs for 36% and 5 triples. Boxes get 12 more shot attempts from an offensive rebounding advantage of 15-7. Boxes flip the script on the Bullies.

2) Every Boxes player scores at least 7 points. Stunning contribution from a team that couldn’t hit a shot in the previous game. Dan starts the scoring for the Boxes on his way to 8 points, matched by Sabin. Juice and Smooth both pitch in 7 apiece. Kyle and Spot combine for 38 on a combined 50% from the field. This is what Captain Juice had in mind on draft day.

3) Bullies get bullied. 15 offensive boards from the Boxes, 10 by Kyle alone. Bullies shoot just 5-23 from distance, good for 22%. And they get pounded on the boards overall, 41-26. On a certain sense, this game seemed like a mirror image of game 5. BC goes big in this game but doesn’t get enough support from teammates and the team fades in the 2nd half.

4) In a statistical anomaly, all Boxes players record a SPERM score of at least 12. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Kyle with another 41 SPERM. He’s just making a mockery of stats, which are hard to come by for many players in PCTI. His 2k rating must be 99.

3 Stars of the Game:

1) Kyle - 23 points and 15 boards on 11-19 FGAs. 10 offensive boards. IN ONE GAME! I’m getting tired of saying how good this guy is at basketball.

2) BC - 20 points on 6-13 FGAs with 2 triples and 6-6 FTAs. Everybody knows how hard it is to make shots when fatigued and BC was a shot maker from all 3 levels in this game. He has a great ability to continue making plays when fatigue sets in.

3) Spot - Great game from Spot. 15 points and adds 4 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals. 6-15 FGAs and 3-7 from deep. Boxes don’t win this game without his shotmaking.

PCTI XII Game 5 - Sabin's Analysis

2022-11-14T08:39:00.005-08:00

Recap Game 5

Game 5 is in the books.

Wow. The Bullies embrace their personality and emerge victorious with a convincing 58-39 victory over the crestfallen Boxes. While the game ended in a blowout, this game was still in doubt with less than 10 minutes to play. However, a 4-possession stint in which the Bullies got back-to back-to back-to back 3s from Donley-Donley-Aubrey-Aubrey sealed the Boxes’ fate. The Bullies had incredibly balanced production from the entire lineup as 5 players have between 9-12 points, with Donley throwing in 6. The Boxes are incredibly imbalanced as Kyle scores 23 of the total 39 points. BC breaks a finger and continues to play as he remembers that day 3 is Beast Day.

Analysis:

1) Bullies shoot 20-46 FGAs for 43.5%, including a scorching 11-22 from deep. Meanwhile, the Boxes shoot an anemic 19-60 from the field, just 31.7%. Boxes add to the futility by shooting 1-20 from distance. It sounds like very simple analysis, but the Bullies made triples and the Boxes did not.

3) Bullies get exceptional balance on the offensive end. TP leads with 12 points and 12 boards. Double-doubles are becoming routine for him. 10 points each from Beas, Aubrey, and BC with a combined 6 trey balls. Biz adds 6 boards and 5 assists. Another 9 points from Abe with 3 triples and 6 boards. Donley adds 6 with 2 backbreaking 3s. Total team victory and performance by the Bullies.

3) Kyle plays alone. He shoots 11-23 FGAs for 23 points, 6 boards, and 3 steals. The rest of his team shoots 8-37 from the field and 1-19 from deep. I’m sure at some point Huck was asking himself “Is anybody willing to help me battle the Bullies?” The answer for game 5 at least was a resounding NO!

4) For all of the chatter about the Bullies, and especially the Headband Crew, getting into Juice’s head in this tournament, he acquits himself nicely with 6 points, 10 boards, 4 assists, and 3 steals. He seems to be giving just as much as he is taking.

4) For all PCTIers who hate the Sabin Productivity Metric, it continues to fire on all cylinders, and more importantly, tell the truth. Hops records an enormous 37, while TP scores a 32. Kyle records a 27, which is becoming commonplace for him. For reference, a SPERM score of 15+ is productive, while 20+ is amazing. 25+ is silly good.

3 Stars of the Game:

1) Kyle - A grown man doing grown man’s work. Pumps in 23 points on 11-23 FGAs and 1-3 FTAs. Adds 6 boards, 3 offensive, and collects 3 steals while he’s at it. Records a SPERM score of 31. Dude is really separating himself from other great players with a preternatural finishing ability. Best finisher in our history and it’s not particularly close.

2) TP - I can’t be the only one who’s seeing this. Bill Simmons calls it “making the leap”, where a player goes from good to great. 12 points on 4-8 FGAs and 4-6 FTAs. Adds 12 boards, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals. Biggest SPERM score of the game with 34. AND HES GUARDING THE BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER IN PCTI. This guy has to be in the top 2 of any draft board moving forward.

3) Aubrey & BC - Couldn’t decide so I copped out and split the vote. These two combine for 20 points on 7-12 FGAs. They add 5 triples on just 8 attempts. BC leads his team early with a personal 5-0 run to start the game, while Aubrey shuts the door with two huge triples in the last 5 minutes of the game. Bullies are riding high with production from the entire roster.

PCTI XII Game 4 - Sabin's Analysis

2022-11-14T08:38:00.003-08:00

Recap Game 4

Game 4 is in the books.

Wow. My how the turntables have turned. The Bullies live up to their pedigree and blow out the Boxes 65-47 to even the series at 2-2. The Bullies start the game with one of the greatest runs in PCTI history, a 30-8 sprint in just 8 minutes of game action. Hops leads the charge with shotmaking, defensive tenacity, and furious energy. He willed his team to match his relentless spirit. The Bullies once again dominate the glass, especially the offensive side with 12 rebounds, leading to 17 more shot attempts than the Boxes. But this time, the Bullies shoot it well, draining 27-61 from the field for 44%, including 6-19 from deep. TP joins the action with a huge stat line of 14 points, 9 boards, and 5 steals. The Bullies also start talking shit to Juice with mixed results. He has a career-high 10 boards but also 6 turnovers. It becomes their new favorite thing to do.

Analysis:

1) Bullies shoot 27-61 FGAs for 44.3%, including 6-19 from deep. Meanwhile, the Boxes go cold, shooting 16-44 from the field, just 36.4%. It sounds like very simple analysis, but the Bullies took more shots and made more shots.

2) Hops’ leadership was tangible. He scores 18 points on 7-11 FGAs with 3 triples. He also drops 4 dimes and snags 4 steals. A few teammates join the party, including TP with 14 and 9 on 6-12 FGAs. He adds 5 steals, many of which turn into points on the other end. And BC announces his presence with 9-6-6 on 4-8 FGAs. He got a lot of PG minutes with this squad and has 17 assists through 4 games as his team turns to him for playmaking.

