Go ahead and try to distract Jacob LeCroy when he starts his free throw routine.

Move around under the basket through all three of his dribbles.

Click off camera shots as the Sacred Heart third-grader spins the ball on his left hand, brings it over to this right and bends his knees.

Make silly faces and noises as he follows through, but bet on the basketball passing through the net. He makes 430 to 440 out of 500 daily foul shots.

All of that practice and concentration are why the 9-year-old leaves today for the Elks Club’s Southeast Regional free throw competition Saturday in Valdosta, Ga. If the Alabama champion beats champions from other southeastern states, then he’s off to Springfield, Mass., for the nationals.

A national championship would mean $25,000 in scholarship money and his name in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Maybe that’s why the smile rarely leaves LeCroy’s face during his daily practices for this weekend’s competition.

“Other parents have to make their kids practice,” said Shannon LeCroy, Jacob’s mother. “He begs to go.”

It’s all a means to a competitive end, and Jacob is one competitive kid. He’s a straight-A student who reads five books a week, and he comfortably overshoots his weekly quota for Advanced Reading points.

He saw his father, Lewis LeCroy, play golf and wanted to play. Those who have seen Jacob swing a club say he’s ahead of his age in that sport.

Jacob’s half-brother Hunter, 20, played high school basketball, and half-brother Chase just finished his junior season at Sacred Heart. Guess who took an interest in basketball.

Jacob has been Sacred Heart’s water boy for years. Staying within himself on the bench is the hardest part.

“He is more involved in the game that we’re playing than any of the guys on the bench,” Sacred Heart coach Pat Hughes said. “There was an area-tournament game when he left the bench to go to the scorer’s table because he thought there was a discrepancy in either the score or the time left.

“I had to go tell him to sit down.”

Jacob’s understanding of the game and shooting aim won him a place as a third-grader on a team of Sacred Heart fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders. He played point guard.

“He’s like a suction cup; he loves it so much that he would listen to everything I said,” said Daryl Hamby, the former Weaver varsity head coach who coached Jacob’s team.

Hamby also lauds Jacob’s, er, willingness to shoot.

“He reminds me of a good shooter’s mentality,” Hamby said. “He thinks he’s open when he walks in the gym.”

Jacob is never more open — or more confident — than at the foul line. His eyes never leave the basket, and the smile never leaves his face.

“It’s just really focus,” he said. “You’ve got to focus and look at the basket and shoot.”

And who taught him never to look away from the basket?

“Myself,” he said.

Jacob’s abilities are well-known at school, and Sacred Heart principal Charles Maniscalco handed him a flier about the about the Elks’ free throw competition.

Jacob took it from there. He won area competition at Wellborn High School, the Central Division title at Pelham High School and the state championship at Birmingham Southern College.

The state championship threw him a new wrinkle, making competitors shoot at the 11-foot line instead of the regulation foul line at 15 feet. He did just fine, hitting all 10 tries in his first turn.

Competitors shot 15 on their second turn, and Jacob hit 12. He hit a total of 22 out of 25 and won by two.

With so much at stake for the national champion, Jacob has focused on practicing his free throws at the expense of time on the golf course. He has shot 500-800 free throws for five-six days a week for nearly two months.

He practices in Parker Memorial Baptist Church’s gym. His sessions last from 90 minutes to two hours, with breaks along the way.

His dad uses a clicker to keep count of Jacob’s free throws, which come in segments of 25.

“Since he’s gotten serious, I won’t let him shoot no 3s (3-pointers),” Lewis said. “It kills him.

“He’s 9, and he’s learned he can make those 3s, but I don’t want him shooting them right now. He don’t need to. He’s got a chance to win this thing.”

Jacob hits 19 to 20 out of 25 on a bad round. More typically, he hits 22 or 23.

As for what it will take to win the nationals, Lewis said he heard from Elks members that former Faith Christian star Kaleb Owens hit 24 of 25 in Massachusetts — and lost.

But Lewis believes Jacob shoots well enough to win the regional. If Jacob makes it to Massachusetts, then anything can happen.

Lewis said Jacob hit 57 in a row during a recent practice.

“He’s a competitor, big time,” Lewis said. “He’s got more energy than I’ve got. That’s for sure.”

Joe Medley is The Star’s sports columnist. He can be reached at 235-3576 or jmedley@annistonstar.com.

Sacred Heart. Guess who took an interest in basketball.

Jacob has been Sacred Heart’s water boy for years. Staying within himself on the bench is the hardest part.

“He is more involved in the game that we’re playing than any of the guys on the bench,” Sacred Heart coach Pat Hughes said. “There was an area-tournament game when he left the bench to go to the scorer’s table because he thought there was a discrepancy in either the score or the time left.

“I had to go tell him to sit down.”

Jacob’s understanding of the game and shooting aim won him a place as a third-grader on a team of Sacred Heart fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders. He played point guard.

“He’s like a suction cup; he loves it so much that he would listen to everything I said,” said Daryl Hamby, the former Weaver varsity head coach who coached Jacob’s team.

Hamby also lauds Jacob’s, er, willingness to shoot.

“He reminds me of a good shooter’s mentality,” Hamby said. “He thinks he’s open when he walks in the gym.”

Jacob is never more open — or more confident — than at the foul line. His eyes never leave the basket, and the smile never leaves his face.

“It’s just really focus,” he said. “You’ve got to focus and look at the basket and shoot.”

And who taught him never to look away from the basket?

“Myself,” he said.

Jacob’s abilities are well-known at school, and Sacred Heart principal Charles Maniscalco handed him a flier about the about the Elks’ free throw competition.

Jacob took it from there. He won area competition at Wellborn High School, the Central Division title at Pelham High School and the state championship at Birmingham Southern College.

The state championship threw him a new wrinkle, making competitors shoot at the 11-foot line instead of the regulation foul line at 15 feet. He did just fine, hitting all 10 tries in his first turn.

Competitors shot 15 on their second turn, and Jacob hit 12. He hit a total of 22 out of 25 and won by two.

With so much at stake for the national champion, Jacob has focused on practicing his free throws at the expense of time on the golf course. He has shot 500-800 free throws for five-six days a week for nearly two months.

He practices in Parker Memorial Baptist Church’s gym. His sessions last from 90 minutes to two hours, with breaks along the way.

His dad uses a clicker to keep count of Jacob’s free throws, which come in segments of 25.

“Since he’s gotten serious, I won’t let him shoot no 3s (3-pointers),” Lewis said. “It kills him.

“He’s 9, and he’s learned he can make those 3s, but I don’t want him shooting them right now. He don’t need to. He’s got a chance to win this thing.”

Jacob hits 19 to 20 out of 25 on a bad round. More typically, he hits 22 or 23.

As for what it will take to win the nationals, Lewis said he heard from Elks members that former Faith Christian star Kaleb Owens hit 24 of 25 in Massachusetts — and lost.

But Lewis believes Jacob shoots well enough to win the regional. If Jacob makes it to Massachusetts, then anything can happen.

Lewis said Jacob hit 57 in a row during a recent practice.

“He’s a competitor, big time,” Lewis said. “He’s got more energy than I’ve got. That’s for sure.”

Joe Medley is The Star’s sports columnist. He can be reached at 235-3576 or jmedley@annistonstar.com.