Some skills fade as the competition gets tougher — size evens out, speed meets its match, athleticism stops being an advantage. Shooting isn’t one of those skills. It scales. The higher the level, the more it matters.
Matthew Ragsdale plays like he knows it. He’s one of the most willing shooters in the league — the kind of offensive option Caledonia could build around this season.
Knowing You’re a Shooter
A good jumper is part mechanics, part mindset. The mechanics are easy to spot — compact motion, consistent balance, no wasted movement. But the mindset is what separates the great from the good. The best shooters aren’t just efficient — they’re active. Ragsdale plays with that confidence, leading the league in three-point attempts per minute, and his accuracy holds up under volume.
*Only players who have taken more than ten three-point attempts this season are included.
Gravity in Action
Ragsdale doesn’t start, and he doesn’t play huge stretches, but when he checks in, the offence opens up. You can see it in how Caledonia play — and you can measure it in his impact data. Plus/minus measures the scoreboard margin while a player is in the game — showing the team’s performance with and without them on the floor.
| Player | Plus/minus Per Minute |
|---|---|
| Matthew Ragsdale | +0.08 |
| Daylen Williams | +0.07 |
| Kyle Jimenez | +0.06 |
| Totonitoluwa Fagbenle | -0.09 |
| Ria’n Holland | -0.18 |
| Ethan Wright | -0.23 |
| Charles Jet Speelman | -0.27 |
| Kevin Allen | -0.28 |
| Fraser Malcolm | -0.30 |
| Daniel Carr | -0.33 |
Ragsdale leads the team in plus/minus per minute this season. That captures what shooting gravity can do for a team. Every time he’s on the court, defenders are pulled a step wider, driving lanes open, and teammates get cleaner looks.
And that’s where the question begins to shift. If his presence keeps improving the line-up around him, how long before his shooting earns him a starting spot?
How Far Can One Skill Go?
Ragsdale spent last season in a similar position coming off the bench for Dresden Titans in Germany’s ProA, a league of roughly equivalent strength. He shot an impressive 42 per cent from deep there — a clear proof of concept for a professional career.
His mechanics look elite — compact and repeatable. Now in only his second professional season, he’s trying to avoid being typecast too soon as a bench shooter who changes games in short bursts.
How his role evolves with Caledonia will tell us something bigger — not just where he fits in this league, but whether one elite skill can carry him beyond it.
