Gatling Brings Outside Gunner Threat To Boyle's Buffs
October 26, 2018 | Men's Basketball, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado guard Shane Gatling developed his affinity for 3-point shooting when he was just a youngster.
It was a move was born mainly out of necessity and survival.
"When I was about 9 years old, I was playing with a lot of 12-year-olds," the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Gatling said recently. "I was skinny and little and I couldn't go by anybody. So I would just shoot every time. It kind of came natural to me, so I just kept working at it. Now I just keep trying to perfect it, but you can always get better at it."
Gatling is indeed good at it. Very good. Last season, as a sophomore at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa, he helped his team to a 33-1 record by matching the school record for 3-pointers in a season (102) while shooting 39 percent from long distance and earning Region XI Player of the Year honors.
Now, as a junior with the Buffs, he aims to team up with point guard McKinley Wright IV and give the Buffs a dynamic one-two backcourt punch that will help pave the way for an NCAA Tournament berth.
"Any situation, no matter where I'm at on the court, I'm confident in my shot," Gatling said. "I try to make my game so I can shoot deeper 3s so they have to pressure me and guard me and I can space the floor for other people like McKinley. Me shooting further out can help the team in many different ways."
Gatling should give the Buffs something they haven't had the last couple of years — a consistent 3-point shooter from the guard and wing position. While CU did have the Pac-12's second-best 3-point shooter in terms of percentage last year in Lucas Siewert, the CU big man attempted only 67 shots from beyond the arc — by far the fewest of anyone in the league's top 20.
Aside from Siewert, the Buffs weren't a steady threat from 3-point range, as they finished eighth overall in the league from long range.
Gatling could help bump the Buffs up in that category, but head coach Tad Boyle is taking a wait-and-see approach.
"When I think a knockdown shooter in Colorado since I've been here I think of guys like Levi Knutson," Boyle said of the former CU guard who was a 47.4 percent shooter from 3-point range as a senior for Boyle's first team at Colorado. "I see Shane Gatling being able to become one of those guys, (but) he's got to prove it. There are practice shooters and game shooters and he's proven he can make shots in games. But at this level you know athletes are a little bit bigger, stronger, faster at closing out."
But Gatling believes he brings more to the floor than just long-range shooting. He was an 85-percent free throw shooter at Indian Hills, and he can put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket. He also believes he can be a capable defender at the Division I level while creating opportunities for his teammates.
And, while he is primarily a No. 2 guard, he can play the point in a pinch.
"I don't like to be called just a 3-point shooter," Gatling said. "I feel like I can score in different ways, I can make plays for my teammates, I can get stops on defense. I can do a lot more than 3-point shooting. I can play both guard spots and this year I think I'll be playing the one and the two a lot."
The Buffs do have some options at guard this year. Along with Wright and Gatling, junior Deleon Brown can play both spots, and senior Namon Wright can play the No. 2 spot as well. Also available at the off-guard spots will be true freshmen Daylen Kountz and Eli Parquet, both of whom have had good preseason practices.
Gatling has fit in quickly. He had a good scrimmage in CU's closed workout at SMU last week and believes the Buffs will be better than the seventh place predicted in the Pac-12 preseason media poll.
"I think our team is really good," he said. "The thing about this team is that we're a family and we all want to win. When you're in Juco ball, it's more of a 'I'm just trying to get mine so I can get out of here.' With this team, we want to be the best team we can be and have the best season Colorado has had. I think that's what everybody's No. 1 goal is."
SATURDAY SCRIMMAGE: The Buffs will host an open scrimmage Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. at the CU Events Center. Admission is free.
Colorado will then play an exhibition game on Saturday, Nov. 3, against Colorado Mines beginning at 4 p.m. before opening the season Nov. 13 with a 6 p.m. game against Drake.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
