Free Throws: I'm lookin' at you, Billy White

[sleepy]

All right: It's mid-summer. I'm bored. And I really need to get my post count up on this new board.

So, being as Billy White is my favorite player. And whereas, in my book, the guy is Superman. And whereas, Clark Kent had his Kryptonite, Billy has his free throws.

I bring to my man Billy a free throw tip from the best free throw shooter this board has ever produced, and the greatest percentage shooter from the field in the history of Hacienda Heights Mesa Robles Junior High...

Me.

Billy... First, don't go to the line without the ball. Stand two feet in back of it until the ref gives it to you. Then walk up to the line, get in your preferred stance, dribble the ball the amount of times and in the rhythm that you prefer, eye the hoop, square your shoulders.

Sounds about par, right? Now here's the important part...

DEEP BREATH, hold, exhale slowly, shoot.

That's it... a deep breath. I guarantee your percentage goes up 10-15 points.

Why? I'll tell you... You are a "fast-ticker" out there on the court. Totally emotionally absorbed in the game, a mile a minute, dying for a win -- AND THAT'S WHAT I DIG ABOUT YOU!! But the one part of the game where a slow, steady heart and pulse is called for is at the charity stripe. That deep breath and slow exhale steadies the muscles, and that gives you control. Same thing works for baseball's best hitters.

Give it a try. Do it right after you run "lines" or "suicides" or whatever they're calling it these days. You've got 4 months. I'll be the one at the end of the season with the stat sheet in hand and saying, "I told you so". Besides, you are the leader on this team, and if it works, maybe the rest of our "Gang That Can't Shoot Straight From the Line" will join the cause!


(I think this gives me like a rippin' 8 posts on this board. WooHoo!)

[aztec70]

Take a deep breath, sleepy, he has probably been told that 500 times. Rec league coaches tell that to 10 year olds. Just sayin.

[mightymightyaztecs]

Remember how big an issue free throws were throughout last season? Somehow at the end a freshman steps up and makes eight straight to win us a championship.




Damn I miss basketball.

[sleepy]

Jun 28, 2010 22:11:15 GMT -8 aztec70 said:

Take a deep breath, sleepy, he has probably been told that 500 times. Rec league coaches tell that to 10 year olds. Just sayin.

Hey, wait just a second, 70 -- you forgot my other nugget, which was to wait until the ref tosses him the ball to go up to the line. Ain't nobody handing it to him at the line during practice -- and you play as you practice. So... there!

But, more to the central theme, I'm sure he probably has been told about the "deep breath" 500 times, but he's still not doing it. Probably the one and only area where coaching has gone in one ear and out the other with him. And you can tell he's got his "full-court mentality" on at the free throw line because when he DOES miss the first one, which is frequent, he gets pissed -- and then is more prone to missing a second shot if it's a two shot foul.

So that's the other thing, if you miss the first of a two shot foul, Billy, relax. Take that breath. Know you're going to hit the second.

(Btw, Billy, in case you haven't figured it out... This message is really to the whole lot of the guys wearing the Red & Black. I'm just giving you the grief, as you can hack it!)

[aztec70]

Jun 29, 2010 7:27:44 GMT -8 sleepy said:

Jun 28, 2010 22:11:15 GMT -8 aztec70 said:

Take a deep breath, sleepy, he has probably been told that 500 times. Rec league coaches tell that to 10 year olds. Just sayin.

Hey, wait just a second, 70 -- you forgot my other nugget, which was to wait until the ref tosses him the ball to go up to the line. Ain't nobody handing it to him at the line during practice -- and you play as you practice. So... there!

But, more to the central theme, I'm sure he probably has been told about the "deep breath" 500 times, but he's still not doing it. Probably the one and only area where coaching has gone in one ear and out the other with him. And you can tell he's got his "full-court mentality" on at the free throw line because when he DOES miss the first one, which is frequent, he gets pissed -- and then is more prone to missing a second shot if it's a two shot foul.

So that's the other thing, if you miss the first of a two shot foul, Billy, relax. Take that breath. Know you're going to hit the second.

(Btw, Billy, in case you haven't figured it out... This message is really to the whole lot of the guys wearing the Red & Black. I'm just giving you the grief, as you can hack it!)

You are right, I did forget the other nugget. I like that one, makes sense.

[Deleted]

This was a great post, sleepy. Our team is a bunch of jump-out-of-the-gym athletes and they're being tasked with setting aside their athleticism and calmly shooting the ball into the hoop. It's almost like two different games.