This article is from Bob Starkey.  Bob is the associate head coach for the LSU women’s program.  You can check out his blog at http://hoopthoughts.blogspot.com

We really like the use of restrictions to both emphasize and correct in terms of our offensive play.  Your team is not getting the ball inside enough: “No perimeter shots until we have two low post touches.”

Your team doesn’t look to set re-screens after setting back screens: “We can only score off of a back screen with a re-screen.”

Your team is not reversing the basketball: “Two ball reversals before a jump shot.”

Again, what you do with your restrictions is limited only to your imagination. We usually apply a restriction daily to our offense for at least one drill and it is usually derived either from something that we didn’t do well in our last practice or game, or it is something that we want to emphasize for our next opponent.

A great example of this is playing 3/3, 4/4, or 5/5 against a switching defense while using the restriction that you can only pass the ball to a screener. This is a great way to “adjust your player’s vision” against this type of defense. How many times do you see a team come out and pass the ball in the waiting hands of a defender who switched a screen and didn’t have to move?

We teach our team that against the switch, the screener has a better chance of being open than the cutter. Now it is easy to tell your team this – it is quite another to prepare them for it. If you are use to passing to cutters it is not necessarily all that natural to switch and pass to the screener. That’s why this drill is so effective and important.

Not only do you put the emphasis of the passer to look for the screener but also you now have put pressure on the screener to make a good second cut toget open for a pass.

The Coaching Toolbox has hundreds of resources for basketball coaching including basketball practice, basketball plays, basketball drills, basketball quotes, basketball workouts, basketball poems, and more!

By: Phil Beckner, Weber State University Assistant Coach

phillipbeckner@weber.edu

This is the third  part of three parts of this project.

Here is the link to Lessons 1-37 from this same article

Here is the link to Lessons 38-66 from this same article

Basketball:

67) It hard to make time to work on situations but always keep your last second plays the same and have them rehearsed regularly

68) Keep your ballscreen defense simple. Have a game plan, but be ready to adjust

69) When you plan to “hedge” ballscreens, bigs want to “hide” behind the screener and then jump out to hedge—teach “inside hand to screeners outside hip” This allows bigs to show chest and not be late on the hedge

70) Have a plan for FT blockouts.  Where you put each guy and which side you double with.

71) If you play man and zone during games and you’re not sure which is best, ask players how they want to guard- it keeps them aggressive, and it puts it on them! They buy in to guarding more!

72) Penetrate and kick is the best offense in college basketball

73) If you are a set play team and do not want to “dummy” every set during practice then emphasize                  A) Great pace and B) Great Screening

74)If your post players aren’t great at scoring at the block: “cut and fill” instead of “stand and space” keeps the help defenders occupied w/movement

75) Do not let players throw back on a 2on 1…most times it ends up as a charge!

76) Take 2 to 3 min to emphasize a core principal when warming up.  We closeout, and stay down on shot fakes before we shoot in post/perimeter EVERYDAY.

77) In scouting: players care more about opponents personnel than the actions the team is running.  They will remember other player’s tendencies because they want to be better than that player! Be detailed about this.

78) Practice “bluffing” or “stunting” (quick/fake help) every week in a variety of ways/situations.  Players will start to see more opportunities to do this during live action.

79) Some of the best UOB actions have multiple options once the ball is thrown in (double screen, single double, etc)

80) It’s important to drill defensive principles/defensive actions every day! “Practice what you emphasize”

81) 3 keys to be in every game: transition defense, rebounding, turnovers!

82) Work on transition defense everyday…our mindset is: “we run-they don’t”

83) “Simple plays are great plays”…you don’t need a homerun to be successful

84) Work on blockout situations: it is the end of the shot clock and bigs have had to help on penetration, who blocks out who? (Situations: scramble mode, switching screens, transition, etc.)

85) You have to DRILL “help the helper” all year long.  It has to become habit and instinct.  Drill it in a variety of ways.

86) Teach players every detail for your sets.  They need to know exactly what you want, when you want, and where you want! (screening, cuts, passes, operational area’s, timing)

87) Going for shot fakes will result in points or fouls almost 90% of the time.