3) Boxes set a tournament high with 17 turnovers. We literally threw the ball all over the gym, and many of these live ball turnovers turned into points for the Bullies. With 9 fewer turnovers and 5 more offensive boards, you can understand how the Bullies continue to get more shot attempts each game.

4) For all PCTIers who hate the Sabin Productivity Metric, it continues to fire on all cylinders, and more importantly, tell the truth. Hops records an enormous 37, while TP scores a 32. Kyle records a 27, which is becoming commonplace for him. For reference, a SPERM score of 15+ is productive, while 20+ is amazing. 25+ is silly good.

3 Stars of the Game:

1) Hops - Dude does his best work when his team’s back is against the wall. This performance reminds me of PCTI 2, game 4, when we needed to win after Eskildsen got injured. Goes for 18 points on 7-11 FGAs and 3 triples. Adds 4 boards, 4 assists, and 4 steals. More importantly, led his team with fire-breathing energy and timely plays. Juice is kicking himself right now for not taking the trade.

2) TP - Dude’s energy continues to be relentless. Really staking a claim for top pick next season. 14 points and 9 boards with 6-12 FGAs. Adds 3 assists, 5 steals, and PCTI’s first dunk. While he is shooting 2-15 from deep, EVERY OTHER PART OF HIS GAME IS ELITE.

3) Sabin - Helped rally his team to claw back from a deficit of 22 to lose by just 18. Scores 21 points on 7-10 FGAs and 3-4 from deep. Adds 4-4 from the free throw line. Throws in 6 boards. Prompts Biz to menacingly threaten him after the game by saying “You’ll see a lot of me tomorrow.”

PCTI XII Game 3 - Sabin's Analysis

2022-11-14T08:37:00.004-08:00

Recap Game 3

Game 3 in the books.

Boxes win 61-43 and take a 2-1 series lead. Both teams really struggled to score the ball in the first 5 minutes of the game, but the Boxes began to get some traction when Dawson and Danny made a few shots. From there, the Boxes proceed to shoot a blistering 54% from the field while the Bullies shoot a paltry 28%. The Bullies flex their muscle on the offensive boards with 13 and it translates to 12 more shots than the Boxes. But the lid never came off the hoop for them. They score just 17 points in the second half. Meanwhile, the Boxes have 5 players score between 9 and 15 points. Dan and Juice hand out 7 assists each while Kyle and Spot finish at the rim. This must be what Juice had in mind when he drafted this team. Analysis incoming.

Analysis:

1) Simply put, this game came down to shooting. Boxes shoot 26-48 from the field for 54.2%, adding 6-18 from deep and 3-7 from the line. Bullies shoot 17-60 from the field for 28.3%, adding 5-19 from deep and 4-11 from the line. While it’s important to make 3s in this tournament, it’s more important to make layups. Boxes did while Bullies did not.

2) Bullies smash the Boxes on the offensive boards 13-3. This translated to 60 FGAs while the Boxes get just 48 attempts. They simply could not convert the extra chances. Abe flashed with 12 points and Biz added 11, but they could not sustain a rally.

3) Total team effort for the Boxes. Kyle scores 15 on 6-9 FGAs, while Dawson and Sabin combine for 23 points on 10-15 FGAs. Dan and Spot each contribute 9 points. For good measure, Dan grabs 10 boards and dishes 7 dimes. Juice adds 5 boards, 7 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals. This is what Juice thought his team could and would be.

4) it should be noted that through 3 games, Kyle has not scored less than 15 points in any game, while TP has not recorded less than 9 boards in any game. Since we all know how hard it is to do this ONCE, these two heavyweights really stand out.

3 Stars of the Game:

1) Dan - This was the guy that was making plays when we got separation from the Bullies. 9 points on 4-6 FGAs and a triple. Adds 10 boards and 7 assists with 1 steal. Records huge Productivity score with 29. Led with energy and playmaking.

2) Kyle - 15 points and 9 boards, 3 offensive. 6-9 FGAs and 3-5 from the line. Adds 4 blocks. Huge Productivity score with 32. Continues to be the most productive and consistent player in PCTI history.

3) Dawson - 12 points on 5-6 FGAs with 2 triples. Continues to flex muscle as an elite shot maker. This was the game he got injured, but still made a few buckets after the injury.

PCTI XII Game 2 - Sabin's Analysis

2022-11-14T08:36:00.005-08:00

Recap Game 2

Game 2 is in the books. Juice Boxes win 57-48. Bullies have to be kicking themselves. After winning game 1, Bullies start game 2 up 10-0 and 14-2. After that, Bullies go cold and allow the Boxes a chance to recover and get back into it. The Boxes make 9 triples for the game and are led by Kyle’s 16 and a combined 28 from Dawson and Sabin. Dawson had 13 points in the first half for the Boxes and Spotlight was the free throw cooler in the last minute of the game, going for 4-4. This was an opportunity missed for the Bullies while the Boxes now have new life. Series tied 1-1.

Analysis:

1) Bullies are up 10-0, 14-2, and 18-5. But they only finish the game with 48 points. Bullies finish the game shooting 34% from the field and 14% from 3. To make matters worse, they shoot 33% from the free throw line. They simply could not buy a basket in the last 30 minutes of the game.

2) Each team makes 21 FGs, but the Boxes make 9 triples to the Bullies’ 4. The Boxes also make 8-13 FTAs, including 6-6 in the last minute of the game when the Bullies had to foul. BC and Hops state in the post-game interview: “Sometimes this thing just comes down to who makes a shot.”

3) True to their name, the Bullies are the best rebounding team. But the Boxes narrow the rebounding margin in this game to -2. The Boxes get great effort from Juice with 8, Dan with 7, and a surprising 9 from Sabin. TP finishes with another 10, Beas goes for 7, and Abe, Don, and Hops all finish with 5. These dudes are just animals on the glass.

4) This was a one possession game with about 60 seconds to go. Having a guy like Spot be a free throw cooler is invaluable. He steps up to the line and goes 4-4 in the last minute. Super clutch and this is something that probably doesn’t get as much conversation as it deserves.

3 Stars:

1) Dawson - Really gave us a boost in the first half when we were in a bad rhythm. Goes 5-11 from the field with 3 triples, including an amazing step-back and another one just before the half. After being down 14-2 at the start of the game, we couldn’t believe we were up at halftime and started to believe we could win. That’s due to D-Huff.

2) Kyle and Sabin - Huck throws in 16 and 5 on 7-13 FGAs while Sabin puts up 15 and 9 on 5-10 FGAs and 3 triples. If Dawson was the gas in the first half, these two brought the Boxes home.

3) Biz - He caps a strong first session with 10 points and 7 boards while shooting 5-8 from the field. He looks to be the Bullies’ best shooter and leads his team with 19 in the Productivity metric.

