Free Throw Shooting: Local Boy Wins Contest

Today's local paper says that a local 9-year-old boy won a state title in the 2008 Knights of Columbus free throw shooting contest. By making 24 of 25 free throws as the final shooter in the final round (he missed #6), he forced a shoot-off in which he sunk 4 of 5 to take the victory. This all came after winning three other contests to advance to the state final.

Rumor has it that Memphis is already scouting him.

One More NCAA Tournament Thought....

Does anyone know when Billy Packer is going to retire? Soon? Please?

Practicing the Basics

Kansas defeated Memphis last night for the NCAA National Championship in men's basketball. It was a most entertaining game.

And the overwhelmingly obvious fact is this: Memphis choked at the free-throw line in the waning moments of the second half. Everyone will likely remember the clutch 3-point shot made with 2.1 seconds to go, forcing overtime; but will they remember that Memphis missed four of the last five free throws in the last 90 seconds of regulation? Will they remember that Memphis ranked 339th out of 341 Division I teams in free-throw percentage on the season, at a mere 59%? (I honestly believe that with a couple hours practice, I could make more than 59%.) On the game, Memphis made 12 of 19; Kansas made a fantastic 14 of 15.

I suppose it is possible that Memphis, flush with talent and full of momentum entering the game, downplayed the significance of practicing that most basic (and generally certain) of basketball skills: The fifteen-foot charity stripe shot. There is no excuse for a team of scholarship athletes not to be able to top 60% for the entire season in free-throw shooting. And I really suspect that when the game was on the line, able to be put away in the final seconds, that those players knew deep in the back of their minds that they weren't ready.

On the upside, basketball coaches everywhere have an example to point to when players gripe about "why do I have to practice free throws...again?"

Congratulations to the Atlantic Sun Conference (who?)

Congratulations are in order to the Atlantic Sun Conference [Note: I didn't even know what teams comprised this conference in men's college basketball until today], after teams from the conference recorded these victories this week, all on the road:

• Gardner-Webb whips Kentucky, 84-68
  
• Belmont takes out Cincinnati, 86-75
  
• Mercer goes across the country and beats USC, 96-81

I am already concerned about my March Madness bracket.