NCAA Tournament Manifesto: Sharp Shooting

My brother Randy and I were praying side-by-side on the edge of my parent’s bed. Before we knew anything about the Mets’ adoration of cocaine and long before Steve Sanders taught us steroids and athletes don’t mix, we were fascinated by this team of brazen ballplayers. They just seemed so much more interesting than the Red Sox. Of course, we were children of New Yorkers and living in a suburb of Boston at the time. Regardless of why we liked the Mets better than the Sox, we felt nauseous as we nervously bounced on the mattress transfixed on the sixth game of the 1986 World Series. Boston was one out away from making our bus trip into school the following Monday nothing short of hellish.

And then… a clutch hit.

And another one.

In the midst of our exuberance, a Mookie Wilson grounder softly bounced through Billy Buckner’s legs, giving the Mets one more game. A game they would cash in for a World Series ring. Monday’s bus ride was hellish alright, but only for everyone else.

What does the story of the ’86 Mets have to do with the NCAA Tournament? Well, the

three point shot during tourney games is very similar to clutch hitting on baseball’s biggest stage. After two or three in a row, the same numbing effect engulfs the opposition. It is a tranquilizer and an even greater equalizer. After all, two threes from sub-six footers are worth the same as three dunks from seven-footers.

During the first couple rounds of the Tournament, the talent gap between opponents can be as wide as the drawstring on Star Jones’ sweatpants and, thus, the three point shot takes on extra importance. David toppled Goliath with a sling-shot; the mid-majors utilize the deep jumper.

The trifecta almost always plays a major role whenever an underdog pulls an unexpected upset and not always from the accuracy of the little guy. Often the reverse is true. In the 2004 field of 65, three of the most prominent early round shockers occurred because the favorite failed to make the three. Providence (6-of-16, .231), Michigan State (5-of-16, .313), and Stanford (7-of-24, .292) shot themselves out of the bracket by shooting a combined 18-of-56 (.321) behind the arc in losses to Pacific, Nevada, and Alabama, respectively.

Three point shooting stretches zones and forces opposing coaches to craft junk defenses. If Jimmy Chitwood taught us anything, it is that outside shooting can be a tournament difference maker.

J.J. Redick (Duke), Salim Stoudamire (Arizona), Gerry McNamara (Syracuse), Anthony Roberson (Florida), and Brendan Plavich (Charlotte) are the elite shooters in this year’s tourney. They possess range not seen in the collegiate ranks since former Arkansas Razorback Al Dillard was hitting ‘em from press row.

Redick is a classic shooting guard with flawless form. His entire offensive repertoire derives from the threat of his jumper. At 6-foot-1, Stoudamire – cousin of the Trailblazers’ Damon – is undersized for a two guard, yet he makes up for it with his marksmanship. The fearless star is sizzling at over 50% from behind the arc. McNamara and Roberson are the best ball handlers and passers of the bunch, yet they can also fill it up. During last year’s first round match-up with BYU, McNamara drained a school record nine three-pointers en route to 43 points. Roberson, another shooter with lead guard skills, currently leads the SEC in scoring. Plavich is strong enough to launch from anywhere within the half-court line. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound senior has knocked down at least four treys in more than half of his games this season and hit ten against Syracuse last year.

Unmatched in confidence, these four assassins should receive a lot of defensive attention in their quest to reach the Final Four. Their sharp shooting singlehandedly snatches wins for their teams.

Tremendous three-point shooting is not a necessity during a team’s journey towards the Final Four, but battling a squad on a scorching streak can surely be a road block in getting there. In fact, a team’s failure to defend the three will make their bus ride back to campus quite… hellish.

Secrets For NCAA Tournament Success:

Each day leading up to the Big Dance, CHN will be unveiling a different Secret for NCAA Tournament Success. Check the NCAA Tournament Manifesto homepage for more info.