PCTI XII Game 1 - Sabin's Analysis

2022-11-14T08:35:00.006-08:00

Recap Game 1

Game 1 is in the books. Bullies win 56-46 before the Juice Boxes retire with 44 seconds remaining. Donley drains 3 triples and finishes with a strong 13 and 7 effort, supported by TP 14 and 11. Beas and Abe give great energy and produce in all categories. For the Boxes, Kyle goes for 15 and 10 while Sabin goes for 13 and 4. Dan adds in a career-high 12 boards.

Analysis:

1) Both teams struggle shooting the ball. Bullies at 31.9% and Boxes at 26.7%. But Bullies win offensive boards 13-7 and get more shot attempts.

2) The 3-ball abandons both teams. Donley goes 3-7 from deep, but the rest of his team goes 2-18. For the Boxes, Dan and Juice go 4-6 combined, while the rest of the team goes 4-24.

3) TP and Kyle are clashing like Titans. TP leads his team in Productivity with 29, while Kyle goes for 24. Both huge numbers in an individual game. Both are staking their claim to the top draft pick next season.

4) Abe, BC, Juice, and Biz are the elite playmakers of game 1. Juice goes for 6 assists, while Abe and BC go for 5 and 4 respectively.

I’m also initiating my 3 stars of the game:

1) Donley - 13 points on 4-9 FGAs and 3-7 from deep. 2-2 from FTs. 7 boards, 2 steals, and 1 block. Came out like a house afire and closed the game with 2 clutch free throws.

2) TP - 14 and 11 on 5-14 FGAs and 4-5 FTAs. 5 offensive boards, 2 assists, 2 blocks. Dude is just absolutely relentless.

3) Kyle - 15 and 10 on 6-15 FGAs and 3-7 FTAs. Huge SPERM count of 24. Good things happen when he touches the ball. His team forgot about him too much in game 1.

PCTI12 - Observations from the Truth Commission Part 1

2022-10-16T14:22:00.004-07:00

It's been a while since we have done a strengths/weaknesses by player... PCTI12 brought out depths we have never seen, and because of it, it's important we debunk the seemingly ageless narratives that have plagued so many of us.

See below for underrated and overrated narratives by player relating to their on court contributions. This post is not edited, not that if I re-read it it would fix much of anything.

Sabin

Underrated: Rebounding/Interior Contributions
Overrated: Basketball IQ
Commentary: At 7.1 rpg, Sabin ranked fourth in PCTI12, despite being on his personal minutes restriction... A stat even more impressive when you recognize many of his minutes were spent guarding players on the perimeter. On the opposite end of the spectrum one has to ask at what point we stop slapping the "C" on Sabin's chest immediately upon being drafted, given his 1-9 career record. To answer my own question, I say never... He will always be my captain.

Smooth:

Underrated: Finishing
Overrated: Basketball IQ
Commentary: Sans a wide open right handed layup on the right side of the court (which he never actually shoots), the guy has some of the best touch around the basket you will ever see, as shown from his 46% from the field... Good for second overall in PCTI. Regarding his basketball IQ, it's not that he's not a smart player, he just suffers from a serious psychological defect that makes it hard for him to stay engaged in the game. The amount of time he spends running around trying to get someone to upset him to "get him going" almost took down the Boxes.

TP:

Underrated: Back to the Basket Game
Overrated: Ability to Control Kyle
Commentary: TP is stud, there's no other way to spin it... He's consistently gotten better over the years, and puts PCTI in an interesting situation given that he's not only the biggest physical freak in this, but also a top three hard worker... TP's post game was on display in 12, converting many sky hooks, showcasing a soft touch and that he's not just a put back guy. I hate to say anything negative about him given just how much of a stud he was, but my goodness look at Kyle's numbers.

Kyle:

Underrated: Dribble Creation
Overrated: Rebounding
Commentary: When Sabin makes comments wondering how PCTI continues to get better, a big piece of it is what Kyle has brought as not only PCTI's best player, but hardest worker. When the standard is set here, there are two options - The rest of us get better, or we retire... The latter of which is not an option. This year Kyle showcased his ability to run the offense through dribble creation, and it was a huge reason for the Boxes success.. On the contrary, I guess I'll site his rebounding being overrated just to say something... And rather then just take it for what it is, he will probably get pissed at me and bring it up three years later, after three consecutive rebounding titles.

Juice:

Underrated: Passing
Overrated: Work Ethic
Commentary: Juice finally will get the credit he deserves for his unbelievable ability to facilitate offense and see the floor, as shown by leading PCTI12 with 4.7 apg. This isn't anything new as much as it is people are finally understanding that when he jumps up with his back turned, to just stay in position knowing he will somehow find the open man. When work ethic is sighted as overrated, it's hard to believe given how tireless his effort is... However, his refusal to play basketball heading into PCTI12 probably cost him some points, which ultimately probably cost him an ATT selection because he fills up the other stat categories.

Cum:

Underrated: Guard Play
Overrated: Post Play
Commentary: Cum is a top shooter in PCTI, a guy who is fluid from everywhere outside of the lane. He hits the open man, plays within himself, and doesn't pound the ball. On the contrary, he was dead last in rebounds, and I'm still mad at him... Going on 20+ years.

Hops:

Underrated: Post Offense
Overrated: Nice Guy Reputation
Commentary: There's no better storyline then Hops's rebrand from Mr. Nice Guy to top PCTI bully. The guy pushed around anyone in his path with his brute physical and mental strength... Hops has continued to show significant development with his back to the basket game, converting his post up lean in turnaround to either an easy basket, or a trip to the foul line.

The Boy:

Underrated: Brat Outs
Overrated: Effort
Commentary: At some point it has to be said - The Boy does not play hard. A master of creating marketing narratives for his own reputation, the days of standing behind "limiting unnecessary movements" needs to be replaced with the fact that he's a lazy bum who when he decides to turn it up, moves from beached whale to sloth status. It's also time to recognize although seemingly quiet on the court, he's good for one brief lash out on whichever player on the opposite team is complaining the most, and usually happens after he misses his 10th straight shot.

The Beast:

Underrated: Shot Creation
Overrated: Size
Commentary: The Beast does not get enough credit for how difficult he can be to guard in one on one situations... Although impossible to site what physical trait helps him most in the situation, the guy is constantly getting himself open and in scoring positions. I would put him in the top 2 (maybe the best) at ways he's able to score. On the down side, his size is a complete joke and he's cut his RPG's almost in half since rebranding as the Beast.

Part 2 coming whenever I can get the energy to re-launch.

PCTI12 Official Statement

2022-07-10T21:45:00.004-07:00

Fellas: There's usually one day every year that I spend the majority of the day thinking about all things PCTI, and today was it.

It typically starts with a casual watch of Project X as some background noise, followed by thinking about every individual guy still standing, then into an emotional spiral about how important it is to me.

