Coaching Basketball Special Situations Checklist -

This Special Situations Checklist was put together by Delta High School (Ohio) Boys Coach Derek Sheridan.

I have a link posted at the bottom of the post to the entire pdf that he put together.

I hope you get some ideas that will help you be more prepared for the special situations that you face during games.

DELTA BOYS’ BASKETBALL SPECIAL SITUATION CHECKLIST

LATE GAME CHECKLIST: Assistant Coach

OUR TOP 3 FT SHOOTERS
1. ____________________
2. ____________________
3. ____________________

1. KNOW THE SCORE AND THE TIME LEFT ON THE CLOCK.

2. KNOW THE TIME OUT SITUATION FOR BOTH TEAMS.

3. TELL PLAYERS:

DO WE HAVE FOULS TO GIVE? HOW MANY?
ARE WE IN THE BONUS/DOUBLE BONUS?
ARE THEY IN THE BONUS/DOUBLE BONUS?

4. WE DO NOT CALL TIMEOUTS TO SAVE POSSESSION UNTIL THE LAST 2 MINUTES OF THE 4TH QUARTER, OR LAST 2 MIN. OF OVERTIME. BALL HANDLER CALLS TIMEOUT POSSESSION IS IN DOUBT.

5. NEVER SAVE THE BALL UNDER THEIR BASKET OR TIP A LOOSE BALL TOWARDS THEIR BASKET.

6. CANNOT GRAB AN O’ REBOUND (FT OR FG) = TIP TO HALF COURT. TOP PLAYER GETTING BACK ON D’ CAN GET IT.

7. STOP THEIR FASTBREAK AFTER MADE F.T. = HAVE A SUB READY AT THE SCORER’S TABLE.

8. IF WE NEED TO SET UP A PRESS AFTER THEY MAKE A FT = HAVE A SUB READY AT THE SCORER’S TABLE.

9. 5 PLAYERS RUN TO REFS; CALLING TIMEOUT AFTER WE SCORE TO STOP THE CLOCK.

10. COMEBACK OR CATCH-UP MODE:

Round time up to the next minute
Double the number of minutes & turn minutes into points
Add one point.
Add 1 point = 5 pts

For example:
1:22 left in game
Rounds-up to: 2:00 min.
Doubled = 4:00 & change to pts = 4pts

11. If we’re up in the last 2:00 of the game & we’re being pressed. Tell the official that we’ll call timeout at the 8 count.

12. Have in-bounder ask the ref to count his 5 count out-loud & tell him that we’ll call timeout on the 4 count.

13. Tell players to let the other team score if we’re up by more than 3 points, inside of 5 seconds.

Do not take the ball out if there are 4 seconds or less on the clock, especially if they’re out of timeouts.

14. Down 2, we are shooting 2 Free Throws with 3 or less seconds left: (No one w/ 4 fouls is in a rebounding spot)

- Scenario #1:

o We make both FTs to tie the game.
o Have a sub ready to go to table, AFTER THE OFFICIAL HAS GIVEN THE BALL TO OUR SHOOTER.
o Players get matched-up in “Prevent 40” & defend for remaining seconds.

- Scenario #2:

o We make the first & miss the second
o Players foul by going over-the-back on the rebound off the miss to save as much time as possible.

- Scenario #3:

o Misses the first & now we have to miss the second intentionally & run “Vannett-2”

15. Down 2 points, going the length of the court inbounds, 3- seconds on the clock, clock stopped with 1+ timeout(s).

Run “Royal” & throw to half court & call timeout. TELL OFFICIALS WHAT WE’RE DOING BEFOREHAND.
We’ll run “Denver-2” from the sideline out-of-bounds.

16. Down 2 points, going the length of the court inbounds, 3- seconds on the clock, clock stopped, NO TIMEOUTS.

Run “Royal-Back.”

17. Up 1-3 points, 30 seconds or less left. Inbounding full court:

Run “Dunbar” with two best FT shooters in the 1 & 2 positions.
If we have timeouts left – In-bounder & coaches tell ref’s that we’ll call TO on the count of 4.

18. Up 1-3 points inside of 5 seconds – full court inbounds: run “GO”