Sneaker squeaks and bouncing rubber could be heard echoing through the halls, as frustrated voices sliced through the air. This scene was not unfolding in the HUB Gymnasium, but in the rec room of Blair Hall.

The tournament held on September 15 seems to have served as a prototype for how down time here at PSU will be spent.

Sporting a fully-updated roster and graphics updates, NBA 2K18 is the nineteenth entry into the professional basketball video game genre. Since 1999, developer Visual Concepts has been trying to provide a virtual experience with the stars of the NBA that is as realistic as possible. So far, the ever-vocal fans of the sport have had much to say about the quality of this year’s newest addition to the series.

One of Blair’s CAs held the first tournament of the year with a preordered copy of the game, which allowed him to play a full four days before the game’s release date. The prizes were modest with a brand new basketball and PSU-approved water body as the first and second awards. The tournament was heavily attended for a Friday night, and saw people of all skill levels enjoy the Triple A title in good spirits...At least until the Finals started.

In the best-out-of-three contest, emotions ran high and people leapt up to their feet at every missed shot. One of the competitors, who is a long-time LeBron James hater, was forced to play with the Cavaliers for the final match-up and his anger became clear. In an almost comical display of irony, the virtual LeBron began to fail and miss the simplest of layups as the clock began to wind down.

The final score was tied up, and everyone’s eyes were glued to the television. Point for point and flag for flag, neither player’s team could hold the edge. The LeBron denier’s eyes darted from the prized basketball and the shameful runner-up water bottle. Seeming to feel his hesitation, the virtual LeBron whiffed a last-ditch, game-winning shot as the room exploded in a haze of excitement.