Last year came with all sorts of uncertainty, and we can all agree that we were unsure of the future... Like we always do, we rallied around each other, supported each other, and had a PCTI for the ages.... During a time where things like this were crumbling, we came out of it stronger than ever... I can promise that wasn't a coincidence.

Every year we get older, our kids get older, and our responsibilities get more exhausting... The idea of taking five days away and getting into great shape turns into a chore because everyone is sooooo busy and there's no time for anything! It happens to all of us and none are immune to it...

I say all that to reinforce the importance of the groundwork we laid in the past, enjoying what we have now, and what we have in the future to look forward to. Anyone can say they have friends, but very few men have the ability to say they belong to a tribe... And we are very lucky to be able to say that. It takes effort, initiative and commitment, but it's ALWAYS delivered for us... It's good for a man's soul. It filters into all aspects of our lives and brings out the best in us. Let's make sure we never lose sight of that.

Why?

Need to Belong: Belonging to a group helps shape a man's identity.
Purpose: Having a shared passion centered around friendship, competition, an activity we have given countless hours to since we were children, fun, and fitness connects so many important aspects of life.
Support: When shit hits the fan, we have each others backs in ways that far exceed normal friendships.

We are officially about 45 days out (RIP countdown calculator)... If you haven't started training, the time to start is NOW. If you're not feeling it, just remember the thought that every one of us inevitably have at the end of every year - "I wish I was more prepared." Don't do it to yourself again. Get a workout in... Go for a run... Dribble a ball... Do some pushups... Whatever it is, bring your best self that you can bring. You have time but don't keep putting it off - You will regret it.

Can't wait for another round of going to war with you guys, loving you guys, and showcasing my appreciation for PCTI by pouring disgusting poison down my throat and making myself miserable because of it.

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

It's been Real. It's been Fun. And it's been REAL FUN...

2022-04-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

Hey Bros,

After a lengthy deliberation, I am officially retiring. Few reasons: My body refuses to heal properly from the weekend and I’ve certainly lost a step in my game. Additionally, my desire to play began to wane recently. And after several attempts to restart the fire, it’s sad to say the flame burned out.

I know the consequences of this move. No more seeing Beas 💦 texts in the thread, no more reading heartfelt Abe emails, no more watching Donley fix global supply chain issues…the list goes on. And sadly, no more competing and revelry.

Y’all are in a much better spot with Dawson back in the fold. I’m excited for him to be back in this thing full-time.

There is no sadness, regret, or ill-will on my end. I carry with me countless memories over 10 years with y’all. Tons of laughs, love, fun, and hoops—what a beautiful thing.

I wish everyone health, happiness, and fist pumps.

Love,

Joe

AWARDS!! PCTI XI - Dallas, the Rebrand

2021-12-21T07:04:00.000-08:00

Here we are again... the lull of PCTI offseason. I hope this is a shot in the arm, provides some ammo for shit talking, and boosts the excitement for XII. This year seems like we had more people get a least 1 vote than year's past. It was also very balanced for how many players from each team got a vote, which shows how even the match up was. I'll start with those that didn't make the cut.

Missed The Cut

Sabin - 1 vote (1 AT)

I thought Sabin played great, but didn't think it was better than the people who made all tournament. The masses tend to agree.

Joe - 1 vote (1 AT)

Not enough love for the Doc? Guess we should open the voting up to TikTok!

AHOP - 2 votes (1 D-MVP, 1 AT)

The most deserving person on the list that didn't make it. They got it wrong this year, plain and simple.

DK - 3 votes (3 D-MVP)

Dan deserves a lot of respect for his defensive efforts. Other parts of his game probably suffer due to the fact he puts so much energy on D. Didn't get him an award this year but will most likely always be in the conversation.

Juice - 9 votes (3 D-MVP, 6 AT)

Godon has had some solid performances in the past but this may have been his best year. Juice's stats weren't jumping off the page but his energy did. In a weekend that requires high energy players for success, he was constantly running, chasing loose balls, and giving everything he had on the defensive end. Barely missed an All-Tourney selection. Maybe next year...

Now for the actual awards! Starting with MVP, then Defensive MVP, and finish with the 3 All Tournament players. All played great this weekend and well deserved!

MVP

Kyle - 16 votes (15 MVP, 1 AT)

One of the hesitations to add Kyle to PCTI was that he is too good. Clearly he has proven why. Just some fun facts on Kyle in his first 3 years:

Averaging 17.9 PPG (3.5 more than 2nd place), 7 RPG (3rd highest among active)
2 MVPs (other than Abe, no one else has more than 1), 1 All Tournament
12 wins, 8 losses (60% win pct is highest out of all active players)
2 consecutive tournament wins as a captain
Most importantly 3 and 0 in tournaments. 3 wins in a row is hard for anyone, much less the key player for the team. Congrats on another MVP!

Defensive MVP

TP - 11 votes (8 D-MVP, 3 AT)

It is wild to think that the primary guy the D-MVP was guarding just won MVP but TP deserved it. He had 23 STOCKS (16! steals + 7 blocks) and led the tournament in rebounds. He goes out harder than anyone and still has as much energy as my kid when I tell him we can watch Paw Patrol. He had the best highlight of the weekend with his absolute beating of Kyle's fast break layup. This award probably pales in comparison to being officially added to the QuadPod. What a weekend for TP!

All Tournament

Spot -11 votes (11 AT)

Anyone that saw the competition in England Spot was playing knew that the prep was there. He struggled day 1 (assuming due to jet lag) but then he took off! The last 5 games he average 11 PPG on 47% shooting (52% from 3!!). Spotlight adds to his trophy case as he was All-Tournament back in PCTIV. Is he going to be a constant in PCTI Award SZN or will it be one every 5 years? Next year could be the biggest indicator.

BC - 12 votes (12 AT)

Day 1 he was quiet but then was solid the rest of the tournament. Game 4 he put his team on his back and had 21 of Switchbladez 52 points. BC does a little bit of everything and this is his 4th straight year winning a PCTI Award. Can he carry that momentum to being MVP in PCTIXII, which would be his first since PCTI I?!

Abe - 14 votes (1 MVP, 1 D-MVP, 12 AT)

The most decorated player in PCTI history gains another award! Abe has been MVP or AT 9 out of 11 years (4 MVPs, 5 AT) which is just phenomenal. This guy is a workhorse and someone the other team has to game plan for. With Kyle coming in and establishing himself as the best player in PCTI, Abe is now 0-2 when he and Kyle are on separate teams. How will that narrative play out of the next few years?

Congrats to all those who won an award! Hopefully everyone enjoys the holidays and then turns their attention to what's most important... PCTITWELVE!!

