The Lady Raiders will have to take one step back to make 3-pointers next season.
The 3-point line will be moving back to the international distance for women’s basketball next season. For Three Rivers, this means both men’s and women’s teams will have the same 3-point line and Gene Bess Court at the Libla Family Sports Complex will have one less 3-point line this upcoming season.
“We play spread out, high and wide. We don’t toe the 3-point line. I don’t think it will be a big deal for us or for our girls,” Three Rivers women’s basketball coach Alex Wiggs said. “(Defensively,) we ball pressure you no matter where you catch the ball at. We try to play 3-4 feet off the 3-point line anyway because it gives us more room to pass and cut and drive to the basket.”
The NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee and the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel recently passed a proposal to adopt a new 3-point line to mirror the line used in men’s basketball.
The NJCAA Board of Regents approved the change for this upcoming season “to reduce physicality and promote freedom of movement by increasing the spacing of players on the playing court,” the NJCAA said in a statement.
“Some teams, it will extend the defense a little bit if they use the 3-point line as a defensive tool,” Wiggs said.
The new line will be 22-feet, 1 3/4-inches from the center of the basket to the outside edge of the 3-point line and 21-feet, 7 7/8-inches in the corners.
This extends the 3-point line by almost 1 1/2 feet for the women and is nearly 2 1/2 feet beyond the high school 3-point line.
“Where I do think it will be an issue is kids coming from high school to college,” Wiggs said.
The Raiders finished third in the nation last season in both 3-pointers made (9.8) and attempted (32.0). They made 30.8% as a team to finish 53rd in the nation.
Chaylea Mosby led the team beyond the arc with 3.0 3-pointers per game and 7.7 attempted for 38.9%. Hya Haywood was second on the team at 7.1 attempts and 1.9 makes. Karlee Holland, who appeared in the final seven games of the season, and Myia Yelder also took more than five 3s per game.
All but Haywood, who recently accepted a scholarship to Lincoln University, are expected to return. Wiggs added the incoming freshman class includes several shooters.
Scott Borkgren - Daily American Republic