PCTI XII Game 7 - Sabin's Analysis

 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

 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

 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

 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

 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

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

 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.