Should Siena shoot more three pointers?

[SaintMisbehavin]

Game	3 Point Makes	3 Point Attempts	3 pt %
12/6 Niagara	5	10	50%
12/8 Canisius	1	9	11.1%
1/2 Monmouth	5	11	45.5%
1/4 Rider	8	15	53.3%
1/10 Marist	4	11	36.4%
1/12 Iona	4	11	36.4%
1/16 Manhattan	2	6	33.3%
1/19 Iona	3	9	33.3%
1/23 St. Peter's	3	16	18.8%
1/26 Fairfield	4	11	36.4%
1/30 Niagara	6	15	40%
TOTALS	45	124	36.3%

Clearly, Siena would not be considered a three point shooting team. But, with Siena's clutch three point shooting in the last 10 minutes of last night's game, I started thinking about how rarely Siena shoots threes this year, and whether it would benefit them to take more or not.

I looked at some stats from MAAC play only. In MAAC play, Siena has shot 33 LESS 3 pointers than the next-to-last 3 point volume shooting team -  and Siena has played one more game than that team! However, Siena's 36.3% puts them as the fourth-best 3 point shooting team percentage-wise this season.

My point being, that for a team that isn't known as a three point shooting team, they're actually sneaky efficient in MAAC play so far. I realize that you don't want to simply tell a team "shoot more threes" - you have to earn open looks, have the right personnel on the floor, have post players in a rebounding position, etc. As we see Ryan Oliver, the closest thing this team has to a three point specialist, earn more minutes, I wonder if the number of three point attempts creeps up a bit.

[SaintsFan]

with the new rules in place, youre doing yourself a disservice if you arent getting to the rim/in the paint most of the time. You want to shoot them enough to keep a team honest on defense but get to the rim and get to the free throw line should be the focus. Our guys really look to avoid contact down low by hurrying shots etc. Just go up, take your time, get fouled and get to the line. You get free throws and you get the other teams players in foul trouble. Teams have been doing it to Siena all season.

[musicman]

It's an interesting question. SaintsFan made a great point about going inside. And Siena has proven they can win going inside when not shooting well from "downtown." Niagara, like several teams this year, picked up the defensive pressure starting the 2nd half. Poole and Hymes really the only two shooters on the team that can quickly come off a screen and catch and shoot. Our offense disappeared for the first nine minutes of the 2nd half. Oliver shoots well, but needs more time to get his shot off, when he tried to quickly square-up and release, he isn't very accurate. We also are in the middle of developing young players' 3pt. games. In crunch time last night, players like Oliver and Wright were passing up open looks. Different players have stepped up and hit 3's at key moments in games this year but the only two we have that have the quick release and the "complete package" as 3 point shooters, as far as I'm concerned are Poole and Hymes. The others are developing their game.

[hoopjunkie]

Yes they should, when they recruit better shooters

[SaintMisbehavin]

Jan 31, 2014 11:34:29 GMT -5 musicman said:

It's an interesting question. SaintsFan made a great point about going inside. And Siena has proven they can win going inside when not shooting well from "downtown." Niagara, like several teams this year, picked up the defensive pressure starting the 2nd half. Poole and Hymes really the only two shooters on the team that can quickly come off a screen and catch and shoot. Our offense disappeared for the first nine minutes of the 2nd half. Oliver shoots well, but needs more time to get his shot off, when he tried to quickly square-up and release, he isn't very accurate. We also are in the middle of developing young players' 3pt. games. In crunch time last night, players like Oliver and Wright were passing up open looks. Different players have stepped up and hit 3's at key moments in games this year but the only two we have that have the quick release and the "complete package" as 3 point shooters, as far as I'm concerned are Poole and Hymes. The others are developing their game.

Agree with those points, and honestly I'm not advocating that the team DOES shoot more 3's, it's just interesting to me that the team is shooting SO much fewer than other teams. I also agree that getting to the foul line is a goal, but we're currently at the low-middle of the MAAC in FT attempts.

So, are they sacrificing 3 point shooting but still not getting to the FT line often enough?

[SaintMisbehavin]

Jan 31, 2014 12:12:39 GMT -5 hoopjunkie said:

Yes they should, when they recruit better shooters

Yes Siena could use a reliable knock-down shooter or three, I agree. But, my point in posting the stats above is that statistically Siena isn't as terrible at shooting the three ball as their reputation suggests.

[Quackman]

I think the issue more has to do with getting good looks. I dont see Siena passing up a lot of wide open looks for 3 and, when they do present themselves, they take them.

I guess you could argue that Siena should run more sets designed to get 3 point looks but, as noted above, outside of Poole, Hymes and Oliver (and maybe Bisping) there aren't a lot of great shooters on this team.

It comes down to finishing. As often as Siena gets to the rim, they have to finish more.

[jamalblack]

a lot of the players are scared to shoot because if they do not make it JP put them on the bench

[SaintsFan]

Jan 31, 2014 13:24:32 GMT -5 jamalblack said:

a lot of the players are scared to shoot because if they do not make it JP put them on the bench

this is indeed a concern.

also... referencing the fact that Siena isnt shooting a ton of FTs. Many of the players are actually avoiding contact on their shots rather than WANTING that contact. Also... freshman often arent strong enough to shoot through the contact when it happens. Thus many missed layups etc. So... between avoiding contact and developing strength to absorb contact and finish... this team can get better at getting to the line. I see a lot of "up side" there.

Some have mentioned Ubiles... one of my biggest beef with Ubiles was he would nearly fold himself in half to avoid contact... to the detrement of his own shot. All of the players need to understand that the current set of rules is designed to benefit the offensive player and to take full advantage of that ... and especially DO NOT AVOID CONTACT... SEEK IT. This is actually an area that White is pretty good at although i think sometimes he releases his shot a bit too quickly to avoid getting blocked or fouled.

[Quackman]

Pretty sure that if they take a shot that is within the flow of the offense, he isn't going to mind. If it is outside the flow of the offense, off a 1 on 1 move or outside the coaches comfort zone for a player, then yes, he is going to pull them.

He is trying to teach them discipline and shot selection. And, it isn't just White.

[jamalblack]

take a look at the game and you'll see what I'm talking about and it's not just white is a lot of the kids

[mrsiena]

Evan could create open looks for Rob, Brett, and Ryan if he would pass out when he drives and the defense collapses on him. Also on those drives he never dishes to the Brett or Imoh for a bunny layup.

[mike]

Feb 2, 2014 14:20:03 GMT -5 mrsiena said:

Evan could create open looks for Rob, Brett, and Ryan if he would pass out when he drives and the defense collapses on him. Also on those drives he never dishes to the Brett or Imoh for a bunny layup.

Siena's last 2 pts of regulation which put us up 3 with 38 seconds to play were on a Hymes drive and dish to Bisping for a bunny...so I wouldn't say never.

[greenblood]

not to mention the 'assist' of the game went to Evan, when he dropped the dime to 'Quis. So I wouldn't say 'never'