PIAA boys basketball: How Mars’ focus on shooting the 3 —lots of them — led to berth in states
You miss every shot you don’t take. It’s one of sports’ great clichés, but it’s how Mars boys basketball and coach Kobe Phillippi operate from deep.
The Planets have knocked down 230 3-pointers this season, surpassing the previous single-season program record of 229 set during the 2022-23 season.
The approach propelled Mars (14-12) to fourth place in the WPIAL Class 5A tournament. It opens what it hopes will be a deep PIAA tournament, visiting District 3’s West York (20-6) at 6 p.m. Friday.
“Our design is, if you’re open for a 3-point shot, you shoot it,” Phillippi said. “And when you don’t shoot it, that’s when we get worried and you get taken out.”
Junior Austen Wroblewski paces the team with 68 3-pointers made and is shooting from that distance at a 41.2% clip. Senior Drew Navetta has gone 66 for 164 (40.2%) from behind the arc. Phillippi’s green light has helped those two and their teammates put up smart shots without worries of repercussions.
“It takes away 90% of the pressure, just knowing that he’s gonna have our back no matter what — if we miss it or make it,” Wroblewski said.
The Planets begin each practice with dribbling, passing and shooting drills. The shot they repeat is always from beyond the arc.
“When (Coach Phillippi) first stepped in the gym, he realized that that was our positive strong suit,” Wroblewski said. “We do that every day, just to warm up our 3. ... That’s helped a lot building people’s confidence.”
Phillippi credited his predecessor, former longtime Mars coach Rob Carmody, for his team’s shooting prowess.
“A lot of these kids learned to shoot through Coach Carmody and Coach (Scott) Pfeiffer, who’s on our staff now, too,” Phillippi said. “I’m just glad I’m able to reap what they sowed. ... I think the thing is with this crew, they don’t mind who shoots a 3. They don’t care who shoots it or who makes it.”
“I just think we have the guys to shoot,” Wroblewski said. “Our whole starting lineup can shoot the 3. ... Our play style running the floor just generates open 3s.”
Austin Campbell (31 of 92, 33.7%), Will Wilson (28 of 96, 29.2%), Ben Detisch (16 of 39, 41%), Chase Thimons (7 of 31, 22.6%) and Alex Vidic (6 of 24, 25%) have all added to the Planets’ total.
Standing 6-foot-6, Detisch has been a key offensive rebounder and knows how to kick it out to the open guy when doubled down low.
“We have the green light to shoot, and we know we’re not going to make it all the time,” Wroblewski said. “But, if we do miss, he’s going to be there to rebound.”
