Our most difficult shot has been right under, or near, the basket. Sharpe is a horrible free throw shooter. CLANG!!!
I've never understood how free throws are missed at the college level. It's the easiest thing to practice and perfect. These guys have been playing most of their lives. I don't know how that skill is so difficult to master for players.
I agree completely on the FT shooting. I was short and slow and couldn't jump and not that strong but with just a bit of practice could get to where I could shoot 70% FTs. Most somewhat athletic people should achieve that. Our high school coach expected players to be at 70+%, and higher than that if you're playing D1 basketball, especially for positions 1-3.
I feel like in the past, most of our 1-3 guys who were good overall, were also good FT shooters. Our good bigs like May and Hansbrough took pride in being good at it and piling up points there too. Sharpe left 5 or more points at the line, in just one game, by himself. Terrible.
As for our guards, in current games, and last year....it just sometimes seems like they couldn't care less if they make the FTs. As if FT points don't count as much. Just hurry to jack up a FT shot, and get on with the up and down of the game where "real" points are scored.
This can be coached out of players easily it seems. Having them focus on taking FTs slowly and with aim and focus. Practice shooting FTs after sprints, when tired, in practice. That's what we did in practice.
And maybe this is too old school, but couldn't there be painful consequences for excessive FT misses and excessive TOs? Like above a certain number, meant running sprints for every one over a certain acceptable number? Would that get guys to take valuing the ball, and making easy FTs - more seriously?
