Redick closes in on summer coach's record

Maybe it's just something in the water in Roanoke, Va. that produces college basketball's best long-range shooters.

J.J. Redick, a Roanoke native, needs just two three-pointers to become the NCAA's all-time leader in three-point field goals.

With 412 career trifectas, Redick sits just one behind Curtis Staples, who also hails from the Virginia city.

Although the two are separated in age by more than eight years, the sharpshooters did cross paths at a basketball summer camp when Staples was a freshman at Virginia. At the camp, Staples served as Redick's coach, and even then he could see the makings of a future star.

"It was one of those things where you had this kid that could really shoot, and all the other kids were far behind," Staples said. "I just remember telling everybody that the play was for J.J. every time down the floor."

Redick's game has developed and progressed a long way since those days. The senior has averaged 3.92 makes from beyond the arc each game this season, is shooting nearly 44 percent from long range and is averaging 28.7 points per game.

"I've observed J.J. in his game and his maturation process from his freshman to his senior year," Staples said. "He's worked really hard on his game and it's very evident as a result.

"I've always said the old saying that 'Records are meant to be broken,'" Staples said. "I'm glad to see that somebody like J.J. is breaking it. He's a very significant college basketball player. He's somebody that people will never forget."