PCTI OFFSZN HAPPENINGS

2021-11-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

Here is the link if you missed Part I – recapping XI

PART II – LOOKING TO THE OFFSEASON

This offseason has more hype and momentum than most PCTI’s with some questions that will hopefully keep us going until next year. Usually there are a couple things that trickle in that may give a quick shot of life into PCTI but quickly fades away. This year I am hoping that we can keep the chatter up throughout most of the offseason. To help this I wanted to dive into the things that will be happening the offseason!

Videos (Oct 21, 2021) – Deuce was on it this year! Usually it is a pretty quick turnaround but this year seemed to be quicker than years past so thanks to Deuce for that! Now the question is how do we help this connect us this offseason? Maybe @foodtraveltoilets has a twitch we could tune in to and watch collectively (not sure if that is how twitch works)? Maybe like a book club and we assign a game to watch certain week or days and can create some chatter in the chat. Either way I always enjoy watching the vids randomly throughout the year.
Stats (Oct 22, 2021) – Sabin joined Deuce and gave us stats at warp speed! Sabin has sent me an advance copy and let me tell you something, we are all great defenders because shooting percentages continue to be sub 40% (Kyle doesn’t count). I will let Sabin send out the final copy when it is ready BUT I have started updating and all time spreadsheet that I hope everyone will enjoy. TBD on the release date of all time stats.
All Tourney Awards (Nov 17, 2021) – Usually we do this pretty quickly after the stats and videos come out. I’m going to give it a few weeks and let everyone soak in the vids and stats before I compile the votes. We are going to stick with the same as last year with MVP, DPOY, and 3 AT. More on awards later in the post…
Rosters (TBD) – With Ben bowing out this year (thanks for the whole 10 days heads up!), he cracked the door for CUM to rejoin PCTI and he kicked the door in! Assuming BTW wants to come back, now we are in a weird spot that we aren’t going to kick someone out but have an odd number of people (thank god Smooth only turned his ankle and didn’t actually break it because we know how DK handles people with broken legs). So unless someone retires, we have 2 suggestions: one suggestion that I personally do not like is to have one team with 9 and the other with 8 but if someone gets hurt, one player goes to that team. Another was to add another person and get to 18. This makes the most sense to keep the balance correct but also because 7 games is tough and this could help prevent some injuries. The downside is playing time for some might be limited. Also, we already struggle to find enough sleeping spots for everyone and will make it that much more difficult.
Adding another player (TBD 2022) – IF we decide to move to 18 players, adding another player always energized the offseason chatter. Also, who is a good fit for this? The additions in the past have been great so far that I don’t doubt the next one would be awesome!
Draft (LIVE?!? – Feb 19, 2022) – Drafts have come in various forms over the years. I think we have had one via email, the blog, google hangouts, podcast/calls, and also LIVE IN PERSON! This has only happened twice before: Palo Alto, CA on October 27, 2012 and Franklin, TN on October 27, 2018. The first came on Stanford’s campus (clips 1 & clips 2) and the second one at the Beasley Campus. Both were a blast and included some good hoops in the morning. This year it seems that we are going to be trying to get some 3 on 3 runs going and I think I may announce awards that weekend (TBD). Either way a live draft always seems to end in a drunken mess. I cannot wait!
Location and Dates for XII (TBD) – Before COVID, we were locked in for Seattle. With uncertainty still hanging over us as we tried to plan how to get back, Dan said just get to Dallas and he would hook it up. Of course Dan did absolutely nothing while Sabin and Juice did all of the planning. At least he delivered on his promise of SatNite meet up with a cool group of gals! Anyways, I thought that Seattle was locked in to be the host of the 12^th running of PCTI but in a shocking twist, Donley will be moving away from Seattle. He says this will not affect his planning and I tend to agree and think Seattle would be great but it seems like this is not set in stone. Will we have an official pitch of another site?

I’m pumped for all of these things to take place but one thing I am always pumped for is the random hangouts from people within PCTI throughout the year. Whether it’s lifelong friends getting together or friendships created in PCTI, there are always trips, hangs, and nights out random places throughout the year. Hope to see you all at some point this off season. PCTI seems to be in a great spot and this offseason will continue to shape the future of PCTI!!

PCTI XI RECAP

2021-10-27T06:11:00.000-07:00

I want to start by saying how great a weekend PCTI XI was! I think everyone showed up not knowing what this weekend was going to look like and it turned out to be one of the best weekends we’ve had. Kudos to everyone that helped planning behind the scenes, which is usually not mentioned at best and ridiculed at worst. I am breaking this post into 2 parts to ride the momentum of the weekend (held on to this to let the initial high wear off). Part I – recapping the weekend, Part II – Looking to the offseason!

PART I – RECAP OF THE WEEKEND

I am well known for loving the social aspect of PCTI but the competition level of the hoops is what I love most about this weekend. It is hard to find games or any activities that let you compete at this level and not feel like an asshole. Honestly, I was worried about how the hoops portion would turn out. It far exceeded my expectations and I think there is a lot of momentum to each show up better for PCTIXII!

As much as the hoops passed my expectations, so did the social aspects. I feel like everyone does what they enjoy doing, whether that’s watching games at the house, going out to bars, sleeping, etc. The pressure to have everyone do the same thing is gone (except Saturday). There is always a chance the group splits up in cliques the entire weekend but I felt the whole group was engaged and enjoying the time we had together. The more I talk to others about their vacations/guys trips, I appreciate these trips and our time together even more. Enough of the rambling, let’s hit some #bulletpoints:

Lowlights:

· Injuries – We have always had people hurting, especially when it goes 7 but having Bruiser and Joe struggle to finish sucked (even as an opponent). Of course Smooth got the worse of it. Hope everyone recovers quickly! T&P’s!!

· Hangovers – OOF!

· Traffic – Dallas traffic was brutal. Which is also included below in…

· Travel – Retrograde is real!

Highlights:

· Competition – Previously mentioned but especially a 7 game series is always a good sign for hoops. Each team had one blowout but the rest of the games were tight. I thought both teams were well balanced and got contributions from everyone on their teams. I loved the hoops this year!

· Smooth’s reaction – Is it ok to make fun of him yet? I felt so bad at the time but my god was that reaction was all time.

· Hangs – Watching football/baseball, at the bars, downtime at the house, golf course, restore, and all other places; the time spent together seemed more connected than in years past.

· QuadPod Expansion – One of the biggest news stories to come out of PCTI in years! Dan took this well at the time but I have a feeling he will give us his true opinion soon enough.

· SatNite – (Missed you Smooth!) My favorite night every PCTI and this one lived up to the hype. Dinner was top notch and the partying was great!

PCTIXI - Mercury in Retrograde Edition - SOTU

2021-10-11T00:11:00.003-07:00

Fellas: I laid in bed for a good hour, and finally acknowledged I would not be falling asleep until I wrote this post... I know how hard it is to read anything this long, let alone when it's not about you, but I ask that you read as we approach this week.

