It’s gotta be the shoes.
At least that’s one explanation for Jeff Elorriaga’s torrid 3-point shooting. The Boise State basketball player has made 16 of his past 25 attempts.
“If I shoot well, I always try to wear the same shoes during the games,” said Elorriaga, who turned 21 on Friday.
“I’ll wear my LeBrons again.”
Elorriaga — now 10th in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage at 47.7 percent — will hit the court in his Nike Zoom LeBron Soldier IVs again Saturday night when the Broncos (11-2) host NAIA member Walla Walla (2-18).
The shoes have been good to Elorriaga this week. He set a Boise State and Mountain West record Sunday with 10 3-pointers against Corban, and knocked down six more in the Broncos’ victory at Texas-Arlington on Wednesday.
“If you make the first one, you get the confidence up and you just start feeling good. You get that confidence and that’s the key to shooting well,” Elorriaga said.
There are other keys for the 6-foot-2 junior from Portland. In particular, his weight distribution and balance during his shot.
“When his weight is forward and he’s on his toes, he makes them. When his weight is back and his shoulders are back, he doesn’t shoot as high a percentage,” coach Leon Rice said. “Jeff is such a smart player that he figured that out, and he’s tweaked it a little bit.”
It’s just the latest improvement for a player who has made many in his college career. Unrecruited out of high school — Elorriaga did not have any offers to play college ball at any level — he walked on at Boise State and quickly forced his way onto the floor.
Before the season, Rice told Elorriaga that the Broncos needed more from him.
“You have to be more productive, more efficient, more aggressive offensively because he can score,” Rice said. “He’s changed his game. He’s grown and he’s gotten better. He’s a legitimate player and a legitimate offensive weapon. ... I’m proud of him because he’s earned everything he’s gotten.”
Elorriaga has developed just as Rice hoped.
He has already set a career high in 3-pointers made with 42 — and the Broncos haven’t started Mountain West play. That starts Wednesday at undefeated Wyoming.
“If I can carry this over into conference, it’ll be a little different,” Elorriaga said.
There’s little reason to believe it won’t. Elorriaga is averaging more points (11.3) and more rebounds (3.8) than in either of his first two years. He is shooting a higher percentage and is on pace to set career marks in steals and assists, one big reason the Broncos are off to their best start since 1994-95.
Elorriaga also leads the team in minutes after playing all 40 against Texas-Arlington.
“He won’t let me take him out and my assistants won’t let me take him out,” Rice said. “He’s the triggerman in what we do, so it’s hard to take him out.”
