New Free Throw Method...

[Guest]

Sam M. seems to make his free throws (sorry, but I have not looked at his stats exactly, but he seems to make most of them). How does he do it? How can the rest of the team learn from Sam? KEY: STICK OUT YOUR TONGUE WHEN YOU SHOOT YOUR FREE THROWS!!!!! That's what Sam does and they go in. GO TONGUES!!!!!

[Bravesfan]

Sam M. seems to make his free throws (sorry, but I have not looked at his stats exactly, but he seems to make most of them). How does he do it? How can the rest of the team learn from Sam? KEY: STICK OUT YOUR TONGUE WHEN YOU SHOOT YOUR FREE THROWS!!!!! That's what Sam does and they go in. GO TONGUES!!!!!

I find it hard to believe that this team would not at least take some time to practice free throws and three pointers each day. Since I'm pretty sure they do, I'm at a loss as to why we continue to have problems, particularly with the free throws. We had a nice stretch to start the conference season, and now we have reverted back to the dismal shooting that plagued us earlier. Yes nerves play a part, but either we have some players that were never exposed to fundamentals as well as they should have, or they are maybe not exploring other methods that can help make things easier.

As far as their three point problems are concerned, one has to wonder if the longer three point arc is the problem. I would think not, but I guess a couple of feet can make a big difference.

Well, they need to look to what made them shoot well during their recent five game winning streak, and learn to relax a bit at the line. It's not easy shooting free throws during game situations especially on the road in a hostile environment. But these are the shots that are vital since they can be made while the clock is stopped and since they more often than not affect the outcome of a game.

I think we showed we can shoot free throws consistently, and a little more practice should get us back to that level. We got away with it tonight against a bad team, but that won't cut it against the better teams. Let's see if we can show the Salukis how to really shoot free throws this weekend!

[georgethedog]

It's not easy shooting free throws during game situations especially on the road in a hostile environment.

I would hardly call the Indiana St. court last night a hostile environment unless emptiness is considered hostile. Maybe they would do better with a bigger crowd? Tongue out!!!

[ph]

I half wondered, watching the Saturday game, about Dodie's stance. On hist first free-throw, it looked like he was leaning to his ?left? and I thought, there's a missed FT. Sure enough, DD missed. The next time DD was at the line, he seemed to have a more straight posture, and made it.

I'm no shot expert, and I might be a victim of a bad camere angle, but it appeared to be a posture issue...

[Bradleyguy10]

JL is a good shooter. You think he'd rub off on them. Maybe spend some time with a few players that we really need to shoot and really try to critique and fix what they are doing wrong. Or else if you can't fix the mechanics...fix the physical properties of it so that it goes in. For example if your mechanics are off and you always shoot it too far to the right of the hoop, and you can't fix it, then physically move the player more to the left on the line. haha

[SFP]

What I have noticed is first of all we take the ball from the ref and it looks like we get extra credit for chucking it up there in less then 5 sec., so we need to take our time, they have 10 sec. to shoot. The other area is it looks like some of the guys kind of fade back instead of leaning forward or straight up with their release. They all bend their knees and have decent form it maybe they just need to go up there take a nice breath or two, relax and shoot.

[houstontxbrave]

It is very encouraging about ft shooting is we are great at getting there. 412 attempts to our opp who have gotten there 309 times. We just give away so many free points its rediculous.

But its not just TW, EM or even TB its the entire team. We do not have one player who shoots the ft with any consistancy. Closest is SM at 78% but he doesnt get there that much overall.

I am not sure at this stage of the game that the ft shooting will improve to dramatically. Some players just dont shoot the ball in issolated situations that well. I agree that we need to take time but I also prefer, like TW, that they do the same routine on each ft.

No idea what the answer is but continuing to miss front ends of one n ones are essentially turnovers and we really are making things much harder on ourselves by losing these points at the line.

But atleast we get there and that is a positive. We are aggresive with the ball and we initiate the play. We just cant finish the free points.

[Big Mike]

That is becoming a concern....IMO as much as the Braves get to the line....missed F/T's can mean the difference of winning the MVC and finishing 3rd....missed F/T's end up being T/O's.....I'm sure the staff is on it!

[bluedevils1]

We can coach from here, etc... clearly, they know what to do, and obviously Jim Les realizes that they need to work on them. They don't just go to practice and casually work on free throws the last couple minutes. It just happens that they sometimes have these horrible days. Many of the players we have aren't pure shooters so they are very streaky at the FT line, e.g. DD and TW. Part of it is mental, part of is the form / routine. You know they'll be working on them, and hopefully they start making more, as we make a living from the charity stripe now.

[Buddy Lee]

Tongue out!!!

Tongue Out!!!

[Beninator]

Maybe we can get Coach Stowell to demonstrate the old fashioned underhand freethrow style?

[SFP]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdE-RCpLBcM

Rick Berry FT shooting video. He shot 90% for his NBA career so do not under estimate the old underhand shot.

[lefty]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdE-RCpLBcM

Rick Berry FT shooting video. He shot 90% for his NBA career so do not under estimate the old underhand shot.

but how did Wilt do?...

Illinois was a terrible ft shooting team last year and this year they are fairly good. I think they had some distractions that cause some but really other than a few guys the rest didn't shoot well.

Don't you think a poor ft shooting team will shoot worse from the line?

At this stage for these players it's more about confidence and concentration than form. It's very hard to change at this stage

[ph]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdE-RCpLBcM

Rick Berry FT shooting video. He shot 90% for his NBA career so do not under estimate the old underhand shot.

I assumed the suggestion was serious.

Underhand gives the shot trajectory a higher arc (less flat) and, technically, a much better chance of going in. (Also a reason why it may be inherently easier for a 5th grader to make a FT than a 6-5 guy and near impossible when a 7 footer like Shaq tries to throw the ball down into the basket...)

[SFP]

I assumed the suggestion was serious.

Underhand gives the shot trajectory a higher arc (less flat) and, technically, a much better chance of going in. (Also a reason why it may be inherently easier for a 5th grader to make a FT than a 6-5 guy and near impossible when a 7 footer like Shaq tries to throw the ball down into the basket...)

It was serious to some extent. Rick Berry and Shaq had or have an ongoing feud because Rick told Shaq that he should try to shoot his way. Well Shaq more or less said no way that RB's way is for girls. Well RB did not take it so well and made fun of Shaq's FT shooting ability. I would think that as bad as Shaq is in hitting his FTs he would try it but I guess his ego is to large to look like a girl. I would hope no one on our present team has an ego to large to do what it take to improve. I'm going to the gym later on and am going to try the Rick Berry method to see how well it works for me.