MIES (Switzerland) - In the build up for the Final 8 in Nizhny Novgorod, our own writers have taken a step back and gave the keyboard over to the players. The first one in line: Casademont Zaragoza's Dylan Ennis.

30ft layup (noun)

thir·​ty foot lay·​up | \ ˈthər-tē ˈfu̇t ˈlā-ˌəp\

Definition of 30ft layup

1 - a shot from 30ft (9.15m) away from the rim

2 - the most comfortable shot on the court that Dylan Ennis can shoot. When I shoot from 30ft, the defense doesn't expect me to shoot it, so there is no contest from the defender. When I'm in rhythm and I just hit a three, you best believe that 30ft layup is coming next.

I always knew I had range. I knew it when I was 10 years old. I was always shorter than everyone so I had to be able to shoot where the defender couldn't contest it, and in college I used to shoot a few 30ft layups... but they only came when I hit two in a row. When I turned professional, they started to come more consistently. In the NBA Summer League, I once hit eight threes in a game and from there I think the confidence to shoot them more just stuck with me.

Last year was the first year I really felt like I could shoot them whenever I wanted. Even if it was my first shot of the game! Coach Porfi - that's Porfirio Fisac, who is now at Gran Canaria - gave me the ultimate confidence to just play my game. He knew I could hit them, so no matter how many I took, he would tell me to just "keep being me." He was the one who created the "Dylan Ennis 30ft layup."

The one against Nizhny Novgorod this year in the Basketball Champions League at home? That was one for the books. After getting the offensive rebound with only seconds left, and the shot clock off, I knew there was nobody on that court or even on the planet that was taking that shot besides me.

With the ball, and it's a tie game, that's a no pressure shot in my eyes. It's a win-win. You miss, you go into overtime to win. You make the shot, you win the game!

When I was dribbling the ball at the top of the key, I asked for a screen from my big man because I knew they would switch it. However, I know when bigs switch onto guards, they back up to guard the drive - especially against me. Once I saw him take a step back to prepare for the drive, it was time to put up the 30ft layup.

I knew if I drove the lane would be all clogged. I also practice that shot everyday so it wasn't a shot that was foreign to me. I practice tough shots every day, you just never know when you will need them!

 

Man, Josh Bett was amazing on the commentary! "Uno, dos, tres puntos, por favor..." It made the shot even more memorable! When my friends and family watched the replay back home on my social media accounts, they all made a comment about the commentary; they loved it!

Oh, and as for the infamous wave after the shot... Even though I got a lot of respect for my boy Keith Langford, who did it a week earlier when he won the game for AEK, the wave definitely came from my Dame Dolla subconscious. Damian Lillard is the player in the NBA that I really try to take little parts of his game and put it into mine. Even something like a walk off wave haha!

I don't think it was disrespectful. People know the type of player I am. That was just a part of the game, heat of the battle type of thing. People know it's not my character to ever be disrespectful.

However, if I was on the other end of that wave? I would definitely take it as a mental note and say to myself: "He's going to regret that s*** next time I play him!" In the most competitive, non confrontational way, of course.

I love when passion and fire are assets to make the game more fun to play and fun to watch. So now that we play Nizhny Novgorod in the Quarter-Finals, in front of their fans, after beating them twice, I expect it to be a wild dog fight, where we feel like the underdogs coming in. I wouldn't want it any other way. Pressure makes diamonds!

And if the situation calls for it at the Final 8, if we get history repeating itself, and if it's the right play to make, to win the game...

You best believe it.

You will see another 30ft layup.

Dylan Ennis