After the last 18 months, no matter who you are, you have been affected by the "new world." We were forced to put things we love and cherish on hold for extended periods of time, and replace those with whatever we could find. Everything has become a chore, even the smallest of tasks. The majority of us have become significantly more introverted. Rather than enjoy a night out with friends, we chose to stay in because we don't want to deal with the uncertainty and discomfort of who stands where.

A commonly used phrase that I've never been a fan of is "Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder." 18 months ago we were in a theater in LA watching Project X and talking about how much PCTI means to us. Now, here we are 18 months later walking into our longest layoff with all sorts of questions about the now, and the future. Let's just call it like it is... What used to be something we thought about year round, we now walk into with less hype, more discomfort, less preparation, and many other feelings. The layoff didn't make us want this more, and we all know it.

Now that some realities have been addressed, let's change the tune of this message... And let's start by saying although the layoff might not have made us want this more, I think we can all agree that we NEED this more than ever.

I truly can't put into words how meaningful it is (to me, at least) that we are walking into this year with near perfect attendance. We could have EASILY been broken, and there was likely thoughts from just about everyone that if there was every a time to retire this thing, it was now. But we aren't... And here we are, ready to get back to doing something we love. It might be ugly. It might be a little uncomfortable. It might not be the best one ever... We will have to get back into socializing shape, just like we will hoops shape. But we are back in the arena, and the memories will follow. The brotherhood is still in tact, and we are not going anywhere.

We talk a lot in this thing about the importance of the camaraderie that comes of PCTI... It connects two things we all love - Hoops and Friendship. To be real, this last year has been a grind for me personally. It's tested me in all sorts of ways. It's turned things I loved to do into chores, and I've neglected them because of it. It's filtered over into all aspects of my life, and I'll be the first to admit I've not done my best work in planning for the weekend. I was beating myself up over it recently, but something dawned on me on a recent trip to Vegas with high school friends. The itinerary looked great and was well planned, however the group dynamic was just off... So, let me say this... Although my itinerary might be the ugliest one I've ever put out, I promise I'll give every ounce of my terrible personality into making this trip as meaningful and enjoyable for everyone. I hope others will join. Kick back. Spend time together. Don't stress. Play hard and laugh afterwards. Have meaningful conversations. Talk hoops. Make fun of each other. Give each other our bests both on and off the court, and the rest will take care of itself.

In all my posts, I try and put something out about each person (it's usually negative), so I'll do the same... But this time, just thoughts that come to mind when their name pops up in my head as we walk into PCTIXI.

Beast and Smo: Your personality alone can single handedly make a weekend fun for a group. When you two are together, there's no better duo. You both embrace the pressure that comes of that, and you deliver every time. We all need a good laugh now more then ever... Abuse me, Dawson or whoever else you need to maximize the production this year.
Sabin: Your love for hoops and the spirit you bring filters into all of us on the court, in the offseason, and during every PCTI weekend. PCTI came out of the dark years when you came back.
Hops: I honestly don't know if we would be walking into this week if it wasn't for you. The patience, level head and desire to get everyone's schedules coordinated (a thankless and brutal job, times 10 during these times) when we needed it most will forever be remembered.
Abe and Act: Arguably the two best weekends of my life were with you two this last year, and our friendships grew because of it. I'm not sure I've had even a little fun without you two since COVID started, and I'm desperately in need of another. Side note - I know Act has chosen me as his bulletin board guy and that's fine. But I miss talking to you and hope we can go back to being boys post PCTI.
Dawson: I've never seen anyone play the long game better then you have, and when the opportunity presented itself, you were ready... And I'm thankful for it. I'm glad to have the Horseman back together.
Smooth and Juice: People don't understand how much of a grind the gypsy life is. The sacrifice. Where everything you do is a chore because you have no routine or home base. It's easy to neglect the things you love with that lifestyle, but you both are always ready and give everything you got. Very few people in this world would be able to do what you both have done, and it deserves big time props.
Donley: This isn't the forum for jokes about your career... But I'll say this. You live in the city where this thing started spreading. You work for a major corporation. This thing has been in your face more then anyone (I would guess), and let's be real, there's nothing positive about it. It would have driven a lot of people crazy, made them depressed, and never want to do anything ever again... But you will be there, in a good mood like you always are, ready to find every open spot on the court.
TP: You have a two week old baby, and will be there ready to go. We all are committed, but I'm not sure more then three other guys are THAT committed. PCTI gets elevated over those kind of moves.
Spot: Damn if I don't get emotional every time I think of the trip you have to take to show up every year... But you do it, even when traveling is an all time most brutal. It's when I think about you making that trip that makes me want to put my pathetic planning effort aside, and give the best of myself for four nights and five days (my max quality output is two nights).
Bruise: You bring an energy to this weekend that no one else can. You epitomize what this weekend is built upon (Sports, loyalty, camaraderie, competitiveness, fun), and you at 50% (I've come to grips with the fact that you will never admit to being in any better condition then that) is better then a replacement imposter Bruiser.
Beas: You're really the glue guy in PCTI. Your personality lends itself to every type of person in this thing, and are one of the guys that everyone looks forward to seeing. It's a role you never asked for, requires a lot of effort and focus, and you deliver every year... For everyone.
Deuce: My goodness I can't wait to see you. You're the only person universally loved that I can't (and don't want to) villanize. You have been the best decision PCTI has ever made, and we are all forever grateful that you make this a priority every year.
Kyle: You're the standard in PCTI. This year might be ugly, but I got a hunch everyone will come back next year better than ever, and it will be because you set the standard so high. To be able to bring someone in after nine years and have them fit in perfectly off the court, elevate the game on the court, and also be one of (if not the) most committed... We are lucky to have you.

I'll leave you all with this - We have been through a lot together. Over a decade. Before getting on the plane to Dallas, think about the memories we have made, and the memories we will make moving forward. We have had an incredible run because of our commitment to each other, and we have an incredible future ahead... For the very same reason.

Can't wait to see you all.

Dan the Credit Man

Not the Post I Hoped to Write

2021-10-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

Gents,

I find nothing but depression in typing this out, and it won't subside for awhile I'm sure. I mean it when I say this is one of toughest decisions I've dealt with in quite some time.

I cannot attend PCTI XI: The Rebrand. Damn that hurt to type. I do thank Dan for sitting on that for a couple days so I could address the group myself. And hopefully, a replacement can be lined up. But I assure you, I will be back next year better than ever if I am not voted off the island. Please don't do that to me.

I won't lie and say there aren't several things weighing on me (Covid can forever fuck off) in making this decision. First and foremost, losing OG status. But the main deciding factor is the physical aspect. I ran into some knee/back issues all at the same time about 4-5 months ago. I thought some rest/self rehab would eventually take care of it, but the ailments never went away. After trying some injections/chiro/ortho to no avail, I did 6 weeks of PT that ended 9/23. I felt a little improvement, albeit minimal...I was disappointed/frustrated at the slowness of the recovery. But we decided I could push it a little bit to see how the body would respond to basketball.

