It is no secret that Obi Enechionya has been struggling for the Owls.
In Temple’s last 3 games he has shot just 16% from the field. To put that into perspective, Lakers guard, Lonzo Ball, who is widely known for his struggles shooting is converting on just 34% of his shots. While it’s never good to go on scoring droughts like these, this is not out of the ordinary for the big man. Last season, he shot a mere 40% from the field in the regular season. Compare that to the 39% he is shooting this season, and there is nearly no drop-off at all.
However, Enechionya’s struggle come to a head you analyze his 3-point percentage. His offensive game gravitates around his 3-point stroke. At roughly 6’10, 220 pounds, he can play the prototypical role of a 3-and-D forward, or a stretch 4. Either way, he relies on his 3-pointer to space out opposing defenses which creates mismatches and cutting lanes for his teammates. Thus far this season, his 3-pointer has not been reliable.
During this 3-game “cold spell”, Enechionya is shooting just 10% from deep. On the year he is shooting just 31% from 3, which is 7% less than last season. This may not feel like a significant percentage, but it is. Compared to players in the NBA, the average 3-point percentage is 37%. In recent years, the 3-point shot has slowly improved showing the difficulties of improving the shot. The last time the NBA had shot an average of 31% from deep the year was 1987.
The Owls need Enechnionya to be more efficient and has been evident in their last few games. The team’s last 5 contests have been decided by 4-points or less — excluding the Villanova blowout. Temple would clearly benefit from an improved efficiency in their third leading scorer.
Even through his struggles he has shown glimpses of improvement in other areas. The most glaring of these is his free throw shooting. Last year, Enechionya shot 68% from the stripe, but now he is connecting on 85% of his attempts — a far cry from a season ago.
When Enechionya’s shots begin to fall, expect a much more dynamic Temple offense.
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