In today’s sports world, numbers are king. They can affect what plays are called, what schemes are put in place and for a high school basketball team in Pine City, Minn. the numbers dictate every shot they take.

With the use of data in sports, coaches are able to see what will be most effective in games. They use this data to leverage their choices.

In basketball, recent trends and statistics suggest that some shots on the court may hold much greater value than others. Using this Moneyball-esque approach, Pine City High School (Minn.) is getting nearly all of their points from underneath the basket or behind the three point line.

In a story by the Wall Street Journal, Kyle Allen, the school's 29-year-old basketball head coach, noted his embrace of a “data-driven” approach to coaching. Allen utilized the help of a statistical analysis company called Krossover to take a deep look at the teams play.

This analysis allowed for Allen to identify the fact that lay-ups and 3-pointers were much more effective for scoring than, for example, a mid-range jump shot.  This is why Pine City gets over 90 percent of its points from either behind the arc or in the paint, and a mere 4.2 percent of its scoring from the mid-range area.

Utilizing numbers and data analysis can help coaches make essential decisions on their game plans across all sports, football included.

Most football coaches have grown dependent on Hudl for film analysis, but it also provides coaches with the opportunity to study tendencies and notice trends.

Reports on formation, down and distance, and hit charts are just some of the tools that coaches employ. These insights can help coaches can help lead to new approaches that depart from conventional wisdom.

The data drove Pulaski Academy (Ark.) head coach Kevin Kelley to develop his now-famous strategy of never punting.

Regardless of the sport, data is only becoming increasingly important to a team’s success. As games continue to evolve, it will be important for coaches to continue to study the numbers in order to create the game plans that put their teams in the optimal position to win.