Good things are coming in threes for Marina

It’s the most outrageous, innovative, strangest basketball strategy being used in Southern California this season. And it’s working.

Three-point mania is sweeping the campus at Huntington Beach Marina, where the boys’ basketball team keeps setting state records by launching three-point shots en masse.

On Wednesday night, the Vikings set a state record for most three-pointers made in a season with 308, and now they have their sights on the national record of 382. They’ve twice set a state record with 28 three-pointers in a game.

Fans sitting in the bleachers are holding up signs that read, “3.” Players are wearing T-shirts that read, “3diculous.” Opposing fans are shaking their heads in bewilderment.

“The kids love it,” Coach Roger Holmes said. “The coaches love it. It’s fun to watch.”

Sometimes Marina games resemble an ice hockey game as Holmes substitutes five players at a time every 90 seconds, trying to keep everyone fresh so the players can go all-out when they are on the court, applying constant defensive pressure, trapping everywhere, diving for loose balls and always looking to shoot.

It’s a strategy the University of Redlands has used successfully to score points in large numbers, and Marina, which is 13-5 overall, adopted it this season because the Vikings don’t have much size but do have plenty of small, quick guards who love to shoot. Five times the Vikings have scored more than 100 points this season.

On Wednesday against Anaheim Esperanza, less than three minutes into the game, Holmes had already used 11 players. His team fell behind, 17-0, because the shots weren’t dropping. But there was no panic.

“There are so many ups and downs,” Holmes said.

Sure enough, Marina’s full-court trapping defense started to produce turnovers, and senior Troy Lewis got hot. He made four three-pointers in a three-minute span, and the score was suddenly tied at 21-21.

Marina went on to win, 72-67, and smiles could be seen on every player’s face. Not only was it fun to win, but more important, it was fun being part of a system that has everyone contributing.

“It’s amazing how much more energy we have,” senior guard Mike Kinoshita said. “It’s so much fun. I want this to be the best experience of my high school career.”

For the run-and-gun strategy to work, Marina must get off a lot more shots than its opponents, helped by turnovers and offensive rebounds. If an opponent takes care of the ball and rebounds, the Vikings could be in trouble. But no lead appears safe and no deficit too large to overcome if the shooting stays hot.

“We could win by 25 or lose by 20,” Holmes said.

Kinoshita has made 103 three-pointers this season and is averaging 21.7 points. Lewis has made 105 three-pointers to go with his 22.0 scoring average. They are the primary three-point scoring threats, but everyone on the team shoots 100 three-pointers before practice every day.

Listening to Holmes, in his 13th season as coach, during a game, his two favorite commands are “Go!” and “Shoot it!”

It’s no wonder that junior varsity players can’t wait until they get a chance to play in a system where the coach wants you to have no second thoughts about throwing up a jumper from 25 feet.

“If someone is shooting a three and thinking they’re going to get pulled, that wouldn’t work,” Holmes said. “We have to trust them.”

What a concept. A coach has decided to relinquish control, give up micromanaging every possession and trust his players. No wonder they’re having the time of their lives.

“I’m going to look back on this forever,” Kinoshita said.

Added sophomore guard Garrett James: “You can go as hard as you can for a minute, and you have the other team going, ‘Oh my God,’ because fresh players are going in.”

Sometimes teenagers and their coaches forget how fun sports competition is supposed to be. They put too much pressure on themselves to win and don’t appreciate those special moments when the execution of a plan works.

At Marina, every game, win or lose, is producing an adrenaline rush, and the participants and their fans can’t wait to experience it again and again.

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at [email protected]