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9 Youth Basketball Coaching Tips

Posted on November 9, 2010 at 1:08 PM

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* Pressure is only a factor when you are underprepared.

* You're only as good as your best players (best listener, hardest

worker, etc.).

* To reduce turnovers, teach passing skills and make the easy pass.

* Teach players that, if all their teammates are overplayed, PENETRATE,

then someone will be open.

* Entry passes to your offense must receive DAILY work.

* Make every effort to eliminate one-hand passes in your offense.

Players see Jason Kidd do it and they think they can. But they have not

put the hours and hours of preparation that Jason has.

* Teach your players to be aware of "baseline drive dangers."

* You probably know your best shooters, but make sure you know who

your best ball-handlers are also.

* "Offensive free-throw fundamentals are one of the worst taught funda-

mentals in the game. Teach it in practice daily"

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Attitude is Everything in Basketball

Posted on September 27, 2010 at 12:47 PM

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What makes one person a winner and other people losers? How they think! Your self image determines your ability and your success. You will be ready mentally if you are thinking success. For instance:

A WINNER is always ready to tackle something new... a loser is prone to believe it can't be done.

A WINNER isn't afraid of competition... losers excuses themselves with the idea that the competition can beat them.

A WINNER makes a mistake and says, "I was wrong"... a loser makes a mistake and says, "It wasn't my fault," and blames someone else.

A WINNER is challenged by a problem and goes through it.. a loser does not want to face it, tries to go around it, but never gets by it.

A WINNER realizes there is no time like the present to get a job done... a loser is prone to procrastinate with the hope that things will get better tomorrow.

A WINNER thinks positively, acts positively, and lives positively... a loser usually has a negative attitude and a negative approach to everything.

A WINNER says "Let's find out..." a loser says, "Nobody knows."

A WINNER makes commitments... a loser makes empty promises.

A WINNER says, "I'm good, but not as good as I should be..."· a loser says, "I'm not as bad as a lot of other people."

A WINNER learns from those who are superior... a loser tries to tear down those who are superior.

A WINNER credits his "good luck" for winning-even though It isn't good luck; a loser blames

"bad luck" for losing-even though it isn't bad luck.

A WINNER knows how and when to say "Yes" and "No"; a loser says, "Yes, but' and "Perhaps

not" at the wrong times, for the wrong reasons.

A WINNER Isn't nearly as afraid of losing as a loser is secretly afraid of winning.

A WINNER works harder than a loser, and has more time; a loser Is always "Too busy" to do what is necessary.

A WINNER shows he's sorry by making up for it, a loser says, "I'm sorry," but does the some thing the next time.

A WINNER knows what to fight for, and what to compromise on; a loser compromises on what he shouldn't and fights for what isn't worthwhile fighting about.

A WINNER listens a loser just waits until it's his turn to talk.

A WINNER, would rather be admired then liked, although he would prefer both; a loser would

rather be liked than admired, and Is even willing to pay the price of mild comtompt for It.

A WINNER feels strong enough to be gentle; a loser Is never gentle-he Is either weak or petty tyrannous by turns.

A WINNER feels responsible for more than his Job: a loser says, "I only work here."

A WINNER says, "There ought to be a better way to do It," a loser says, "That's the way It's always been done here."

A WINNER paces himself; a loser has only two speeds: hysterical & lethargic.

A WINNER works hard to achieve his goals, a loser just gets by.

SO IF YOU, WANT TO BE A WINNER, THINK LIKE A WINNER... ACT LIKE A WINNER... AND SOONER THAN YOU THINK, YOU'LL BE A WINNER TOO!

Becoming A Well Rounded Basketball Player

Posted on September 27, 2010 at 12:21 PM

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Being a well-rounded player is one of the ways you'll set yourself apart from your teammates and your competition. Sounds simple right? But how many players really think through, and then go out and do, what it takes to become a true, well-rounded player?

Not as many as you might think. You're reading this newsletter and so you're part of an elite, motivated group of players (or coaches) looking to improve their game or help their players improve their game. But you'd be amazed at how many players out there don't think through their game, don't think about the areas they need to work on, and don't have a plan on how to improve.

A lot of players just do what their coach tells them to do in practice, and then when they're working out on their own, simply go through the motions, take a few jump shots, and call it a day. But to be a great player, you've got to work on developing your all-around game. I was recently working with a post-player in a private coaching session. We were going through a workout and I had him going through some foot-speed, balance, and dribbling drills.

He looked a little confused and finally asked: "Why am I doing these drills? I'm a post player." I didn't mind the question, and my answer was simple. I told him that part of being a good post player was being a good, all-around player. I told him that developing solid ball-handling skills, good balance, and quick-feet would all help to make him a better post player.