88) “Shooting Passes” against a zone are a must.  Make sure players are throwing passes players can shoot off of, you can’t have a poor pass take a guy out of a shot.

89) Look for common “themes” in scouting opponents.  Use this for team prep.  Players understand it better, and will identify the “giveaways” ex: dribble lead to wing: screen under/screen down, a guard sitting at the block: stagger screen action, last 15 seconds of shot clock: random ballscreen

90) When guarding motion: tell players to engage in the entire action, not just guarding their man

91) Post players need to be “active defenders”.  Do more than one thing in a possession! ex: hedge ballscreen, recover to man, bluff help on penetration, discourage post entry pass, then box & rebound!

92) Rebounding-the more you chase the more you get.

93) Post Players can not just watch the shot go up while getting back in transition defense, teach them to box the players running into offensive glass-this is where we give up a lot of offensive rebounds!

94) Teach “ready for the next play” do not let players stand after passing, SPACE for the “next play”.  This is harder to guard, and gets players more shots.

95) Find common terminology for your entire staff and players to use.  Different terms/teaching points can result in confusion.

96) Have a counter play or 2^nd option for your best play

97) Make sure to have a “come from behind” plan.  Even if you are not a pressing/trapping team, you have to have something for the last 2 minutes if you are behind.

98) Individual workouts: It’s a great time to send the same message your head coach tries to send to specific players. Ex: driving the ball more vs. shooting more, shot selection for shooters, finishing w/the weak hand etc.

99) Practice and emphasize “game changing plays”.  Ex: Taking a charge, Offensive rebound kicked out for 3, chasing down a wide open lay-up, offensive rebound at the FT line.  FIND momentum changers!!!

100) Always look for a new “competitive” drill (keeping track of time or score) late in the season.  It helps keep practice fresh and players look forward to it.

Thanks for sharing Coach Beckner!

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Manager 1 on 1:

2 Managers/coaches (or chairs) stand 35 feet out from the baseline with one about 7 feet away from the sideline and the other  feet inside of that.

On coaches “Go”. the defensive player sprints to run around the chair/manager closest to the middle of the court while the offensive player runs dribbling the ball around the outside chair (closest to

the sideline).

Once around the chair, the offensive player attacks the rim and the two play 1 on 1.

Inside the Three 1 on 1:

Two players begin underneath the hoop. The defensive player begins with the ball and he dribbles to any spot inside the three point arc to place the ball down. Once the ball is placed down, the offense runs to pick it up and the two play 1 on 1 live.

You can control where you want this drill to happen if you make the defense put the bail only in the paint.

Turn and Run 1 on 1:

Drill starts like a zigzag bail handling defensive slide drill but the defense allows the offensive player to beat him off the dribble up the sideline. The defensive player works on his speed and recovery to get back in front and square up the offense. Once the defensive player gets in front of the offense, the ball handler throws the ball to a manager/coach at the top of the key. The defensive player jumps to the ball in Help side and  when the offensive player catches it again, the two play 1 on 1 live.

Baseball:

This is a 1 on 1 drill that uses two teams playing 1 on 1 vs members of the opposing team counting the score like a base ball game. Start from the top of the key with a member of team 1 guarding a member of team 2 – if the defense gets a stop. then that’s 1 Out. If the offense scores than they get 1 run and there are no outs. On the first foul, you re-check the ball.  On the second, the offense gets a point. When three outs are up. You switch offense defense. When each team has gone for 3 outs, then you have

just played one inning. You can do this drill from any spot on the court and can facilitate post players by allowing coaches to feed them w the post instead of playing 1 on 1 from the perimeter.

The Coaching Toolbox has hundreds of resources for basketball coaching including basketball practice, basketball plays, basketball drills, basketball quotes, basketball workouts, basketball poems, and more!

By: Phil Beckner, Weber State University Assistant Coach

phillipbeckner@weber.edu

This is the second  part of three parts of this project.

Here is the link to the Lessons 1-37 from this same article

Team:

38) Toughness is one of the most underrated characteristics of good teams!  You need speed, talent, athleticism, and skill but toughness gets you through the year

39) Winning plays show true toughness of your team, and really do WIN GAMES

40) Teams that win on the road have a “Tough, Together, and Aggressive Mindset”

41) Make sure your best players are your hardest workers, best leaders. The other players follow their example.

42) Your team leader doesn’t have to be the most energetic, or out spoken person, but he has to be the most competitive, and constantly leading by his example.  Ex: Jason Kidd

43) Your two best players have to be “Buy In” guys.  Get them to buy in and believe in what you and your program is all about…toughness, togetherness, sharing the basketball, competitiveness.  All the other players will follow if they do!

44) Your team can only play one game at a time and win one game at a time…especially at the end of the year when standings are close, or in the playoffs/tournaments, only goal is “Win your next game”

Players:

45) It’s more important to have your players mind right than their legs on back to back nights

46) Players like powerades/waters/granola bars/fruit…try to keep them healthy

47) Players want to be pushed, they will take having their butt chewed when you’re telling them how good they can become

48) Players are around each other all the time (practice, class, road trips, roommates) they have to like each other and respect each other

49) Players love hearing about the “next level”. Study, and research what the great players do and have info, articles, examples for them.  This helps get your point across.

50) Players look at the other team’s stats, standings, and schedules more than you think.  Keep them focused on their standings, their schedule, and their performance …“There is not enough time to worry about what you can’t control!”

Recruiting:

51) Do not trust anybody…everyone wants players!

52) Recruit high character kids…bad kids will be bad kids

53) Don’t take a player you can’t coach, or isn’t about what your team is about just because he is more talented than the next guy, you will hate coaching him all year

54) Have your assistants use “we” instead of “me” in recruiting

55) Know the recruiting rules…if you’re not sure about something you better ask!

56) Always have kids on the list to recruit in case you get caught in desperation mode when looking for a player.  This is when you take a guy that doesn’t fit or is a bad player because you were not prepared.

57) Don’t jump to conclusions on recruits, make sure you have the right evaluation, and take the time to do exactly that…EVALUATE!

58) If you recruit junior college players: be prepared to give them TIME to adjust to your level, learn your system, and gain confidence.  Don’t lose hope…be patient

Shooting:

59) Recruit shooters and shot makers…it’s hard to win w/guys that can’t shoot

60) It doesn’t matter what you run if you can’t shoot

61) You can never have enough shooters, teams are hard to guard when 4 out of 5 guys on the floor can shoot it

62) Shooters have to shoot! (Extra shots, extra reps) the great players shoot everyday

63) Extra freethrows will help player’s rhythm/stroke during the season and will save their legs. Great place to get eyes on the basket, and regain focus.

64) Have shooting games/competitions before and after practice to help motivate to get extra reps in (Celtic 50, around the world, 7-Up, etc)

65) During shooting workouts w/players emphasize WHERE they should be shooting from. Game shots, from game spots, at game speed…especially shots they get in your offense.

66) NEVER over coach shooting!  Keep it simple! Kevin Eastman only coaches “perfect feet, perfect follow through”.  Find out what’s most important for your shooters and leave it at 1 or 2 things.

The Coaching Toolbox has hundreds of resources for basketball coaching including basketball practice, basketball plays, basketball drills, basketball quotes, basketball workouts, basketball poems, and more!

phillipbeckner@weber.edu

This is the first part of three parts of this project.  I will be posting points 38-100 over the next few weeks.

Coaching:

1) NEVER-EVER forget who has been a positive influence on you, and helped you get to where you are today…continue to thank them, and then DO THE SAME FOR SOMEONE ELSE!

2) BE DETAILED!…with everything!

3) “Don’t coach for the name on your business card”-Larry Shyatt, coach for your team, players, and head coach

4) Great question to ask yourself everyday “What does my team need right now?”-Herb Sendek

5) Have an Edge, even when you win a few in a row

6) Treat wins like losses and losses like wins

7) It’s hard to be a young assistant, you have to earn players respect, be careful about putting yourself on their level

8. Keep practices short 2nd semester, make them want more, keep them hungry

9) One bad apple can spoil the bunch, chemistry is vital

10) It’s not a good feeling to have a quiet team, need energy and enthusiasm

11) “Never lose a chemistry guy” –Doc Rivers

12) Care about the players that aren’t playing a lot, it’s hard for them to stay motivated late in the year

13) Be careful what you tell your head coach-“don’t make somethin out of nothing”

14) Keep your players together, they can be mad at the staff, but they have to stay together

15) Tell players something positive or good job more than u already do

16) “If you wanna win the race, you gotta feed the horses”…feed them well and get them what they want on the road

17) Sometimes it is best to “flush” a game after a bad night and start new the next day, you can’t make a habit of it though, maybe 1 a year

18) Rebounding wins games, always have one assistant watching/coaching rebounding.

19) If you stat it, chart it, or emphasize it, it will be important to your team (deflections, charges, turnovers)

20) Keep scouting reports specific and simple, players don’t remember half of it anyway

21) Make time to exercise, it keeps you sane

22) There are plenty of great coaches out there willing to help you if you just ask

23) Most people want to coach college because they want to do the big things (be on TV, recruit on the road, have input on game day) but the ones who are willing to do the little things(sweep the floor, check classes, open the gym late) are the ones who keep a job and move up

24) “Entitlement vs. Investment”-Kevin Eastman…be ready when you get the call! Prepare for your next position, you have to be ready to produce

25) “Let mad go” -Chuck Daly… it doesn’t bother the players as much as you

26) It is vital that you double check everything (especially for travel and video)

27) Good assistants take care of the minor stuff so the Head Coach does not have to worry about it (players on time, ankle braces, gear etc.) Allow him to worry about coaching the team and that’s it!

28) Find at least 20min a day to spend on yourself: personal development, phone calls to friends/family, networking, favorite reading websites

29) Don’t trust players when you ask them about academics, you will never get the whole truth

30) “Thoroughly study the game!”-Kevin Eastman…you will earn players respect by knowing the game and knowing your system, worst feeling in practice is when a player asks you something and you have to reply- “I don’t know”

31) Assistants do a better job when they are involved more, give them specific responsibilities.

32) Let assistants or strength coaches take care of “in-season” weight training.  Coaches need to be away from the players, and players need to be away from the coaches.

33) It’s better to make friends than enemies, everyone remembers the guys who screw them over, the guys who don’t return a call, or the guys who won’t help out…TRY TO HELP EVERYONE!

34) If you have extra game tickets to give away…GIVE THEM AWAY!  People love college athletics and players love fans at their games.

35) Find time to read during the season.  It’s a great way to find messages/stories/examples to give to your team…it keeps you thinking!

36) Appreciate your job and the opportunity you have.  Your head coach probably gets over 100 emails a year asking for an opportunity to be on his staff.  You are lucky to be called “coach”

37) “If you really like something another coach/team does—Steal It!…but give credit”-Tom Izzo  “If you  steal something, make sure you can TEACH it”-Hubie Brown

The Coaching Toolbox has hundreds of resources for basketball coaching including basketball practice, basketball plays, basketball drills, basketball quotes, basketball workouts, basketball poems, and more!

War Drill (8 minute drill)

(1 basketball. 6. 8 or 10 players. Full Court)

Defense is in the paint and matches up. On the shot by the coach. their goal is to go meet the offense outside of the paint and keep them out of it.

The offensive players are set up behind the three point line and except for the point guard, (who gets back on defense), are going hard to the rim.  The defender on the point guard should look to help on boxing someone else out.

This is a highly competitive drill with a winner and loser. If the offense gets the rebound they get a point and can try to score a 2 or 3 pointer.  If they score we set the drill back up. If the defense gets the rebound or forces a turnover, there is no point scored but they push the basketball down court (transition offense) and try to score on the other end. On a score or turnover by them, play stops and we set the drill back up.

The ball will only go from one end to the other end one time and then the drill would be reset. If we don’t reset the drill it becomes a transition drill and not a contact drill.

There are no points on a made shot by the coach but it is still played like a rebound.

