Being ready to shoot matters more than the shooting itself.
For Colorado State men’s basketball, balancing jumpers and other offensive schemes has gotten easier with time. Among all the particulars of the game, the Rams are more prepared to pull up when necessary. While the shots might not always fall, it’s the mindset that has transformed this team into postseason form.
As the primary mentor for CSU’s guards, assistant coach Ali Farokhmanesh has witnessed the progression firsthand.
“I think we’ve gotten to the point now where (the players are not) thinking, ‘Should I shoot or not?’” Farokhmanesh said. “I think losing some of that thinking comes from making shots but also them being shot prepped and then getting used to the offense, too.”
Sophomore Kyan Evans has clearly embodied that mindset despite being one of the team’s youngest starters. His 39.6% season 3-point shooting tops the roster in just his first year with real opportunity. In-game, his set up is quicker, more decisive and more confident.
His metamorphosis mimicked that of a familiar CSU legend.
“We joked and said he was apologizing for shooting sometimes,” Farokhmanesh said. “Before, he’d pass up so many (shots) — similar to (Isaiah Stevens) in a lot of ways — where they have that point guard mentality. … And it’s like, man, when you’re open, there’s a reason why you’re open.”
Evans is one of many players working through new circumstances.
Graduate student Ethan Morton hit his first three of the year in the Rams’ 26th game of the year against Nevada, pacing center Nikola Djapa. Additionally, senior Jalen Lake has improved upon his shooting percentage beyond the arc from last year despite playing a career-high number of minutes.
“I think (shooting confidence) has risen a lot,” Farokhmanesh said. “I also just think some of those guys had to go through it a little bit, and that sometimes happens. … But now I think they’re getting more confident, even just getting more detailed with how they’re approaching their shooting.”
With confidence comes opportunity, and the Rams seem to have adjusted well on offense. Better shot selection usually means more respect for those shots from the opponent, which can create vulnerability if even for a split second.
“I think as long as we’re taking the right shots and the more paint touches we get, that usually collapses the defense and leaves us open for more threes,” Farokhmanesh said. “We’re spacing better for one another, whereas early in the year, you saw we’d float around a lot or we wouldn’t keep moving.”
CSU has focused on diversifying their offense to free up the court and get those open looks. Jaylen Crocker-Johnson benefitted from that in the Rams’ most recent matchups against Wyoming and Nevada by opening each game with a 3-pointer. Against UNR, CSU capitalized on the early momentum with a 53.8% 3-point shooting performance in the first half.
Hitting several threes often leads to settling for deeper shots, though. Despite the sound reasoning, neglecting a mix of physicality and finesse can extinguish a run, so the players have to actively balance shot selection.
Lake knows that struggle deeply as the leader in deep attempts.
“You sometimes see a three going in, see another one go in and you want to be ready to pop up to shoot the next one,” Lake said. “Sometimes you have got to just stay poised and continue to play the game as you know — getting in the paint and staying poised.”
Rashaan Mbemba, who’s known for his paint presence and physical playstyle, ignited a spark for a complacent game plan Feb. 18 against UNR. In that game, CSU shot 53.8% from three in the first half but saw a slight decrease in production just before the break. Mbemba was there with and-1s to generate momentum and get CSU back to driving more.
Some matchups, like the one against San Diego State, are inherently grittier. The game plan could revolve more around one thing than another, so it’s up to the players to be flexible.
“Eery game we come in here for practice each week, and then every day we just work on something different — what we think we’ll have an opportunity to do in the game,” Evans said. “(We do) whatever we feel like will pay off in the game coming up.”
As the Rams progress into Mountain West tournament territory, each game provides an opportunity to take a step forward. With different scouting reports each week, managing unique scenarios only increases the breadth of knowledge.
It all boils down to one thing: feeling ready.
“(It is about) just being ready to shoot,” Farokhmanesh said. “Are your hands ready? Are you thinking about the shot? Are you loading up your body and your muscles to be ready to shoot the ball? That’s probably No. 1.”
Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @michaelfhovey.
