LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kyler Filewich, a 6-foot-9 center hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, doesn’t prioritize style over substance when it comes to free-throw shooting for Wofford. Instead, he’s focused on counting the points that make it to the scoreboard. In pursuit of improving his statistics, Filewich consulted with his coaches for advice, which led to a notable switch in his shooting style.
Rather than sticking to the conventional technique, Filewich adopted an old-fashioned, underhanded free-throw method often referred to as “granny-style.” This approach was famously mastered by Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry, who even went out of his way to offer some personal guidance to Filewich in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Despite ongoing struggles at the free-throw line, Filewich reports feeling more self-assured with each attempt.
“I haven’t necessarily always had the success that I wanted,” Filewich commented earlier this week. “But I feel like I’m pretty confident in it. When I needed to, with about five minutes left in the SoCon title, I was able to step up and make two when it mattered.”
An opportunity for Filewich to showcase this newfound confidence arrives on Thursday night when Wofford (19-15) faces Tennessee, a No. 2 seed, in the NCAA Tournament’s Midwest Region. Under the guidance of Wofford coach Dwight Perry, Filewich was introduced to Rick Barry’s techniques after seeking help in boosting his free-throw percentage, which lingered at 31.6% last season. Assistant coach Ty Anderson, who maintains a connection with one of Barry’s sons, facilitated the introduction.
“People don’t realize Rick Barry is the best free-throw shooter statistically in NBA history. So to your point, if you’re going to learn from somebody, you definitely want to learn from the best,” Perry noted. Barry’s impromptu lesson came at an unusual time during the season.
“Rick Barry graciously delivered his insights and offered tips,” explained Perry. “We were very fortunate. It was a brief session right in the middle of the season.”
Filewich began implementing the granny-style shot in early February, achieving moderate success by shooting 4 for 6 and then 6 for 10 from the line in back-to-back games that month. Despite still being the Terriers’ lowest performer from the line at 31.8%, Filewich made crucial contributions during the conference title game, sinking pivotal shots late in the contest.
Barry’s visit influenced more than just Filewich; his approach left a lasting impression on other Wofford players as well. The switch to the unconventional shot style garnered much attention, especially on social media, where his distinct grip and release technique offer quite a visual spectacle.
“It’s obviously something that’s atypical in today’s era,” Perry remarked. “But to Kyler’s credit, he’s fully committed, and I think it’s allowed him to maintain the confidence and aggression we seek on both ends of the court.”
Filewich’s self-belief inches higher with each practice session, echoing the words of Rick Barry. “I know I can make ’em,” he declared. “I make them at a high clip in practice. It was great working with Rick Barry. I’m super thankful for him taking his time out to show me how it’s done and kind of adopting the mindset of doing whatever it takes to win.”
