After more than 50 percent of Syracuse’s 3-point production from a year ago has graduated, guard Brittney Sykes is trying to replace some of SU’s points.

The 3-point reliant defending national runner-up needs consistency from long range. Sykes wants to knock down 3s more frequently than in previous years. Should she expand her game, whose strengths revolve around her driving ability, she could boost No. 14 Syracuse’s (2-0) offense and open up the floor for her teammates.

“If Britt can shoot the 3, now you can’t back off and take her athleticism away,” Syracuse assistant coach Tammi Reiss said. “You’ve got to play her and she’ll blow right by you.”

She hit only 21-of-91 (23 percent) 3s last year. She went 0-for-3 during her redshirt season, 6-for-18 (33 percent) in 2013-14 and made only 13-of-61 (21 percent) her freshman season.

Over the summer, Sykes stayed for both of Syracuse’s training sessions, hoisting 500 3-pointers a night. Sykes knows that, with a long range game in her repertoire, she could open up lanes, make it harder for teams to double-team, and clog the middle. Sykes went 2-for-5 from 3 on opening night against Rhode Island.

Sykes hopes to create 3s on her own off the dribble, something she’s always done with her more-polished midrange game. All summer, Sykes didn’t tweak her form at all, Reiss said. Instead she worked on driving the shot with her legs, and jumping and landing in the same spot.

“Everyone thinks it’s this,” Reiss said, gesturing a flick of the wrist. “It’s not. It’s this,” she added, pointing to her lower half.

The 5-foot-9 guard will catch and rise up, where before she’d catch and maybe jab step because she wasn’t a 3-point shooter. Senior point guard Alexis Peterson, who put up 28 and 19 points in SU’s first two games, has said Sykes as a 3-point threat would open up the floor for her.

“Brit would say, ‘I’m a slasher, I’m not good at this, I’m not going to just chuck up 3s,’” Reiss said. “Well, now she’ll let it go.”

Less than 2 minutes, 30 seconds into the regular-season opener, Sykes drilled two 3-pointers. On her first, she stood still, held her follow through and raised her hands in the air. Thirty seconds later, she spotted up in the corner and swished another before blowing a kiss.

Sykes has never shot better just two games into a season. Still, she sometimes looks slightly hesitant from deep. She air-balled an open 3 from the wing against Siena and has passed up a few open shots to a guarded Gabby Cooper, who’s just 7-for-32 from deep. Asked whether he thought Sykes may force some 3s early on or hesitate to launch, Quentin Hillsman was blunt.

“Definitely not,” the head coach said. “She’s worked too hard on her shot all summer not to come and be confident with that. When she’s open, shoot the ball.”

Entering her final season at Syracuse, Sykes wanted to be a 3-point threat. She wanted to get to the rim at will. And she wanted to carry Syracuse as an All-American. Through two games, she’s emerging as a threat from deep.

“It’s been one of those things like, when you add that, ” Hillsman said, “the game has changed.”

Published on November 17, 2016 at 12:53 am

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21