hey guys, I write for Hoop Ten Harbor and recently did a Richmond feature on the team's free throw shooting sturggles. Be sure to check it out here: http://hooptenharbor.com/2016/01/22...shooting-causing-problems-in-conference-play/
Richmond's FT struggles
- Thread starter hooptenharbor
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Players don't seem to care about missing a FT early in a game or at the end of a possible 3 point play. To me it's like missing an extra point in football. In addition to losing the point, it is a buzz kill and momentum stopper. Only the fans seem to realize how important they are.
I think the guys are keenly aware of this which is a big part of the problem. It's in their heads. They just need to have confidence and focus. That won't fix a couple guys who have poor mechanics but someone like tj who is fundamentally a good ft shooter needs to have more confidence.
I feel relatively confident that we are currently recruiting players who will shoot a much higher percentage from the line, and our team average, next season should move up to 70%+. The reason why we have an "issue" this season is that we have to keep guys in the game, late in close games, who are known to struggle from the line. If we could take out TD and DT, late in close games, and play only strong FT-shooters, then our team figures would obviously look much better.
The impact of FT shooting is mostly felt during the period of a game where the other team has 7 fouls or more, and our guys are forced to shoot FTs. This is the time when team depth will pay off handsomely, since we will be able to win a "free-throw shooting contest" with teams like VCU. It really hurt us that we lost this competition to VCU, and it had a lot to do with our depth, and who we had to play, late in the game. Should not be an issue next season...
The impact of FT shooting is mostly felt during the period of a game where the other team has 7 fouls or more, and our guys are forced to shoot FTs. This is the time when team depth will pay off handsomely, since we will be able to win a "free-throw shooting contest" with teams like VCU. It really hurt us that we lost this competition to VCU, and it had a lot to do with our depth, and who we had to play, late in the game. Should not be an issue next season...
Just curious...what was Kwhan Fore's free throw % in high school? At UR?
How about Trey Davis high school and UR?
Deion Taylor high school and UR?
Just saw Curry hit two free throws while chewing on his mouth guard. How hard can it be? Practice, practice, practice.
Bench press is problem... Ok todo shoulder press but bench press is bad .. Never have players do this
Excluding Jones and Allen, the entire rest of the team is barely above 50%. That's almost beyond belief for any team from middle school on up.
No doubt, 97! What is amazing or even sad is this form must be what works best for him. OSC
Underhand was the first way I learned to shoot free throws. This technique must have been quite popular in the early history of basketball as my dad used this method (born 1907). OSC
My question is what have the coaching staff done over the last 5 years working with these guys? I don't have stats, but I think these 2 seem to be in the same / similar pattern as at least last year. Sure seems like a mechanical thing...if so, seems it would have been corrected from the beginning.
Look at TA's form...very fluid, and look his FT %...very good!!!!!!!!!!
To me, FT shooting is like making a 5 foot putt in golf. You have to KNOW you are going to make it. You have to want to putt that ball and make it. Any fear or indecision and you are done!! I am stunned if I miss a 5 foot putt as I would be if I missed a free throw. You learn the technique and practice because you do not want to miss that putt or FT when it matters. I guess you either have that in you or you don't.
If you're comparing FT shooting, then it has to be on a perfectly flat service, no rain, wind, and perfect greens. Putting MUCH harder than FT shooting.
Free throws don't break, just say'n.
I have an interesting research question for one of our posters who may like to answer interesting questions. The question is this: Do our guys, once they get here a) improve, b) stay the same, or c) get worse at free-throw shooting?
It is an empirical question, and the stats are surely out there to answer it. And, it obviously varies by player. TA, for example, clearly improved his TF shooting (last year anyway, and maybe this), but a few guys seem to have regressed (TD and DT?) And, what will happen to KD's FT shooting during his career here?
It would be interesting if our overall trend is downward, because that would suggest that our coaching staff is not encouraging guys to practice their FT shooting, which will, logically, lead to it getting worse. We always hear about the great shooters, and how they stay after practice to take extra shots, but how many practice their FTs? Thoughts?
It is an empirical question, and the stats are surely out there to answer it. And, it obviously varies by player. TA, for example, clearly improved his TF shooting (last year anyway, and maybe this), but a few guys seem to have regressed (TD and DT?) And, what will happen to KD's FT shooting during his career here?
It would be interesting if our overall trend is downward, because that would suggest that our coaching staff is not encouraging guys to practice their FT shooting, which will, logically, lead to it getting worse. We always hear about the great shooters, and how they stay after practice to take extra shots, but how many practice their FTs? Thoughts?
SpiderRick, I used 5 foot putts for that very reason. I thought it would equal a 15 foot FT when you are out of breath and have 7,000 screaming people watching. LOL. You know my point though, walk up to the line with no doubt you are going to make it. Aim small miss small!!
FYI, that KD in my post above was an obvious typo, since I hit a D instead of an F (for KF). I am thinking that KF will have a good career FT shooting percentage for us, based on his HS numbers, and his "too-small-ample" with us, so far.
I do believe that FT shooting can be improved, with some instruction, followed by lots of practice of the player learns the new stroke. Tom Izzo, for example, is a master of teaching the correct FT-shooting stance and stroke. Billy Donovan, in contrast, was a master of improving his guy's 3-point shooting, which was largely based on simply trying about 200 or so per day (assuming the basic technique was there). I believe that TD and DT could still improve in this arena, with some positive self-talk, some practice, and maybe hypnosis (???).
I do believe that FT shooting can be improved, with some instruction, followed by lots of practice of the player learns the new stroke. Tom Izzo, for example, is a master of teaching the correct FT-shooting stance and stroke. Billy Donovan, in contrast, was a master of improving his guy's 3-point shooting, which was largely based on simply trying about 200 or so per day (assuming the basic technique was there). I believe that TD and DT could still improve in this arena, with some positive self-talk, some practice, and maybe hypnosis (???).
I looked at all current players who have played more than one season at UR. There are only 5 such players: TA, TJ, SDJ, TD, and DT. The average change in year-to-year free throw percentage points for these players is surprisingly -00.7%. So essentially there is no general trend, some players get better, others get worse, some stay the same.
Haha, it could easily change to a plus after our next game. It is not statistically different from zero.
