3 Point Percentage

Question:

Is your 3 point percentage affected when there is or isn't a defender, you have the correct form, if your fading away, and if your standing straight?

Hypothesis:

I believe that your 3 point percentage will be affected by these attributes to my shot.

Procedure:

Step1: Plan what materials I need for my experiment

Step 2: Gather my materials for my project

Step 3: I will start to collect my data

Step 4: I will shoot 50 shots per spot per type of shot

Step 5: I will shoot without a defender

Step 6: I will shoot with the defender closing out on the shooter

Step 7: I will shoot a fade-away

Step 8: I will shoot a step back

Step 9: I will shoot with a defender face guarding the shooter

Step 10: I will record my shooting percentages with these attributes

Step 11: I will put all of my data together on a poster board

Abstract

In my experiment I want to investigate a shooter’s three point percentage with different difficulties to the shot. For example, I shot without a defender, shooting with a defender that was guarding myself face to face, with a defender running at me, fading away and doing a step back. I predicted that the shot that was unguarded would be the easiest shot with the highest percentage and the fade away would be the hardest shot with the least percentage. This hypothesis is supported by studies in the NCAA because all teams are always practicing shooting with a defender in the face of the shooter.

One defender was asked to participate in the study and did agree to do so. Forms of consent were signed as well. Each of the different shots were taken in sets of 25 shots to make sure that the shooter would stay in rhythm. The defender was also the rebounder in this shooting sequence. The shots were all taken at the North Wildwood Recreation Center and the Crest Pier.

As the data was collected it showed that the shots with the defender closing out on the shooter was easiest with a percentage of 50% or higher from the right corner, right wing, top of the key, left wing and left corner. It also showed that the hardest shot was the fade away with a percentage of 40% or lower. The shot with the defender closing out on the shooter was the easiest shot because if you are a serious basketball player you get so used to the defender coming at you that it is almost like they aren’t even there. The fade away was the hardest shot because when the shooter turns around to shoot it is very difficult to assess the accuracy of the shot. Also, it is harder to get power into the shot because the shooter is falling away and most of the power in a shot comes from the legs which elevate you off the ground.

The results of this study proved my hypothesis was right and wrong at the same time. The easiest shot was with the defender closing out on the shooter, but from recent experience I thought the unguarded shot was going to be the highest shot. History has shown that on occasions even the greatest scientists hypothesis could be wrong. The part of my hypothesis that was right was that the fade away would be the hardest shot with the lowest percentage of them all. It is extremely difficult to get enough power to the shot and acquire the right accuracy but this could be different for other individuals. I could improve this study by testing the percentage of other kids my age to see the average three point percentage. Also, I could have improved this study by testing more subjects who are serious basketball players. I have learned that acquiring data to try and prove a hypothesis is very difficult, long, time consuming but can also be fun at the same time.

Data: