What is the Hoop Genie Performance Score?
The Hoop Genie Total Performance Score (HG-TPS or "HG Score") is a comprehensive metric that measures a player's overall contribution to a game. Unlike traditional stats that focus on individual categories like points or rebounds, the performance score recognizes complete performances that include defense, passing, rebounding, and scoring.
Why We Created It
Traditional basketball stats can overlook important contributions:
- A player who scores 8 points but grabs 12 rebounds, dishes 4 assists, and plays lockdown defense (3 steals, 2 blocks) made a huge impact - but might not get recognized if we only look at points
- Role players who do the "little things" often go unnoticed
- It's hard to compare a 20-point scorer with a defensive specialist who had 8 steals
The Hoop Genie Performance Score solves this by giving credit for every positive contribution while accounting for mistakes like turnovers and missed shots.
Key Benefits
- Recognizes role players who contribute in multiple ways
- Rewards defensive excellence (blocks are heavily valued)
- Encourages team play (assists are valued)
- Rewards milestone performances with bonus points for hitting thresholds
- Provides a single number to compare overall performance across games
- Easy to understand with interpretation bands (Elite, Strong, Average, Limited)
How is it Calculated?
The HG-TPS uses a two-part scoring system: base scoring for individual events, plus milestone bonuses for hitting performance thresholds.
Base Scoring Weights
Every statistical event earns or costs points:
| Statistic | Points | Why This Weight? |
|---|---|---|
| Points Scored | +1.0 per point | Base scoring value |
| Field Goals Made | +1.0 per make | Rewards efficient shooting |
| 3-Pointers Made | +0.7 bonus per 3PM | Extra value for long-range shooting |
| Assists | +0.8 per assist | Creating scoring for teammates |
| Offensive Rebounds | +0.8 per ORB | High-value possession extensions |
| Defensive Rebounds | +0.6 per DREB | Ending opponent possessions |
| Steals | +0.9 per steal | High-value defensive plays |
| Blocks | +1.3 per block | Rim protection is rare and valuable |
| Missed Field Goals | -0.8 per miss | Penalty for inefficient shooting |
| Turnovers | -1.3 per turnover | Penalty for giving up possessions |
| Fouled Out | -5.0 penalty | Significant impact on team availability |
Why These Weights?
- Blocks (1.3 points): Rim protection is extremely valuable and rare in high school girls basketball. A player who can protect the basket changes the entire defensive dynamic.
- Steals (0.9 points): Create fast-break opportunities and extra possessions.
- Offensive Rebounds (0.8 points): Grant the team second-chance points and are harder to get than defensive rebounds.
- Turnovers (-1.3): Heavily penalized because high school games have fewer possessions, so each turnover has greater impact.
- Missed Field Goals (-0.8): Small penalty to encourage efficient shooting without over-punishing aggressive players.
Milestone Bonuses (The Fun Part!)
When players hit certain thresholds, they earn bonus points. These bonuses stack within categories - a 30-point game earns bonuses for 10+, 15+, 20+, 25+, AND 30+ points!
Scoring Milestones
| Threshold | Bonus | Cumulative (at threshold) |
|---|---|---|
| 10+ Points | +1 | +1 |
| 15+ Points | +2 | +3 (includes 10+) |
| 20+ Points | +4 | +7 |
| 25+ Points | +7 | +14 |
| 30+ Points | +10 | +24 |
Rebounding Milestones
| Threshold | Bonus | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| 5+ Rebounds | +1 | +1 |
| 10+ Rebounds | +3 | +4 |
| 15+ Rebounds | +6 | +10 |
| 20+ Rebounds | +9 | +19 |
Assist Milestones
| Threshold | Bonus | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| 7+ Assists | +3 | +3 |
| 10+ Assists | +6 | +9 |
Defensive Milestones
| Threshold | Bonus | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| 3+ Steals | +2 | +2 |
| 5+ Steals | +4 | +6 |
| 3+ Blocks | +3 | +3 |
| 5+ Blocks | +6 | +9 |
Three-Pointer Milestone
| Threshold | Bonus |
|---|---|
| 3+ Threes | +3 |
Multi-Category Achievements
Special bonuses reward complete performances:
| Achievement | Requirement | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Double-Double | 10+ in two of: PTS, REB, AST, STL, BLK | +5 |
| Triple-Double | 10+ in three of the above | +12 |
| Five-by-Five | 5+ in ALL of: PTS, REB, AST, STL, BLK | +20 |
Note: Triple-double replaces double-double bonus (they don't stack with each other).
Calculation Example
Let's calculate the HG-TPS for a real game:
Player Stats:
- 24 points (9-18 FG, 3-6 3PT)
- 6 rebounds (2 ORB, 4 DREB)
- 3 assists
- 1 steal
- 1 block
- 4 turnovers
Base Score:
Points: 24 x 1.0 = 24.0
Field Goals: 9 x 1.0 = 9.0
3PT Bonus: 3 x 0.7 = 2.1
Assists: 3 x 0.8 = 2.4
Off. Rebounds: 2 x 0.8 = 1.6
Def. Rebounds: 4 x 0.6 = 2.4
Steals: 1 x 0.9 = 0.9
Blocks: 1 x 1.3 = 1.3
Missed FGs: 9 x -0.8 = -7.2
Turnovers: 4 x -1.3 = -5.2
---------------------------------
Base Score: 31.3
Milestone Bonuses:
10+ Points: +1
15+ Points: +2
20+ Points: +4
5+ Rebounds: +1
3+ Threes: +3
---------------------------------
Milestone Bonuses: +11
Total HG-TPS: 31.3 + 11 = 42.3 (Elite!)
Another Example: The Defensive Star
Player Stats:
- 10 points (4-8 FG)
- 14 rebounds (4 ORB, 10 DREB)
- 5 blocks
- 2 assists
- 1 steal
- 2 turnovers
Calculation:
Base Score:
Points: 10 x 1.0 = 10.0
Field Goals: 4 x 1.0 = 4.0
Assists: 2 x 0.8 = 1.6
Off. Rebounds: 4 x 0.8 = 3.2
Def. Rebounds: 10 x 0.6 = 6.0
Steals: 1 x 0.9 = 0.9
Blocks: 5 x 1.3 = 6.5
Missed FGs: 4 x -0.8 = -3.2
Turnovers: 2 x -1.3 = -2.6
---------------------------------
Base Score: 26.4
Milestone Bonuses:
10+ Points: +1
5+ Rebounds: +1
10+ Rebounds: +3
3+ Blocks: +3
5+ Blocks: +6
Double-Double: +5 (10 PTS + 14 REB)
---------------------------------
Bonuses: +19
Total HG-TPS: 26.4 + 19 = 45.4 (Elite!)
This defensive anchor scored only 10 points but achieved an Elite HG-TPS score!
Understanding the Interpretation Bands
Performance scores are categorized into bands to make them easy to understand:
| Band | Score Range | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Elite | 35+ | MVP-level performance |
| Strong | 25-34 | Very good, impactful game |
| Average | 15-24 | Solid, contributing performance |
| Limited | Below 15 | Minimal statistical impact |
What's a Good Performance Score?
Context matters, but here are general guidelines:
- 35+: Elite game - player dominated multiple facets of the game
- 25-34: Strong game - made significant positive contributions
- 15-24: Average game - solid role player performance
- Below 15: Limited impact - off night or limited minutes
Remember: A player with limited minutes will naturally have a lower score. Compare players with similar playing time for the fairest assessment.
Achievement Badges
HG-TPS achievements are displayed as badges on player cards and box scores. Look for these throughout the site:
Multi-Category (Most Impressive)
- Triple-Double - 10+ in three categories
- Five-by-Five - 5+ in all five categories
- Double-Double - 10+ in two categories
Scoring
- 30+ PTS, 25+ PTS, 20+ PTS, 15+ PTS, 10+ PTS
Rebounding
- 20+ REB, 15+ REB, 10+ REB, 5+ REB
Playmaking
- 10+ AST, 7+ AST
Defensive
- 5+ STL, 3+ STL, 5+ BLK, 3+ BLK
Shooting
- 3+ 3PM
Achievements within the same category stack - hitting 20+ points also earns the 15+ and 10+ badges!
Where to Find Performance Scores
Box Score Tables
After each game, the box score table includes an "HG Score" column showing each player's performance score:
- Located in the player stats table
- Displayed with one decimal place (e.g., "42.3")
- Sortable - click the header to see top performers
- Achievement badges displayed next to notable performances
Player Pages
Individual player pages show:
- Season average performance score
- Performance score trends over time
- Home vs Away splits - average score at home vs on the road
- Conference vs Non-Conference splits
- Game log with performance score for each game
- Notable Performances section highlighting best games
Notable Performances
Browse all standout performances at /notable-performances:
- Filter by achievement type (Double-Double, 20+ Points, etc.)
- Sort by HG Score, most recent, or number of achievements
- See who's having the best games across the conference
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do some players or games not have a performance score?
A: Performance scores require complete box score data including points, field goal attempts, rebounds (offensive and defensive), assists, steals, blocks, and turnovers. Games without complete data will show "--" instead of a score.
Q: Are steals and blocks worth the same?
A: No! Blocks are worth more (1.3) than steals (0.9). Rim protection is rarer and has greater impact on opponent shooting, so it's valued higher.
Q: How does fouling out affect the score?
A: Fouling out applies a -5 penalty to the score. It's also displayed as a badge so you can see which players had foul trouble.
Q: Why are missed shots penalized?
A: Each missed field goal costs 0.8 points. This encourages efficient shooting - a player who shoots 5-10 (50%) is rewarded more than one who shoots 5-20 (25%) for the same number of makes.
Q: Do bonuses stack?
A: Yes! Milestone bonuses within the same category stack. A 30-point game earns bonuses for 10+, 15+, 20+, 25+, AND 30+ (total +24 in scoring bonuses alone!).
However, double-double and triple-double do NOT stack - only the highest applies.
Q: How often are performance scores updated?
A: Scores are calculated immediately when box scores are imported. This typically happens within a few hours after games end.
Summary
The Hoop Genie Total Performance Score provides a single number that captures a player's complete contribution to a game. By rewarding:
- All-around play with milestone bonuses
- Defensive excellence (especially blocks)
- Efficient scoring
- Multi-category achievements
...we ensure that every type of player gets recognized for their impact, not just the high scorers.
Look for the "HG Score" column in box scores, player pages, and leaderboards throughout the site!
Want to dive deeper into basketball analytics? Check out our other help articles:
- Understanding Statistics - Learn about all the stats we track
- Understanding the Pace Metric - How game tempo affects performance
- Following Teams & Players - Get notified about great performances