LE ROY — Ashton Isch inconvenienced her Southern Coffey County High teammates during a practice two weeks ago. The Lady Titans had to scrimmage on just half of the basketball court in the second part of practice.
Why?
Isch was on her way to breaking her own SCCH girls’ free throw record. Last January, her teammates watched as she sank 111 consecutive free throws.
On Jan. 5, the senior 5-6 guard found her rhythm at the free-throw line once again. This time she hit 129 free throws.
“Once I start shooting them, I just get in a rhythm. I don’t really think about it,” Isch told the Register this week. “It was the middle of practice this time. We were scheduled to scrimmage when everyone was done shooting. I was still hitting and they had to practice on just half of the court.”
Hitting free throws is not just a “practice” feat for Isch. In the Lady Titans’ nine games this season, Isch is 63 of 70 from the line which is 90 percent.
“I think what has helped me is that I shoot a lot of short shots right under the basket during practices. I think it has helped me to focus at the free-throw line,” Isch said. “It’s pretty natural for me at the line. I don’t think about anything.”
Southern Coffey County head coach Jeff True said Isch also retrieved the ball after each shot.
“I always have the players shoot free throws and it’s a goal for them to see how many times during the season at practice they can hit 10 in a row,” True said. “She has to go rebound the ball and come back to the line and refocus each time.”
Isch admits that when she gets to 70 in a row, her hands begin to shake and she has to fight through some fatigue.
“But I just focus and shoot until I miss. This time it was the 130th attempt that I missed on,” Isch said.
Isch said she plans to sign to play basketball with Southwestern College in Winfield soon. Isch averages almost 21 points a game for the Lady Titans, who are 4-5 on the season and play in next week’s Lyon County League tournament in Emporia.
