The 3 pt shot

The year it entered college basketball was 1987. The coach the strongly opposed it, used the three pointer and a veteran Hoosier to win a national title. The first few years saw college teams be very selective with the shot ... thus shooting a higher percentage. We, as a college basketball nation, have seen our three point shooting percentage decline over the last 20 years, and it should pose the question why? One very evident reason would be that more bad shooters are taking the shot. Another possibility is that we have to take a sytematic look at how we use it in our individual offensive systems - when is it taken, where, and by who? A third thought is, what percentage of your teams offense should come from behind the arc in order to have success/ how about your opponent? A fourth thought is how will you rebound the three point shot as a team?

Here are the areas you need to analyze in your sytems when deciding how to use and stop the 3:

1. Transition
2. Regular Offense
3. Zone Offense
4. Out of Bounds plays
5. Special plays
6. second shots

When thinking about special situations- these are areas where you need a philosophy.

1. Come from behind game
2. Secondary break
3. Penetration
4. Miss FT and tip out for three

3pt No No's

1. Don't straddle the line
2. Don't rush it
3. Don't rely on it exclusively
4. Try not to shoot alot of threes off of the dribble
5. Don't shoot threes moving away from the basket.

Defending the 3pter

1. ID the 3pt shooters- pick them up as soon as the cross half court
2. Use special defenses
3. No help on the three point shooter
4. Close out with high hands
5. Deny 3 point shooter
6. Be aware of long rebounds off threes- get to the 15ft area around the basket
7. In zones ... cheat towards the three point shooter
8. Once you close out try to guard the three point shooter with your heals on the three point line

Late game

1. No uncontested threes
2. Ahead by three points

• force back cuts
• don't help off of three point shooters
• foul

Shot Selection

1. Make it a normal part of your offense and defense
2. Don't use it only on a come from behind situation
3. Teach your team rebounding coverage in all 3 point situations

Out of the break

1. Look inside first
2. Don't shoot it on the first pass
3. Shoot it on a skip to the top -- great angle
4. Skip from wing to wing
5. Rebounding the 3pter off of the break

In your motion

1. European 3- pentrate the baseline at the post and have him curl up behind the dribbler to the arc.
2. Penetrate and pitch (fade, follow, etc)
3. Skip
4. Screen the backside
5. Screen the ball screener

These are some of the things we need to consider when deciding how to use the three point shot in our offense and take it away from someone else. I did not give you answers, but more important, I am giving you the questions you need to think about when using and defending the 3 point shot. My last bit of information is this-- I was asked when is the best time to get a three?

AFTER AN OFFENSIVE REBOUND!!! On an offensive rebound the defense is compressed ... if you can teach your team toget it out behind the arc and get complete ball reversal you'll look at wide open threes that the defense will not be prepared for. Watch Louisville this weekend- they'll do it from time to time. It goes without saying that if you have a clear path to the basket on an OREB ... take the hoop. This is a situation where you have no clear path ... try it.

Have a great weekend. Again, next week we will hit the European market in preparation for the NBA draft.

DD