Knicks Drill

(1 or 2 basketballs. 6 or more players)

On the shot by the number 3 (could be a coach),  Xl and X4 come out and box out (they start with one foot on the baseline). Offensive players 1 and 5 are going hard to the rim. Numbers 2 and 4 are there for the outlet pass. If the defense gets the rebound they are going to pivot to the outside and outlet the ball. If it’s a made shot. they run out of bounds to outlet the basketball. The offense players try to stop the outlet pass. You could have one player deny the inbounder and the other denying the player receiving the pass.

If the offense gets the rebound they go 2 on 2 and try to score or the drill can be reset (coach’s option).

Offensive players switch between being offense or outlet players. The defense remains defense until you switch them out.

Try to match up the lines with perimeter players in one line and post players in the other.

This could be a competition drill with sprints for the losers. A defensive rebound is one point. a successful outlet pass is one point, an offensive rebound is two points and a made basket is one point.

The Defenders can cross and block out opposite line to vary the drill.
Get to the Basket Drill

(1 basketball, 3 or more players)

Place two defenders side by side facing the offense (if you have football pads, use them).  On the shot, the offense has to bust through to the basket.  This teaches them to never surrender going to the basket and being aggressive.

Only drill this from the wings.  If we have an offensive player at the top, we would normally want him to get back on defense.

Without the pads, the defense gives a little pressure, just enough to make them push through.

Click here to open a pdf version of the February Arizona Newsletter

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http://www.goxavier.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/xavi-m-baskbl.html

Like everything else I post, I hope you can adapt a version of this to fit your defensive system.  We don’t trap the post from the post feeder, but rather from another helper.  We then position the post feeder’s defender to take the pass out of the post if it is made to the ball side.  But, that would be an easy change to make in this drill.

Here is Xavier’s Drill:

Three offensive players are positioned on the floor.  Two on their respective wings free throw line extended and one above the top of the key.  One defender is positioned under the basket facing half court.

A coach passes the ball to the offensive player on the right wing.  As this happens, two
managers step onto the court with one on each block.

As the offensive player catches the initial pass, the defender closes out and establishes ball pressure.

The offensive player then passes the ball to the right block to the manager. The defender “covers down” on the post.

The right block manager then passes the ball to the top of the key. The defender goes from a “cover down” on the right post area to a closeout at the top of the key.

The ball is now passed to the manager on the left block. The defender again covers down on the manager who has the ball on the left block.

Finally, the ball is passed to the left wing out of the post. Again, the defender closes out to the ball, this time on the left wing. On this catch it is a live one on one drill with everybody out of the way except the offensive and defensive players who are playing one on one from the left wing.

The Coaching Toolbox has hundreds of resources for basketball coaching including basketball practice, basketball plays, basketball drills, basketball quotes, basketball workouts, basketball poems, and more!

