Analyzing the four-point shot

Since the PBA Governors’ Cup opened last Aug. 18, there have been nine games played with 11 teams seeing action up to last Friday.The newly-introduced four-point shot hasn’t been a primary option on offense and it’s not supposed to be. I call it the quad, as opposed to the triple or a three-point shot. If the quad is available, a long-range bomber will take it but not too often as the 27-footer is a low percentage shot. The quad is usually taken out of necessity.

Take the San Miguel Beer-Phoenix game last Wednesday. The Beermen were up, 106-105, then CJ Perez knocked down a four with 56.6 seconds left. Jason Perkins hit two free throws to trim the lead to three, 110-107, time down to 44.5. Then, Perez missed and Phoenix regained possession. Ricci Rivero took a quad with 10.6 seconds to go. If he made it, Phoenix would’ve gone ahead by one. Rivero flubbed, June Mar Fajardo got the rebound, was fouled, made one of two free throws and Tyler Tio still had a chance to send it to OT with a four but misfired at the buzzer. In that final sequence, Phoenix took two four-pointers that could’ve saved the day for the Fuel Masters.

Up to games ended last Friday, there were 101 four-point attempts taken by 52 players. That’s 6.6 percent of total field goal tries and 35.1 percent of 148 players took a four. Of the 52 players, 18 connected at least once or 12.2 percent. The connection rate was 23.8 percent. Players with at least two four-point connections were Magnolia’s Jerrick Ahanmisi (3-of-5), Converge’s Scotty Hopson (3-of-4), TNT’s Calvin Oftana (2-of-2), Terrafirma’s Stanley Pringle (2-of-5) and Meralco’s Chris Banchero (2-of-4). Blackwater’s Ricky Ledo led the scoreless brigade with 0-of-7. Hitting one quad each were Magnolia’s Paul Lee, NorthPort’s Joshua Munzon, Fran Yu and Arvin Tolentino, Terrafirma’s Juami Tiongson, Blackwater’s Jewel Ponferada and Jvee Casio, NLEX’ Myke Henry and Robert Bolick, Meralco’s Jolo Mendoza, Perez and Phoenix’ JJay Alejandro and Raffy Verano.

When TNT beat Meralco, 93-73, last Thursday, the Tropa didn’t make a single four in three attempts. Rain or Shine also didn’t convert a quad in beating Blackwater, 110-97, last Wednesday. The most fours any team has scored were three in Magnolia’s 105-97 win over Converge and Converge’s 127-95 romp over Terrafirma. The rainbow weapon of choice is still the triple. Teams took 433 three-point tries of 1,516 total field goal attempts or 28.5 percent, converting 137 or 35.7 percent. So in the first nine games, teams hit 24 four-pointers on 23.8 percent accuracy and 137 three-pointers on 35.7 percent accuracy.

It’s clear that players aren’t jacking up fours because it’s not a high percentage shot but the quad is an option that can be taken out of necessity. From all indications, it’s an exciting innovation to the game.