It’s no exaggeration to say Bol Kong shone this year as one of the brightest stars in the constellation of great NAIT athletes. The 22-year-old shooting guard for the men’s Ooks basketball team helped his squad finish the season with a record of 18-2, and ended up as its top point-scorer, averaging 17.46 per game and sinking more than 85 per cent of his free-throws.

In post-season action this March, the team defeated Mount Royal University and Lethbridge College in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Final Four, securing the Ooks’ second consecutive provincial championship. For tallying 46 points, 17 rebounds and 4 assists, the Telecommunications Engineering Technology student was named tournament MVP.

“Bol showed true championship experience and maturity over [that] weekend,” says head coach Don Phillips.

Nevertheless, says Kong, “You can always do better.”

Still, he’s come a long way over the past year. Arriving at NAIT after playing a stint at Spokane’s Gonzaga University, Kong got the increased court time he’d been wanting to help further develop his skills. And with the American varsity experience behind him, he also grew into a leadership role. “In past years I’ve never been a vocal person,” says Kong.

At the core of the support and guidance he offered his team was a simple but sensible message. “Let the game come to you,” says Kong. “Don’t take shots you’re not comfortable taking. You don’t need to be the hero on the team. Just take the shots that come to you.”

So when a free-throw comes your way, here are a few tips to help you find your rhythm as a foul-line shooting star. Check out the video above.