The big news broke the fourth week of March, 1987, during the 70th Boys’ Sweet Sixteen in Rupp Arena:
The National Federation of State High School Associations announced that the three-point shot part would be part of high school basketball for the 1987-88 season.
College basketball had already adopted the three-pointer for the 1986-87 season, and underdog Providence, coached by Rick Pitino and led by sharpshooter Billy Donovan, weaponized it so well it reached the NCAA Final Four.
It was no surprise that the high school game wanted to share in the “bombs away” excitement generated by the 19-foot, 9-inch stripe.
Thirty years later, it’s hard to imagine high school hoops without the three-pointer.
Just about everybody agrees it’s been a positive change for the game by giving outside shooters as much influence as inside dominators.
While some players had to stretch their games to take advantage of the new rule, others, like Clay County’s Richie Farmer and Paintsville’s Keith Adkins, already had the long shot in their arsenal.
“Our whole offense under Coach (Bobby) Keith was predicated on me getting to the head of the circle and inside the free-throw line, drawing the defense then kicking it out to open people or shooting a jumper,” Farmer said.
“If we had had the three-pointer my freshman year, when I played the 2-guard, most of the shots I took that year would’ve been threes.”
Farmer said he didn’t change his style for his senior season (1987-88). He made 70 of 138 threes (50.7) and averaged 27.1 points, but his first thought wasn’t to launch bombs.
Richie did sign off his high school career with a three-point flourish, though. He hit 9 threes on his way to a state-finals record 51 points in Clay County’s loss to Ballard in the 1988 championship game.
Adkins led the state in three-pointers by making 133 of 264 (50.4%) while averaging 32.2 points a game his senior season (1987-88) at Paintsville.
The only regret Adkins has is that the three-pointer wasn’t part of the high school game the season before.
“We had that loaded team in ’87, with (John) Pelphrey, (Joey) Couch, Mike Minix and myself. If you threw the three-pointer into play with that group, it might’ve changed things.
“We lost in the final four to Ballard (61-54) in ’87, and somebody said I hit six or seven shots that would’ve been threes. I guess the three came just a year too late.”
— In the 15 games in the 1988 Girls’ Sweet Sixteen, the teams were a combined 30 of 111 from three-point range. In seven of those games, one or both teams didn’t even attempt a three.
— In the 15 games in the 2017 Girls’ Sweet Sixteen, the teams were a combined 149 of 459 from three-point range.
On the boys’ side, the same comparison:
— In the 15 games in the 1988 Boys’ Sweet Sixteen, the teams were a combined 96 of 277 from three-point range.
— In the 15 games in the 2017 Boys’ Sweet Sixteen, the teams were a combined 125 of 400 from three point range.
So the girls attempted and made a lot more threes than the boys did in last year’s state tournaments.
The proliferation of three-point bombs has had one negative side effect on the game: hardly anybody shoots mid-range jumpers anymore.
The love affair with the 3 is celebrating its 30th anniversary this season.
THREE-POINT RECORDS
BOYS
Individual (Regular season)
GAME — 17 by David DeMarcus, Sayre (vs. MMI) 1989
SEASON — 168 by Mason Blair, Johnson Central 2017
CAREER — 462 BY Dylan James, Sheldon Clark 2010-17
Individual (state tournament)
GAME — 9 by Richie Farmer, Clay County (vs. Ballard) 1988 state finals; 9 by Chris Lofton, Mason County (vs. Ballard) 2003 state finals
Team (regular season)
GAME — 41 by Jackson City (vs. MMI) 1992
SEASON — 370 by Oldham County 2017
GIRLS
Individual (Regular season)
GAME — 17 by Rebecca Greenwell, Owensboro Catholic (vs. Whitesville Trinity) 2013
SEASON — 143 by Demetria Brents, Caverna 1999
CAREER — 539 by Jaime Walz, Highlands 1991-96
Individual (state tournament)
GAME — 8 by Maci Brown, Henderson County (vs. Male) 2015
Team (regular season)
GAME — 21 by Moore (vs. Seneca) 2007
SEASON — 313 by Clinton County 2005
story courtesy Mike Fields KHSAA
full story: http://khsaa.org/love-affair-with-3-pointer-celebrates-30th-anniversary/