Underrated Aspects

I was going to write an article on the overrated aspects of each player in PCTI, but apparently there is a million word limit on each blog post...

Underrated Aspects 

Team Thompson

Patrick Higdon - I use his actual other name for 2 reasons. 1) I'm kind of over "Spotlight". Mainly because he is not on my team, and I don't want to call anyone on an opposing team by a nickname they thoroughly enjoy. 2) His first name correlates perfectly with another Patrick... Patrick Star, the simple-minded starfish from Spongebob. Just like his cartoon counterpart, Mr. Higdon tends to keep his mind on one thing for an extended amount of time. That one thing is "cut to the basket". Whether it be a back-door cut or a direct line to the rim for an offensive rebound, he is always cutting. One of the few, if not the only, players who isn't stagnant on offense from time to time.

Underrated aspect = constant movement

Quaker Steak and Wes - If the amount of criticism regarding this guy's basketball skills was a burger it'd be an animal style thousand-stacker with a block of American cheese between each patty. I could literally pick any aspect of his game and call it underrated, and everyone would be like, "yeah, that definitely has potential as an underrated aspect of his game, because I think he sucks at that". That being said, I truly think Fil-A has a quality that several people in PCTI do not possess. Wes very rarely, if ever, wastes possessions due to poor decision-making. Look at the tape... He keeps the (Montee) ball moving, stays spaced and never forces a shot. HE KEEPS THE BALL MOVING, STAYS SPACED AND NEVER FORCES A SHOT. I understand he has an infinite amount a few negatives in his game, but I guess what I am saying is... It could be worse.

Underrated aspect = ball movement

Scott Donley - I feel like everyone is on the Donley train as him being an elite player in PCTI. I still have a bad taste in my mouth from last night his early departure in PCTI II, but everyone knows that good-looking people can get away with stuff like that. When it comes to an underrated aspect of Donley's game, there isn't much to pick from since everyone has most aspects of his game at the top of leaderboard. However, I think his ability to space the floor is vastly underrated. If a team in PCTI has a guy who guards the other team's 4 or 5 AND not have to worry about him clogging the lane on the offensive end, that's extremely valuable in my book. If he can play like a 2 (which he claims is his natural position) and nullify/neutralize an opposing rebounder, Team Eskildsen will have to use a prime defender, and that leaves weaker defenders on an island with the likes of a big time scoring threat like Joe, and God knows no one wants be stuck on any island with Joe...

Underrated aspect = versatility

Bambi - I still don't think I know what BC (powder) does out there. There are games he puts up a double-double and I can't (total) recall one made shot or rebound of his. With the first two PCTI's being coordinated almost solely by him, I just chalked this conundrum up to Bambi paying off the stats keepers he personally hired. However, after close examination of the PCTI III dvds I began to notice a tiny/slender object grabbing loose balls around the rim... I honestly believe that I just couldn't see him the first 2 years. I thought the basketball was still "loose" or "up for grabs", when in actuality that was BC controlling a rebound or dribbling. Most underrated aspect = invisibility?

Underrated aspect = sneaky effectiveness

Bruiser - Everyone knows when this guy has the energy and will power, his low-post game is nearly impossible to stop. So the question for anyone on a team (Mark) graced with Bruiser's presence has to ask themselves what can be done to keep his energy and will power higher than Beas at 4:20 on a Saturday. I think the answer ties in with Bruise's most underrated aspect, and that's his versatility. Anytime you can save some energy while scoring points, that's going to be a plus. If he can hit that shot at the elbow and force his defender out 5-10 further than he'd like, it will make gaining position on the inside much easier when the time comes. When Bruise is hitting his (White Men Can't) jump shot, it can turn his team into an offensive juggernaut.

Underrated aspect = ability to carry an offense

Ben Wilson - I promise I'm not going to mention a possible resurgence or his past greatness on the basketball floor (except for this sentence). BMW isn't an X factor. He is the A, B and C factor for the Actor's Guild. This stud muffin caught some a lot of grief for his defensive effort in PCTI III, and deservedly so. Most of this heckling was due to a lack of weak-side help, but he was actually in the top 3 in deflections (Eski and Abe were 1/2). I know that because I "restatted" the entire series... seriously.

Underrated aspect = deflections (I was going to put "quick hands", but that's a little strong)

Joe Thompson - The dude can score. End of story. I'm not fully sold on the reputation of "awesome offensive rebounder" everyone keeps (hula) hooping and hollering about. However, I am completely sold on his ability to acquire the ball when the opposing team is putting forth an effort to advance the ball in a manner that will result in a made basket (aka steals). I'm the first person to scream overrated when it comes to the "steal" statistics in basketball. Although I like gambling, I do not like gambling on defense. I think it contributes to more easy baskets for the team on offense than it does for the defense, BUT this is PCTI basketball, and that means it doesn't matter if no one is playing defense, easy baskets don't happen often. If Joe gambles in a passing lane and loses, worst case scenario is an open jump shot for the opposing team... Not many any high percentage jump shooters in PCTI.

Underrated aspect = steals that result in easy baskets for his team