Algonquin Regional sophomore A.J. Brodeur stood in a nearly empty stairwell and thought about how his jump shot came to be. Moments earlier, on the other side of a set of double doors, the 6-foot-8 center had scored a game-high 20 points in his team’s 59-41 win over host Shrewsbury, not as the result of using his height in the post, but by way of a feathery jumper.

Almost every day in August, Brodeur went to McAfee Park in Northborough to work on his game, and his shooting stroke in particular. Sometimes he’d be there in the morning, sometimes he’d go around noon and stay until dark to hone the follow-through on his release. He knew that if he got the proper rotation on his shot, he might make half of his jumpers. Maybe even more.