So, I played for the first time since March 2020 last week. I shot it way better than I thought I would, and displayed all other motor skills as poorly as I thought I would. But in the 3rd game (3 games to 50 by 2's and 3's), I had no burst to jump/cut and felt like I was just jogging up/down in straight lines. One knee and the back just didn't have much to give me (not as bad as Abe's back it sounds like, get a white collar job for Pete's sake) and I spent the majority of that third game protecting my overall being. I did emerge un-injured from the session, which was positive. But there is no way I would have been able to play the next 2 days after that, and don't feel I could make the necessary improvement before XI tip to compete.

If I'm attending a PCTI, I'm attending with the notion I'm giving everything I have - but I just can't give that to this year's edition. I feel like I would be doing a disservice to my team to play the first 2 games (Lord willing) and then be done for the weekend. Plus, I still want to compete too badly to let myself be OK in doing that. Additionally I don't want to run the GD scoreboard again. My hope is that the Dallas locale will afford the Bored an opportunity to find a local fill-in if there isn't already another replacement in the wings.

At the end of the day, I felt the best decision was to bow out than to not be able to give what I wanted to the competition.

What I'll miss most are the non-ball hangs with all of you idiots, and I hope you all do not hold a grudge against me or alienate me based on this decision. I hope I stay on the group chat. I hope I'll have an invite for next year. And most of all, I hope I can still be a part of the brotherhood.

If you made it this far, thanks for listening - I felt compelled to lay it all out there on where I'm coming from. I hope to be seen at XII.

Yours truly, BenWilson.

2021 Blueprint: The Year of the Rebrand

2021-05-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

OBJECTIVE: Re-Instate PCTI.

TIMING: Effective Immediately.

POSITION LOCATION: Dallas, TX

POSITION REQUIREMENTS: Rigorous training regimen, 100% attendance commitment, dedicated to camaraderie.

POSITION START DATE: Thursday, October 14 (click link and save): https://calendar.google.com/event?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=NjdvNW5sOGtiZWFqdDdkc3V0b3RyMzMzZjYgZGFuaWVsa3Jvd0Bt&tmsrc=danielkrow%40gmail.com

CONTRACT LENGTH: Lifetime commitment.

SUMMARY: A privately held organization with active membership, PCTI has shown an ability to evolve over time, and will not be a casualty of the 2020 pandemic. PCTI will be back, and stronger then ever.

PERSONNEL/TEAM MEMBERS:

Great Generation:

Captain: Kyle Huckins.
Member: Anthony Hopkins.
Member: BEAST Carney.
Member: Juice Godon.
Member: Andy Cibotti.
Member: Danny Krow.
Member: Ben Wilson.
Member: Michael Orr.

Baby Boomers:

Captain: Josh Stephens.
Member: Scott Donley.
Member: Tyler Powell.
Member: Joe Thompson.
Member: Michael Beasley.
Member: Spotlight Higdon.
Member: Ian Van Unit.
Member: Jeff Sabin.

COMMENTARY (one liner what comes to mind when I think of everyone's pandemic).

Kyle: Got frustrated for two weeks because his routine was off. Overpaid on equipment and built a home gym. Got back into a groove and life was no different.
Hops: Moved all over the country to keep himself stimulated because he is too social to be bored.
Beast: Lost a bunch of weight.
Juice: Bumped his running mileage up 50%.
Smooth: Reduced his walking mileage 50%.
Ben: Watched a lot of news and spent the time freaking out.
Smo: Upped his vitamin intake by 50%.
Abe: Retired.
Donley: Got promoted and was busier then ever.
TP: Reduced his work schedule by 50%, upped his income by 50%, upped his time on the lake by 75%.
Actor: Created 100 different businesses in his head and contemplated moving to 50 different cities.
Deuce: Broke Danny's heart.
Beas: Managed his blood sugar levels better than ever and as a result, looks better physically then ever.
Spotlight: Came up with some random idea that totes the Spotlight brand where you wonder if he's the smartest or dumbest human on the planet, and no in between.
Van Unit: Increased video game usage by 200% and reduced physical activity by 50%.
Sabin: Gave up all his favorite hobbies to ensure maximum misery to where undoing will be extra hard.
The Boy: Thrived due to everyone else's misery.

S11E04 Personal Pod - JUICE!

2020-02-14T20:29:00.000-08:00

S11E04 - Personal Pod - Juice

Top Five Decisions That Shaped PCTI

2020-01-17T08:48:00.000-08:00

I'm on one today.... As things grow and evolve, it's always important to take a step back and reflect on what decisions were made along the way that made things what they are today. Without collaboration or diving too deep, below are the top five (in order) decisions that most positively impacted PCTI.

Hiring Deuce (via Brent): We talk about it a lot, but my goodness... It just doesn't get any better. Brent, who wasn't even fully committed to PCTI at this point, floated Mike Hite's brother as someone who could shoot a video. Beloved by all, he's the ultimate PCTI glue guy. To think that on top of it, he's done slave labor for ten years, and delivers quality work... When PCTI goes public, Deuce will reap the benefits, as I'm confident every player would sell their shares of the business for him. The guy has Presidential appeal.
Roster Cohesion: It can't be stated enough... Like any company, group, etc... The results are only as good as what the people that are a part of it put in. To have 17 guys who's commitment levels to the success of PCTI are all aligned is nothing short of remarkable. A closet aspect of this: The way the original guys have welcomed the newcomers with open arms also plays a significant role. To see people gel and friendships developed over the course of one weekend a year is something top be proud of.
The Blog (via Joe): An outlet to consolidate everything we do and a fun forum to communicate, the blog is the gift that keeps on giving.
PCTI Cincy - New Blood + Airbnb Introduction + Bad Weather + Prodigal Son Returns: Wow, what a year... After two straight dark years of only have 12 players, PCTI got an injection of fresh energy adding Jeff G. and Tyler, the introduction of the Airbnb which added an element of camaraderie thanks to everyone being in the same place... The terrible Cincy weather made it especially appealing, leaving all of us to have nothing better to do but sit around, spend time with each other, watch the videos, and do some PCTI trivia. To think all those things happened, AND PCTI brought back PCTI's Great Conversationalist. What a turning point.
Original Branding Decision (Joe): Not sure many people know this, but there was some debate about what the name of this event should be. It was originally decided this would be named "Pickup Convention." The only issue with that is the other guy involved in the discussion was Joe (who was in charge of the jersey's), and he did not support the name. His preference was "The Invitational." Well, in typical Joe fashion, he "Acted" like was supporting Pickup Convention until it came time to hand out jersey's, where the letters read "PCTI." I for one vocally stated "Pickup Convention The Invitational" is the dumbest name I've ever heard, but it's hard to debate just how perfect the letters roll off the tongue. Although it doesn't sound important, those four letters have become synonymous with so many of our every day lives, and it's hard to imagine it being any other way.

