September 13, 2024 Nolan Hughes

The New Jersey KingPins, once in the running for the PBA Elite League presented by Snickers’ top seed, enter the postseason as the No. 5 seed.

The 8-6 KingPins will face the Motown Muscle in the quarterfinals, airing Sunday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. Eastern on FS1.

Since the franchise won the inaugural Elias Cup, they have returned to the championship just once.

Can the KingPins turn back the clock to 2013? Let’s find out.

Roster

Manager: Carolyn Dorin-Ballard and Del Ballard Jr.
Protected players: Packy Hanrahan, Marshall Kent
Draft picks: BJ Moore, Chris Barnes, Kyle Sherman, Richie Teece
Midseason addition: Cortez Schenck

After Hanrahan developed into the second franchise cornerstone the Ballards’ craved, they focused on building a cohesive team rather than stockpiling pure talent. During the midseason transaction window, the Ballards dropped the then-injured Sherman for Schenck.

High Point: Rounds 5-6

For a five-seed, the KingPins had their share of spectacular moments. Barnes delivered the PBA Elite League’s first roll-off-winner in Round 2, and Hanrahan heaved one of his own in Round 12 to preserve New Jersey’s chances for a bye.

But the team’s vibes were perhaps never higher than after their 2-0 night in Missouri. Wins over Lucky Strike L.A. X and Las Vegas marked the team’s third and fourth consecutive wins and gave them sole possession of the league’s best record.

Low Point: Round 13

Heading into a matchup with Las Vegas, New Jersey sat in a three-way tie with Portland and Akron for the two-seed and a bye. After a narrow defeat at the hands of the High Rollers, the KingPins dropped all the way to fifth place behind Motown.

After a 6-1 start, New Jersey closed the season an ice cold 2-5.

Turning Point: Round 2

The KingPins clearly fed off the energy of Barnes’ match-winning strike in Indy. Barnes, who did not even start the match, stepped up when the team called upon him. 

The win marked the first sign that the Ballards’ team-building plan had come to fruition, kicking off a six-match winning streak, the longest by any team this season.

Biggest Strength: Team Philosophy

The Ballards’ executed a clear strategy with this roster. Their draft selections of Moore, Sherman and Teece showed they wanted competitive players who also embrace the joy of competing as a team. Barnes does the same, but also provides the veteran savvy and a third set of coaching eyes that no other team possesses.

Biggest Weakness: Striking Prowess

In terms of team-wide strike percentage, the KingPins’ closest company is the Waco Wonders… which is not where you want to be in 2024. Their 52.66% strike rate ranked seventh and at least 3.5 percentage points behind Akron, Las Vegas, Portland, L.A. X and Motown.

Clean 210s might not be enough to advance in the playoffs, something this franchise has struggled to do in recent years with just two top-four finishes since 2014.

Non-Bowling Team Comparison: 2015 Kansas City Royals

The 2015 Royals wouldn’t have been able to overpower a group of 12-year-old Little League players, but they sure hit-and-ran every team in MLB into the ground — and had a blast all the while.