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Tiger men standing strong
1/19/2010
By CONOR NICHOLL
cnicholl@dailynews.net
Not only does the Fort Hays State University men's basketball team have quality shooters, the Tigers also have players that create open shots. That combination has put them on a school-record pace for 3-point field goal percentage.
The Tigers, ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division II with a 15-1 overall record (9-0 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) have hit a conference-best 44.8 percent of 3-pointers. The school record is 43.6 percent set in 1989-90.
"We have guys that can shoot the basketball," Tiger head coach Mark Johnson said. "That's always a big deal and I think what helps right now is we have guys that are shooters who are playmakers. That's why a lot of those guys are getting quality shots is the ability of those guys to put it on the floor and get those guys open."
FHSU, which ranks sixth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage, hit a season-best 12-of-20 (60 percent) of 3-pointers in a win at Pittsburg State University on Saturday. Junior Dominique Jones stands second in the MIAA, sinking 32-of-65 (49.2) of 3s, while junior forward Corbin Kuntzsch is fourth at 47.5 percent (29-of-61). Junior guard Willie Hassell has made 47.2 (17-of-36) of 3s in the Tigers' balanced offense.
"I love this offense," Hassell said. "We can go to so many people. Like Corbin one night, me one night, Dominique one night. The list goes on. I just think Coach puts the right bunch of players together. It's just like you got to pick your poison. You stop one, you got five or six more."
FHSU's all-time best individual single-season mark is 60.5 percent by Mark Wiley in 1989-90. Jones currently stands third, while Kuntzsch is fourth and Hassell fifth. The Tigers, on an 11-game winning streak, will travel to Emporia State University (7-9, 3-6 MIAA). Tipoff is 5:30 p.m. for the women, 7:30 for the men.
"Everyone is going to try to give us their best shot now because we are sitting first in the conference," Hassell said. "We've got to expect the team's best shot every night. We've got to come and play like we usually play. We can't take nights off anymore."
ESU's White Auditorium is the only place Fort Hays has not won at since changing conferences four seasons ago. The Tigers have lost 86-71, 67-60 and 81-74 at ESU. Tim Niles leads the Hornets at 16.4 points a contest.
"Emporia, don't look at their record," Johnson said. "If anybody has been a heartbreak team (it's them). It has just been bad luck. A ton of injuries. They have slowly gotten those guys back in the mix. ... "They will be sky high to play us at their place. It will be a very challenging game. White Auditorium is always a hard place to play."
Helped by the 3-pointer, FHSU has had just one conference game within 10 points. They Tigers have continued to shoot well after losing two-time all-conference guard Tyrone Evans to graduation. Evans, who ranks sixth in school history for 3s made (169) and fifth in attempts (423), shot 40.7 percent from beyond the arc as FHSU made 37 percent of 3s.
This season, an influx of transfers and the progression of Kuntzsch has allowed the Tigers to improve. After starting the season 15-of-53 from beyond the arc, FHSU has made at least 33 percent of its 3s in every game.
"Mainly how we get wide open 3s is good offense, drive and dish basically," Hassell said. "Plus, we shoot a lot in practice. We shoot a lot of 3s. There are a lot of shooting drills. That really helps us a lot. Plus, we have a lot of people stay after practice to get extra work in."
Jones, the Tigers' shortest player at 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, has a unique shooting form. Jones, a New York City product, doesn't jump when he shoots, but doesn't get his shot blocked. Rarely does he not have an open look from long range. It's produced 13.3 points a contest, second-best on the Tigers.
"He is a very crafty player," Johnson said.
"He has worked hard. He has played with a lot of talented guys over the years. He is very unorthodox. He is an unorthodox shooter. He is an unorthodox dribbler, but it works for him."
Kuntzsch, who earned MIAA Player of the Week honors last week and leads Fort Hays with 14.4 points a contest, made 40.4 percent of his 3s in his first two seasons with the Tigers. Kuntzsch, known for intelligence and his ability to score in the Tigers' offensive system, was 6-of-6 beyond the arc for 24 points versus Pittsburg State. In the first half, Kuntzsch made all 5 of his 3s -- even though the Tigers ran one play for him.
"Everything else he does on his own," Johnson said.
"It's good watching Corbin shoot those 3s out there. He just makes things easy on the point guard," Hassell said.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| MB | 03/13 | Central Oklahoma | W 80-64 |
| SB | 03/08 | Fort Lewis | W 5-4 |
| BB | 03/07 | No. 9 Emporia State | L 13-7 |
| BB | 03/06 | No. 9 Emporia State | L 16-4 |
| BB | 03/06 | No. 9 Emporia State | W 3-0 |
| MB | 03/05 | Emporia State | L 65-61 |
| BB | 03/05 | No. 9 Emporia State | L 10-3 |
| WB | 03/04 | No. 15 Emporia | L 72-66 |
| WB | 02/28 | No. 12 Emporia State | L 87-80 |
| MB | 02/28 | Emporia State | W 94-47 |
| SB | 02/28 | Quincy | L 6-0 |
| SB | 02/27 | Mo Southern | W 9-3 |
| SB | 02/27 | Missouri S&T | L 8-3 |
| SB | 02/27 | Drury | W 17-10 |
| BB | 02/27 | Mo. Western | W 17-0 |
| BB | 02/27 | Mo. Western | W 3-2 (10 inn.) |
| BB | 02/26 | Mo. Western | W 12-8 |
| BB | 02/26 | Missouri Western | W 11-10 |
| MB | 02/24 | Pittsburg State | W 69-60 |
| WB | 02/24 | Pittsburg State | L 78-74 |