The 4-point shot
The Philippine Basketball Association will reportedly be the first league in the world to adopt the four-point shot. This experiment, which some fans are giggling at, could actually become a staple of basketball in the country and elsewhere, or it could go the way of NBA 2Ball and fade away. Either way, the league is taking a bold step to refresh the game.
In the 1980’s, the four-pointer was initially a motivational tool for practice. Outside shooting countries like Korea would reward players who made a lot of three-point shots by assigning them a value of four points after a certain number of makes. Most recently, NBA teams like the Milwaukee Bucks have had four-point lines in their practice facilities. But you could conclude that this is a natural progression of the three-point shot.
In the 1970’s the fledgling American Basketball Association introduced the three-point shot, which people snickered at. Eventually, innovative coaches like our very own national team head coach Ron Jacobs, called it the great equalizer. Proof was NCC’s triumph over the US in the Jones Cup. In 1998, the Metropolitan Basketball Association introduced an uncontested three-point attempt as an alternative to two free throws. That rule has since disappeared:
In 2012, when a group of investment bankers took over the Golden State Warriors, they reviewed the league’s stats, and decided to take an abundant number of three-point shots. The result, according some purists like renowned NBA trainer Phil Handy, is a great number of copycat teams.
One also has to study the mechanics of long-distance shooting. Women are considered more accurate than men primarily because their smaller frames necessitates a push-up style of shooting, regardless of distance. Will the 27-foot four-point distance require a change of technique for some male players?
The bigger question is now the four-pointer will change the game. Initially, we foresee it as being an emergency tool for teams catching up. Teams will have to decide whether it will be a regular weapon in their arsenal. But for all we know, it could add new thrills to the sport, and become a staple internationally. Let’s see.