1. THE DOUBLE WIN: Winning Coaches employ the DOUBLE WIN PHILOSOPHY which states that: Winning on the bottom line (wins and losses, profits, etc.) comes only as a direct result of winning on the top line (Investing in the academic, personal, and athletic development of the total athlete).
2. CONTRIBUTION: Winning Coaches develop systems that support a basic human need: the need to make a positive contribution.  The greatest, but most difficult contribution, is allowing others to contribute to us.  Winning Coaches remain open toward allowing others to contribute to them.
3. THE POSITIVE LEARNING CYCLE: Winning Coaches use a method of teaching in which there is no such thing as failure.  The only source of competition for the athlete is with themselves in striving to reach their own greatest potential.  Winning Coaches create an environment where setbacks and breakdowns are regarded as opportunities for learning, rather than failures.
4. THE STEPPING STONE METHOD: Winning Coaches employ the STEPPING STONE METHOD of steady improvement.  This method involves building one small success after another, reaching towards the final or highest goal.  The strategy of the coach is to progressively teach only those skills that are needed to empower the athlete to climb to the next level.
5. RESPONSIBLE FREEDOM: Winning Coaches develop an environment of responsible freedom where mutual trust, relatedness, and open communication are encouraged and acknowledged.  Within the limits and guidelines of responsible behavior, an environment of safety is developed that encourages openness and honesty between the coach and players.
6. A BALANCE OF EXTREMES: Winning Coaches have learned to be both highly directive and highly supportive in their relationships with their players.  They develop a supportive environment for constructive risk-taking and growth, and yet instill a demand for perfection that is unyielding.
7. INTEGRITY: Winning Coaches act as models and not critics.  They foster a mutual commitment to Integrity through (1) actions and behaviors that are in alignment with personal values, (2), upholding all promises and agreements, and (3) through demonstrating their loyalty and commitment to their players.   Through their personal integrity and commitment to their players, Winning Coaches earn the highest sense of integrity, commitment and loyalty in return.
8. OPENNESS: Winning Coaches fight to remain open.  They resist the most common human tendency; THE NEED TO BE RIGHT, which inadvertently makes others wrong.  Winning coaches take the path not taken; which is to remain open to innovation and new learning, as well as permitting themselves to be supported and directed by others.
9. SYNERGISTIC SYSTEMS.  Winning Coaches develop and perpetuate an environment in which the system is greater than the sum of all the parts.  The system creates a continuous s self-renewing chain of success.
10. STRUCTURE FOR FULFILLMENT: Winning Coaches create a structure for fulfillment that is based upon abundance as opposed to scarcity.  This structure becomes a roadmap through which players are empowered to progress toward both their own personal goals, and to actualize the larger vision that is communicated by their coach.

The Coaching Toolbox has hundreds of resources for basketball coaching including basketball practice, basketball plays, basketball drills, basketball quotes, basketball workouts, basketball poems, and more!

This article was written by Coach Randy Brown.

www.coachrb.com

www.winningplays.net

Are you a GOOD SHOOTER?

1.  Good Shooters spend time each day on proper shooting technique. Good Shooters use a chair to “form shoot” for 10 minutes before taking their first shot at the basket.

Poor Shooters spend time on their shooting technique when they “have time.”  Poor Shooters grab a ball and go to the three point line to begin launching shots.

2.  Good Shooters work on moving without the ball and “prepare” to shoot the ball before ever catching it.

Poor Shooters wait for their turn to shoot then think about getting a shot off.

3.  Good Shooters start close to the basket and make 5 straight before moving back.

Poor shooters shoot from all areas of the floor “hoping to make it.”

4. Good Shooters study other good shooters and follow their habits.

Poor Shooters shoot the ball the same way without any help from others.

5.  Good Shooters study the path of the ball and where the ball hits the rim. They make adjustments based on where the ball hits the rim; long or short? right or left?

Poor Shooters judge their shooting accuracy solely on whether the ball goes in or not.

6. Good Shooters square up to the basket before shooting, called “Ten Toes.”

Poor Shooters are not concerned with alignment they just want to quickly get their shot off.

7. Good Shooters shoot from an athletic position known as Triple Threat position. One quick movement from triple threat produces a solid shot.

Poor Shooters catch the ball in an upright position then take time to bend their knees before shooting. Poor shooters do not play in triple threat.

8. Good Shooters use their whole body to shoot the shot. They know that their LEGS make shots with good form.

Poor shooters shoot the ball with their upper body only and throw the ball at the basket instead of shooting it.

9. Good Shooters follow through consistently by “throwing their hand into the basket.”

Poor Shooters are inconsistent in their follow through resulting in inconsistent results.

10. Good Shooters understand the importance of BALANCE before, during and after the shot! The feet are alway sunder their head.

Poor Shooters shoot off balance from all different kinds of angles. Their feet are rarely under their head.

How many of these describe YOU as a shooter?

Your goal is to accomplish all 10 of the “Good Shooter” characteristics as you grow and develop as a basketball player.

What is your score out of 10 and how badly do you want to be a Good Shooter?

The Coaching Toolbox has hundreds of resources for basketball coaching including basketball practice, basketball plays, basketball drills, basketball quotes, basketball workouts, basketball poems, and more!

Here is the link to the John Wooden video interview and other quotes from Coach Wooden on the Coaching Toolbox:  John Wooden

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