Re-Branding Opportunities by Playa

2020-01-17T07:56:00.001-08:00

As we wrap up our first decade of PCTI followed by our ten year reunion, it's time to put that in the past, and look towards the future... As we evolve as players (and men) it's important to put "the way we have always done it" where it should be, and focus on how we can continue to RE-BRAND in an effort to be the best version of ourselves.

As a self proclaimed RE-BRANDING guru (not because of quality re-brand's, just quantity), I'm going to offer some FEEDBACK on how each player can reign in the new decade with a fresh look.

Anthony:

Current Rep: Defensive Stopper.
Rebranding Opportunity: Layup converter/double digit scorer.
Commentary: Simply put, with his ability to find holes in the D and timing on offensive boards, if Hops can convert layups at 50% a clip, he will become a top five scorer.

Jeff G:

Current Rep: Hustle/Trash Man.
Rebranding Opportunity: Go-To Guy.
Commentary: Juice's unorthodox approach can distract people from the fact that his numbers have been consistently moving up across the board... As guys get more used to playing with him, you could see a perennial MVP candidate.

Ian:

Current Rep: Bruising Big Man.
Rebranding Opportunity: Defensive stopper.
Commentary: Quick feet, active hands and strong as an ox, Ian will be the top defensive player in PCTI for the next decade... He's been given the "Big Man" role who guards other bigs, but the guy can shut down anyone on the court, any time he wants.

Brent:

Current Rep: Low Risk, High Quality Utility Brat.
Rebranding Opportunity: MVP.
Commentary: Arguably no one has had a more successful first decade than Brent, and he not only has no MVP awards to show for it, but he hasn't even come close (outside of the gimmick defensive MVP in year one).

Kyle:

Current Rep: Mild Mannered On Court Stalwart.
Rebranding Opportunity: Leader.
Commentary: Kyle has masterfully ingratiated himself with the group as a reserved personality who lets his play do the talking. His leadership qualities will continue to show themselves, and he will be one of the guys people look to not only to inspire them with his play, but with his words.

Tyler:

Current Rep: Freak Athlete/Rebounder/Energy Guy.
Rebranding Opportunity: Back To The Basket Scorer.
Commentary: As we get older, freakish athletes have to find a new way of doing things. If Tyler can add a baby hook and a drop step to his arsenal that already contains offensive rebounding mastery and a unique ability to dive to the basket from the three point line, he will be borderline impossible to stop.

Andy:

Current Rep: Low Minutes Energy Guy Who Will Make a Three and Run His Mouth.
Rebranding Opportunity: Executing on his Current Rep.
Commentary: The best thing Andy can to do is be what his rep is... There's always a significant place for that role, and when he does it to the best of his ability, he will be a significant asset to his team.

Joe:

Current Rep: High Performer Driven by the Haters.
Rebranding Opportunity: High Performer Driven by the Lovers.
Commentary: This speaks for itself... If you remove the bad people from your life, and desire to reward your support system, it will make success that much sweeter... When this happens, you will remove the "volatility" from Joe's persona, and he will just be a top player who everyone wants to go to battle with.

Scott:

Current Rep: Do It All Guy Who Hasn't Reached His Potential.
Rebranding Opportunity: Low Post Scorer.
Commentary: I've never in my life seen a guy that can find soft spots in a defense the way Scotty can. The guy has a sixth sense for it, and if/when he is converting, he's going to be tough to stop. The current system is asking for him to guard every type player on the court, convert layups, score with his back to the basket, his 3's, rebound like a big, pass like a PG, and handle the ball. Scott is a top three posts player with his back to the basket.

Jeff S:

Current Rep: Up and Down Player Who Always Does the Same Thing on the Court.
Rebranding Opportunity: Offseason Consistency.
Commentary: For a guy who prides himself on on-court efficiency, he refuses to take the same approach in the offseason. The guy shoots the same shots in the same motion, and stays in his comfort zone on the court... Already paying at an age differential, add in that he plays the least and never exercises... It's truly amazing how well he's played in spite of himself.

Michael B:

Current Rep: Glue and Effort Guy.
Rebranding Opportunity: On Court Leader.
Commentary: Michael has been pigeon holed into a rep that couldn't be further from the truth. Michael has all sorts of reputations that have been given based on his look rather than substance... Mike has natural leadership qualities, and should step into spotlight as his squad's leader in the next ten years.

Patrick:

Current Rep: Three Point Gunner and Movement Savant.
Rebranding Opportunity: Defensive Stopper.
Commentary: In Minneapolis, Patrick showed the realities of defense... Defense is mostly a commitment more than it is a skill... His shot was off, so he chose to step into a defensive role, becoming a maniac on the court. His quick feet, anticipation, and surprising strength make him a really tough guy to score on when committed. When he does this, he will round himself out as one of the most complete players in PCTI.

Ben:

Current Rep: High's and Low's Guy.
Rebranding Opportunity: Consistency.
Commentary: My goodness this guy drives me crazy. Whether it be on or off the court, the guy is either all in, or all out. Ben is someone who's energy can make or break a situation whether he's aware of it or not. The guy single handedly kept PCTI going during the dark days with his dedication and wit, all the while having some of the most dominant performances on the court during that time.

Josh:

Current Rep: Top Player.
Rebranding Opportunity: Vocal Leader.
Commentary: Josh's performances have always spoken louder than his words... After ten years of that, it's time he steps into the realities - People listen to him. They gravitate to his effort and desire his insight.

Michael Orr:

Current Rep: Guy That Doesn't Care But Still Contributes.
Rebranding Opportunity: Dedicated Player.
Commentary: One of the top teammates you will ever play with, Orr lead the rebranding charge years ago as a basketball hater that refused to quit PCTI... Well, he's still here, and is slowly re-emerging as a guy who (in spite of himself) still manages to contribute quality performances with his incredibly passing ability, great touch, help side defense, on-court communication and freakish instincts. There's going to be a year where Orr emerges out of nowhere with a vintage performance, and whenever it is, that squad is getting a steal.

Deuce:

Current Rep: Perfect Guy.
Rebranding Opportunity: None.
Commentary: How can you rebrand when you're already perfect. Please don't change, ever.

Danny:

Current Rep: Do It All Guy Who Does Nothing Well.
Rebranding Opportunity: Good Basketball Player.
Commentary: No one has managed to keep themselves more relevant by having a big mouth than Danny. On-Court visionary who recently became a turnover master. Shooter that shoots a low percentage. Defensive stopper who constantly gets scored on. Point guard who can't dribble. High effort guy that constantly take plays off. For the love of the stars, figure it out.

PCTI 11 SQUADS

2020-01-05T10:50:00.000-08:00