Thursday, November 17, 2011

New Podcasts Featuring Dan Krow

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Scouting Report: Scott Donley

PCTI2 Totals:
PPG-6.6
RPG-5.0
APG-0.8

Pro's:

Superior athlete on PCTI terms. Has bulked up since college and added frame that has resulted in a nasty, physical on court demeanor. With the trademark up and under, possesses the superior basketball move in PCTI. Has good range for a big man. Will hit the boards and battle hard. High motor. Quiet coach on the court.

Con's:

Black hole in the post. Despite good size, not much of a shot blocker. Shot tends to be streaky. Regardless of temperature, will fire away with no concern. Questions remain about his passion, leaving his team to fend for themselves in the two most important games of PCTI2, just to bypass an hour of traffic. You have to wonder if he deserves to be coined physical, or just a downright cheap shot artist.

Overall:

Donley burst onto the scene quickly, hitting a few big shots in key moments in game 1 and ending with a 10 point, 6 rebound stat line that gave his team a significant boost they were not expecting so quickly. After hovering around the court contemplating competing in Game 6, he finally made reference to the fact that he was only supposed to be a one year rental as to why he was walking out on his tired, ailing teammates. In an offseason that resulted in a lifelong contract, questions will linger if they are getting Scott Donley at 100% mentally and physically for all seven games, or if he is just going to play when it's convenient for him. You also have to wonder if his popularity from the PCTI faithful this offseason has any merit, or if his teammates are sucking up to him in hopes he will hang around for the whole weekend.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Scouting Report: Josh Pitto

PCTI2 Totals:
PPG-13.1
RPG-4.1
APG-2.1

Pro's:

After what will go down in the history books as one of the most controversial PCTI performances of all time, the new look Josh Pitto burst onto the scene in year 2 and made a significant impact to a team that needed him in the worst way. A deep threat that stretches the D, puts defensive players on their heels and attacks the basket effectively, JP kept his mouth shut (For the most part) and had one of the most efficient offensive series in PCTI history. Excellent quickness and handle. Good body control and passer. Shoots a high percentage from deep and plays bigger offensively than he is. Rebounding is signficantly better than it should be.

Con's:

Not just bad, but unwilling defender. Lack of effort builds a bad rapport and frustrates teammates. Hot head that has no problem calling out teammates for physical mistakes, despite making plenty of his own. Me-first guy that cares more about his performance than winning. Get's upset if the ball is not constantly in his hands. Mental midget.

Overall:

Going on his third year as the last overall pick, you have to wonder when Pitto will have an epiphone and realize all he has to do is shut his mouth and defend and he will shoot up the draft board. One can't help but to wonder if being a villain means more to him than the respect and admiration from his peers. Regardless of his shortcomings, expect Pitto to build off PCTI2 with another solid offensive performance, another bad defensive performance, a good behavior year within his team under the tuteledge of his mentor Brian Eskildsen, and another four games of bickering with his arch-nemisis, Jeff Sabin.

Monday, November 14, 2011

PCTI 2, Game 1 Review

Synopsis:

Team BC outlasted Team Eskildsen by the narrowest of margins, 70-67. Even so, the game was much closer than the score indicated as Team Eskildsen had a chance to win the game in the last 30 seconds on a BMW jackknife layup attempt, and several attempts at the buzzer to tie the score with a 3 ball. Neither team had a lead of more than 7 points during the entire game. However, the adrenaline must have gotten to many of us, as each team shot less than 35% from the field, and less than 28% from 3. An aesthetically brutal game to watch, the defense for each side was better than the offense, and it took some time for many players to get rid of the excess energy they had to open the tournament.

Analysis:

Team Eskildsen jumped out to an early 6 point lead in the first several minutes as Bruiser established himself in the paint and Ben attacked the rim with success. On the other side of the ball, Team BC took some time to work out the kinks in its offensive game and couldn’t make a shot for several minutes to open the game. Both teams then locked up in an offensive struggle. By halftime, Team BC had gained a 31-29 advantage, but the only players who had asserted themselves were Ben, who was having success getting to the rim and to the line, and Scott Donley, who came in gunning, thinking it couldn’t be a worse idea than anyone else on his team. Team Eskildsen tired quicker than did Team BC, and could have been the reason for victory in the last few minutes. Ultimately, this game should be remembered for how difficult it was to score the ball, how neither team could establish a good rhythm, and how intense the first several minutes of the game were.

