A tale of love and hate: DLSU and free throws

Free throw; an unimpeded attempt at a basket following a foul or other infringement.

It is unimpeded, meaning it is unhampered or clear. No man in front of you, nobody to bother your shot. It’s just you alone, fifteen feet away from the basket. It is a blessing for some, but it seems like a curse for the boys in Green-and-White. Every basketball fan knows that making free throws is an essential part of a championship caliber team. Of course the goal of the game that we love and revere so much is so simple that a toddler will be able to comprehend it; make more shots than the opposing team. Yes, that includes free throws.

Currently, the DLSU Green Archers are ranked number six in the UAAP in terms of free throw shooting, just two places behind archival Ateneo and right above the University of the East and Adamson University. La Salle has only made 86 out of 141 free throw attempts, stacking a lackluster 61 percent. Within the Green Archer squad, it is the big men who lead the way, with center Arnold van Opstal leading the team with an 88.8 percent clip, followed by forward Jason Perkins with an average of 77.8 percent.

On the other end of the spectrum, Jeron Teng ranks as the second worst free throw shooter in the team behind Luigi de la Paz who has made just one out of seven free throw attempts or 14.3 percent. Teng has only 12 free throws made out of 31 attempts. Last season, Teng led the team in free throw attempts with 97, but only converted 55 of them.

On the other hand, Thomas Torres had the most success with a 93 percent clip and LA Revilla was second with a 73 percent average. DLSU made 203 out of 334 free throws, 60.8 percent, during the 75^th UAAP season. Numbers clearly show that there has not been much of an improvement in the free throw department so far this season, with an uptick of just one percent so far. With the league’s best 77 percent FT percentage held by FEU, it is clear that DLSU has a lot of extra work to do to make it far this season and that may even be an understatement.

Furthermore, the team has experienced highs and lows in terms of free throw shooting this season, one good example of free throws being their saving grace was their win against Adamson. The Green Archers made five of six free throws in the do-or-die moments of the game and Teng even made two out of two to break the 65-all tie with less than a minute left to play.

But who can forget the crunch time meltdown against FEU where La Salle’s lead was squandered due to turnovers and missing much needed free throws? In that loss, Teng only made three out of his 11 free throws and Vosotros’ two crucial free throws clanging carelessly off the rim at the end of regulation led to overtime and cost them the game. They were 13 out of 26 from the free throw line on that afternoon and nobody can deny that if La Salle made all 26 free throws, then they would have won the game easily.

The potential is crystal clear in this Green Archer squad, yet we must remember that potential must also turn into reality in due time before it’s shelf life expires. This team can make it far, especially with Teng’s ability to get to the free throw line at a consistent basis, but it would be a major boost not only to his individual stats but also to La Salle’s chances of winning if his free throws were sure baskets. Then again, all the weight of the team should not be burdened on the slashing sophomore’s shoulders because basketball is a team game. If the whole squad will not put effort in improving their free throw numbers, the championship will forever be a daydream.

The more free throws La Salle misses, the more elusive the UAAP crown gets. Thus, the solution is not complex; make all free throws, and the closer the championship glory gets. You can almost taste it and La Salle is almost there; it’s all in the mind.