Kelli Neville shows nerves of steel in claiming K of C state title

Like Luke Skywalker learning to become a Jedi Knight, shooting free throws is not just an automatic. It takes great patience, nerves of steel and the ability to allow your mechanics to take over. It also takes a whole lot of practice.Then, when the pressure is truly on and the shots really matter the most, all of those things must become one with the shooter, and a belief in oneself becomes paramount.Kelli Neville of Loudonville understands all of that.Recently, Kelli became the 2016 State of Ohio Knights of Columbus Free Throw Champion in the 11-year-old girls’ division, making her a repeat champion in this event. Kelli was also the 2015 state champion at 10 years old, so technique, steady nerves and a natural gift seem to have made her the envy of anyone who has fired up a “brick” at some unfortunate time.Kelli began playing organized basketball in second grade and found that she had developed a true passion for the game. According to her dad, Brian Neville, Kelli works at her game constantly, and not just the free throw shooting aspect.“She doesn’t just focus on free throws,” said Brian Neville. “That is just part of a normal daily workout for her. She works hard on every part of her game, and doesn’t want to just be a shooter. A lot of kids focus just on free throws for this competition. We just focus on basketball.”Kelli cruised through the Loudonville local competition and the Wooster district before capturing the Cleveland regional, which sent her back to the state competition.Last year Kelli got a huge challenge at state in the 10-year-old division, where she made 22-of-25 free throws to tie for the most charity tosses made. That competition went to five extra free throws, where her competitor made four, but Kelli nailed all five to claim the K of C state title.This year’s challenge at the 11-year-old level stayed true to the idea that the competition only gets tougher as the participants become much better.Facing a competitor from the Toledo area, this time around Kelli made 23-of-25 free throws, but again, it was only good enough to force a tie.With the five extra free throws in place to decide the victor, Kelli calmly sank four of her five attempts, and her opponent misfired on a pair, allowing Kelli to earn her second state championship.“The girl she faced in the finals was one of the best shooters I have ever seen,” said Brian Neville. That did not seem to faze Kelli, who stayed true to form and calm in the face of adversity.“Kelli doesn’t get intimidated by pressure situations,” Brian Neville said. “She loves the challenge and the competition. Nothing bothers her, she just focuses on the task at hand and lets her mechanics work for her.”Kelli is just coming off of a winter season in the Ashland Upward Competitive fifth- and sixth-grade league, where her team finished runner-up.For the K of C contest, the state level is as far as shooters can go. A national champion is awarded in each division by the cumulative statistics recorded around the nation with other state champions.But for this two-time state champion, competing in the state title will be enough, for now, as she continues to hone her skills, work on her complete game and is preparing to make her name known for more than just free throws.