Noteworthy Moments:

• Esklidsen gave a completely underwhelming pre-game speech as he basically told us our team was small and less talented than the other team, so let’s try hard.
• Sabin had the worst jump center ever, basically jumping into the other man in a terrible attempt to get up.
• Wes threw Joe’s shit on the first possession as the Doctor completely underestimated Wes’ athletic ability.
• Bruise beasted BC for our team's first points. In a related story, BC wanted no part of that trip down the floor.
• Donley hit his first 2 long shots, then tried to be Dan Majerle for the rest of the tournament.
• I counted 6 airballs in Game 1. That seems like a lot for self-professed, fundamental white players.
• Abe, why do you hurt so many people in PCTI?
• Why do Pitto and DK bring the worst looking shoes to PCTI? Where’s the pride in personal appearance?
• Ben is the only player in PCTI who can play left-handed.
• Joe yelling “Wet!” for making a 3 point shot, while shooting 27% for the weekend, is annoying at best and non-sensical at worst.
• Wes and Pitto gave analysis at halftime that can only be described as incoherent and awkward. No broadcasting future for these two.
• Sabin should have dialed down the pace. In a related story, Pitto visibly cries when I take shots. Our chemistry is strong.

Best Player in Game 1:
Ben Wilson: 27 points, 13 boards, 1 steal, 9-22FGAs with 2 3-pointers, 7-11 FTs, and one spectacular assist.

Honorable Mention:
Josh Stephens: 15 points, 15 boards, 3 triples, 2-2 FTs
Scott Donley: 10 points, 5 boards, 4-8 FGAs, 2-3 3FGAs
Danny Krow: 6 assists, 4 steals, 4 points, 3 boards, no turnovers

Best play:

Ben Wilson drawing 3 defenders and dropping a nifty dime to a cutting AHop along the baseline. Very nice play.

Worst Play:

Pitto dribbling between his legs with no defensive pressure and having the ball kick out of bounds for an unforced turnover.

Worst Shot:

Josh Stephens shot a ball from 27 feet out that grazed harmlessly off the front rim. I know this because I was 7 feet away from him when he shot it, and I had 2 feet above the 3 point line.

Worst stat line:

Wes Murray: 20 minutes, 0 FGAs, 0 FTAs, 0 boards, 0 points, 1 foul, 1 assist, and 1 spectacular block of JT.

In the end, this game will be remembered for being evenly matched, and each team having a chance to win it in the end. It will also be remembered for the lack of shot-making on both sides, some terrible timeout strategies on both sides, and the fact that Josh Stephens continues to needlessly injure PCTI participants.

Scouting Report: Brian Eskildsen

PCTI2 Totals:
PPG-8.0
RPG-6.2
APG-3.3

Pro's:

Has gained praise throughout the PCTI ranks for his prowess as a top teammate, coach on the court, defensive stopper, and cocky demeanor. A once passive player, has since become cocky, arrogant and aggressive on the court, all of which have made him that much better of a player. Understands spacing and does a good job of getting his teammates in the right spots to succeed. Nothing showcases his savvy play like his 75% 3-Point shooting percentage in PCTI2. Despite claiming to be a low stat guy, has actually put up significant numbers two straight years across each line. Brings a high IQ to a team that badly needs it in PCTI3.

Con's:

Temper that has developed significantly over the last four years. Injury prone.

Overall:

Eskildsen is the key cog to his squad in PCTI3. Questions will remain if he will be able to balance his team out and keep everyone happy and in the flow of the game. Despite claiming to have never been injured before, will he be able to get through a full series? Can't help but to question if the way Hopkins put the team on his back in PCTI2 was directly correlated to the loss of Eskildsen, and whether or not it was a good or bad thing for their team. Regardless, look for him to seperate himself this year as the top defender at PCTI, and quite possibly be the first player to get over the 5 assists per game hump.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Scouting Report: Michael Orr

PCTI2 Totals:

PPG-3.9
RPG-5.6
APG-1.7

Pro's:

Long, skilled big man with off the chart defensive instincts. Motor does not stop when he is on the court. Is one of the only big men in PCTI with a go-to move. Baby hook has been a career 60% shot for him. Excellent passing skills for a big man. Talks on D and is rarely out of position. Active hands and effort blocks, steals and alters a significant amount of possesions. Runs the floor extremely well for a big man. Quality teammate. PROTECTS THE RIM.

Con's:

Does not rebound up to his potential. Despite quality hook shot, does not fight for the position to utilize it frequently. Passive offensively. Not known for physicality, but will battle in the trenches.

Overall:

During the spotlight session of PCTI, it was obvious the man they call Smo is one of the most popular teammates amongst league ranks. The combination of measurables/intangibles that Orr possesses make him one of the most intriguing prospects going into PCTI3. Will he play more aggressively offensively? If Orr takes the step, watch out for Legs Feed the Kitten.