Scoring Range

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Toby Madison didn’t want to be known as a prolific shooter. 

Instead, the Indiana native wanted to be known as a great scorer. 

But it wasn’t until he was in middle school that he needed to advance his skill set to achieve success on the court and fulfill his dream of playing in the NCAA tournament.

At that point, Madison turned his attention to developing and improving his midrange game, the scoring area between just inside the foul line and the 3-point line. 

Madison’s ability to advance his game at a point when he was starting to develop some athleticism proved to be the turning point in his career. Madison, who was Indiana’s scoring leader as a senior in high school, went on to play basketball for the University of South Alabama, where he competed in the NCAA tournament twice and spent two seasons playing overseas in China. 

Now, the Lakewood Ranch High JV boys basketball coach is looking to bring that same intensity and focus to local players through his Mid-Range Game instruction program. 

Mid-Range Game offers advanced offensive basketball instruction through private lessons and shooting camps and clinics. Instruction is broken down into five steps: scoring footwork, offensive stance, ball-handling, shooting touch and game workouts designed to develop mental toughness. 

“Every sport is different in what your body asks you to do,” says Madison, who founded Mid-Range Game last August. “In basketball, it’s coordination and being able to bounce the ball along with what your body is doing. It’s just different body movements.” 

During each session, Madison puts players in real game pressure scenarios, so they’ll know how to react when a situation arises during their school or travel ball games. 

Mid-Range Game is geared toward players entering fifth grade and moving up through high school. 

“Middle school is the perfect age because they are starting to develop some athleticism,” Madison says. “It’s the best time to teach them because their movements are (becoming) a little more fluid.” 

Madison held his most recent scoring camp July 24. More than 20 players hit the court for the three-hour camp, which focused on scoring off of the dribble. After receiving instruction through repetition, the players put their skills to the test in a 1 on 1 tournament. 

The scoring camp is part of a six-week Friday Night Hoops program, which incorporates teaching along with skill work followed by in-game experience. Madison plans to run the scoring camp series through August. 

Sessions range run from $25 for three-hour clinics and small group instruction to $40 for private individual instruction. 

In addition, Madison also plans to start an AAU basketball program in the Lakewood Ranch area. The team will be called Skills First and will play under Mid-Range Game. Madison is looking to start the program, which will feature teams ranging from fifth through eighth grades, in February, once the high school season is over. 

“This has given me an opportunity to come back to where I started,” Madison says. “It’s something that I’m passionate about. I love getting out and watching the kids work, succeed and win games.” 

For more information on Mid-Range Game visit mid-rangegame.com. 

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].