February 4, 2016 is a night that will go down in the history of SFU Women’s Basketball. On that night against Northwest Nazarene, Elisa Homer set a GNAC record for most three-point shots made in a single game with 12, breaking the previous record of nine that she tied just 18 days earlier.
To put that feat into perspective, only two players in the history of the NBA have made 12 three pointers in a single game — Donyell Marshall in 2005, and Kobe Bryant in 2003. Not even Stephen Curry — widely regarded as the best shooter in the NBA right now — has hit that many in a single night.
“I think I beat [Curry] actually,” Homer said laughing as I brought up this fact.
“It was pretty cool,” she remarked on the historic night. “I guess coming off the game where I had nine three-pointers, I was stoked that I tied the record, but I knew that I had a couple looks that were that close, that could have gone in.” Following that, Homer knew she would eventually break that record. “Whether it was going to be 18 days later like it was, or in the years to come, I knew that was something that I was going to be able to [get].
“When we were in the game [on February 4th], I hit my first two threes, and then I think three of them, and I knew I was getting my looks, felt good about it, felt really smooth, and I was like ‘okay it’s a good day, it might be the day.’”
Homer was also quick to point out her teammates’ role in her success.
“Alisha [Roberts] actually made a comment in our halftime meeting [. . .] she was like, ‘okay, gameplan: give the ball to Homer, she’s hot.’ So everyone thought about it and was trying to give me my looks, which was awesome and super helpful.
“I kind of lost track of it in my mind, and then I guess I hit my 10th one to beat the record, and I look over at the bench, and [Head Coach Bruce] Langford and Jessica [Wallace], our assistant coach, and all the girls on the bench were standing up and screaming. [. . .] I hit two more after that, [and] they were stoked.
“I hit my first two threes [. . .] and I was like ‘okay, it’s a good day, it might be the day.”
“As much as it was an accomplishment for me, it is for them, too. I got an assist on pretty much every three; everyone was a part of it.”
While the record was of course amazing, it could not have come without hard work. Homer spent hours and hours in the gym over the summer, perfecting her shot for the upcoming season.
“This past summer, Langford actually challenged me to shoot a lot more than I had in prior summers,” she explained. “So we agreed for me to shoot 60,000. Just takes, not makes, but that’s still a pretty significant number.
“It worked to about 2,500 per week, five days a week, 500 shots each day. It wasn’t all threes, but it was half or more each day. Other days it might be finishes around the hoop, definitely some mid-range jumpers [. . .] so all of that work is starting to show up. And definitely free throws. I’ve always been a pretty confident free throw shooter, so having that as fallback really helps.
“Some weeks I’d only be able to get three days so then I’d have to shoot more on those days, some weeks weren’t as much, some weeks I’d end up getting 3,000 or 3,500. It was a lot, a lot of shooting.”
Homer is part of a deadly trio that has lead the Clan throughout the season. Along with her 17 points per game, which is the highest of any player in the GNAC, senior Alisha Roberts is averaging 11.6 points per game, and Ellen Kett’s 53.7 percent efficiency from behind the arc is the best in Division II, men’s or women’s.
“I think the three of us together, it’s really tough for teams to guard three shooters,” said Homer. Our mindset is that if we have an open three, we’re going to take it. And especially with the team this year, [. . .] we know we can get the momentum going. Even when we’re down, we know that we can hit two or three quick threes right away and be back in the game.
“We work together really well, we’re all super supportive of each other, we really enjoy getting each other open and setting each of us up. And I think the fact that none of us are really selfish, we all shoot within the offence, we all move the ball, we take so much pride in helping each other out and hitting all those threes.”
So what advice does Homer have for those looking to perfect the art of the three-point shot?
“Just a lot of reps, she answered. “Just always trying to focus on your form and getting good form every time. [Making sure] you’re balanced every time, making sure you get comfortable with just set shots first, and then trying to work up to shooting off the dribble, shooting off the move, and different footwork. But, definitely get the fundamentals and make sure your form is good.”
