The New School Guard: JJ Redick

"Growing up, most kids want to be outside shooting 3s,'' said the 6-4 Redick. "I would have developed differently without it. I would have probably spent more time working on my ball handling skills, trying to be a point guard or something.''

Redick's game has changed, though. He has been able to get his shot off on his own at times and has increased his mid-range game. He has essentially become more versatile.

"If it were taken away, my points-per-game production would go down but I would still be an effective player,'' Redick said. "If the shot were worth only two points, then teams would probably pack it in more. If you have a great shooter, then it can stretch the defense.''
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=2186286

Breathing Room is a Must

The best way to defend and slow down a very talented three point shooter is to get in his face and challenge every shot they put up. In order to prevent this teams/coaches set up special plays to get their respected long range shooters an open and clear shot at the hoop.

There are many ways a team can achieve this and a very good play is a simple pick and roll. This occurs when the shooter sets a screen for the ball handler and then rolls off his defender and that creates enough space for he can get an open look. Another method is just simply setting a screen for the shooter, and the video above is a great example of this. A shooter can also create his own shot just by using a crossover dribble (Example in video below) or also using a shot fake to get the defender in the air. Another good plan is ball rotation, in which you the team rotates the ball around three point line until they get an open look, this technique works best against a man to man defense. The last method I will mention is ball penetration in which the ball handler enters the paint and allows the zone to collapse around him, then dishes it out to an open shooter for three. This method works best against a zone defense.

Game Winner not Once but Twice

This is a video of the Maryland Vs Georgia Tech game on February 20Th. The Terps made a half court shot with zero seconds left in the game, but it was called off because Gary Williams, the Head coach of the Terps, called a timeout. They got a second chance and did the near impossible when Cliff Tucker made a game winning three with no time left on the clock.

The CON of the Three

I have been discussing the positive aspects of the Three Point Line in college basketball, but along with the positives there are also many negative aspects to the 3 ball. The biggest negative part is the deterioration of fundamental skills. Young players are mainly focusing on the three point shot and the dunk and are slowly getting away from the basics. The three point line draws young players, because instead of only two points, if made it is worth three. With this extra point far fewer shots are taken 15 feet and the arc. Players often pass up an open two point shots, but take a contested three shot. Bradley, who played at Eastern Nazarene (Mass.) College, said he is glad he didn’t grow up with the 3-pointer.“The negative for me is it has reduced kids’ games,’’ Bradley said. “Many of the players now have an underdeveloped game.’’ The three pointer has been a great rule in college basketball, but that doesn't mean there is still room for improvement.

http://www.independentmail.com/news/2007/mar/18/3-point-shot-changed-game/

Here is a link to the article in which I got some of the information and quotes.

Steve Alford

Steve Alford is the current head basketball coach at New Mexico, and was formally the head coach at Iowa. He has compiled an overall record of 291-169 in 15 seasons as a head coach. He was also a player at Indiana from 1983-1987, and during his senior year the three point line was instituted in college basketball. During this season Alford shot 53 percent from behind the arc, which still stands as the third highest percentage in Indiana basketball history. Alford made 107 out of 202 three pointers leading Indiana to a national title. According to Alford when this new rule was made many players were so "enamored" with it, and they were going crazy about it. The three point was a new part of the game and players found it very odd, and because of this it drew shooters to it because it was so new. Unlike today's players Alford had a very short amount of time to get adjusted to the three point line and said that this was hardest part to overcome. This also made the transition to the NBA more difficult, as Alford shot only 35 percent from three in his first NBA season.

LINK TO ARTICLE

Half Court Prank Shot Gone Astray

Joel Branstrom was just a Girls Basketball coach at a High School in Olathe, Kansas. This all changed when a group of students decided to pull a prank on the popular coach, but it turned out they did not plan for everything. They told the coach that if he made a half court shot while blindfolded he would win tickets to the Final Four in Indianapolis, an event he loves. The students assumed the coach had no chance on making it, and decided to cheer and applaud when he missed the shot and make it seem like he won the tickets. The gym went crazy and into a slight panic when the coach made the impossible shot. Since the students thought there was no way he would make it, they never got the tickets instead they gave him a gift certificate to a certain restaurant. I have heard though some tickets have been donated to Joel Branstrom so he could go to the final four. After the ordeal was over, Joel said he figured it was some sort of prank but was not sure exactly what type. Since this video has hit the web Joel Branstrom has become some sort of a celebrity.
LINK TO ARTICLE


Just to show you how difficult of shot this was. This video is of SportsCenter emplyees trying to make a shot Blindfolded.

A Fast Pace Game

There are some arguments out there saying the introduction of the 3 in college basketball has made the game move at a faster pace. I found an article that gave a couple of great points defending this claim. The article states that it is much easier to find an open three, then it is to work the ball inside and find an open shot. Technically speaking this could shave off about ten seconds per possession and would lead to a considerably higher amounts of possessions for both teams in a 40minute game. Another point that is made is the 3 point shot leads to more fast breaks. The reason why it leads to more fast breaks is because when a 3 is missed the chance of a long rebound is much greater. In case you don't know when a long rebound opportunity appears it is to the advantage of the team to go on the fast break because you will you get a much higher percentage of shot.

http://uponfurtherreview.kansascity.com/?q=node/1822




This video is of Tayshaun Prince from Kentucky University hitting five three pointers in a row to start the game.

The Three Pointer has Changed the Game

The NCAA adapter the Three Pointer in the 1986-1987 season to "open up the game, force teams to play more defense away from the basket and assist in the problem of rough low-post play". The three pointer has become the games great equalizer. There are alot of examples of this in recent college basketball history. In 2005 the West Virginia Mountaineers made 42 3s on there way to the Elite Eight. "We wouldn't have been around very long,'' West Virginia coach John Beilein said. "Can you imagine how low the scores would be without the 3-point shot? Defense has gotten so much better.'' Another great example also happened in the 2005 season when Vermont upset Syracuse in the NCAA tournament. T.J. Sorrentine clinched the game when he drilled a deep three pointer with about a minute left in the overtime thriller. "When the shot ripped through the net, the crowd inside the DCU Center in Worcester rose in unison, the roar reverberating off the ceiling and against the back walls." Would that moment have been as exciting and thrilling if it was only worth two points? Would Sorrentine even taken that shot? Luckily we never have to know the answer to these questions and it is obvious the three has impacted the game, and will continue to impact it down the road.

The information came from an article from ESPN.com by Andy Katz
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=2186286



This is the highlight of the deep three pointer by T.J.Sorrentine in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.