And I also told him that he might no always play the post. As he progresses from one level to the next, he might become a wing player, or even a shooting guard, and so the things we were working on would help him to that end. Point being: work on your overall game while focusing on position-specific skills. Keeping both of these in mind will help you stay on track to improving for your current position and role, while improving your overall skill-set.

Great Basketball Teams Focus on 6 Key Areas

Posted on June 10, 2010 at 10:29 PM

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1. Get back on defense. (There is a reason that is No. 1)

2. Play half-court defense. Protect the basket.

3. Rebounding the defensive board. Eliminate 2nd & 3rd shots.

4. Utilize the fast break. Make an effective transition from defense

to offense.

5. Play half court offense. Know your limitations. Do the things you

are capable of doing.

6. Rebound the offensive boards. Designated rebounders must go

to the boards EVERY TIME.

If you do these things well:

3 areas -- 50% winners

4 areas -- 60-70% winners

5 areas -- Great Team

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Basketball Defense; Individual Effort

Posted on May 28, 2010 at 3:59 PM

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It all starts with the individual. The 1st step is to teach each

player these defensive values:

1) Desire & Pride: Skills and fundamentals don't mean anything

unless the player has a lot of desire to shut down the offensive

player, and a lot of pride in being able get stops. A good

defensive players works extra hard, hustles, and makes it a

personal goal to stop his man...even when tired. Tell your players

that there is no greater satisfaction than tiring, frustrating, and

shutting down a talented offensive player.

2) Alertness & Agressiveness: Remaining sharp is the key to

defense. You have to aware of every little thing so you can react

quickly. Moreover, a player has to be able to react immediately

from offense to defense so they can eliminate easy scoring

opportunities. May players think that defense is passive, but this

is not true. The more active & aggressive a player is, the better

defense will be played. Aggressiveness forces the offense to become

passive.

3) Anticipation & Adaptability: Anticipating an offensive play or

an offensive move is very valuable. It allows the defender to

adjust beforehand, which causes nightmares for the offense...passes

can be intercepted, double-teams can be made quicker, easy scoring

opportunities can be prevented. Adaptability is the ability to

change. If the offensive player adjusts his/her game, the defender

should adjust as well. Be ready to change as its demanded.

4) Speed & Quickness: Speed allows a defender to get from one side

of the court to the other side faster than the offense, and it

enables a player to get into proper defensive positioning quicker.

Speed & quickness also allows a player to recover quickly from

mistakes, and prevent fast-break baskets. Hand quickness is equally

important, as it allows for deflections, steals, and blocks. Since

the majority of defense is played within 18 feet of the basket,

foot quickness is probably more important than breakaway speed.

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Top 3 Offensive Mistakes in Basketball

Posted on May 11, 2010 at 5:21 PM

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====================================================

MISTAKE #1: FEEDING THE POST FROM THE TOP OF THE KEY

====================================================

When entering the ball to one of your big players down

low it's absolutely essential to get a proper passing angle.

Train your kids to use the dribble to pick one side of the

court, then move to an area below the free throw line

extended.

This forces the post defender to either front the post,

or play directly behind him. He's unable to cheat by

covering the passing angle and defending the basket at

the same time.

The passer should use an up-fake to get the defender's

hands in the air, then step into the pass with his pivot

foot.

The post player should get low, maintain his position,

using his backside, and provide a target for the passer.

=================================

MISTAKE #2: POOR BALANCE ON SHOTS

=================================

Many young players make the mistake of fading away or

drifting on their jump shot.

This is usually a result of poor balance.

Make sure your players learn to square up, collect themselves

and set their feet before attempting a shot.

Reinforce this in all your shooting drills.

They should jump straight up and land on the same spot

on the floor where they took off from.

Avoid leaning toward or away from the basket.

An easy mantra to remember is "no balance, no shot"

=================================

MISTAKE #3: CUTTING AT HALF SPEED

=================================

A lot of times, the biggest factor that separates poor

from excellent offensive teams is their movement without

the ball.

Whenever you run your offense in practice, encourage

your kids to cut at FULL EFFORT.

That means setting solid screens, cutting at full speed

to get open, posting up hard, etc.

Do it in practice consistently and it will translate

over to your games much more easily.

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How to Control Basketball Game Tempo

Posted on May 11, 2010 at 4:41 PM

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To control the tempo of a basketball game you must first understand what kills momentum and what creates momentum. Below is a list of each . Knowing how to create momentum in basketball or deflate your oppents momentum is huge in trying to control the overall tempo of a basketball game!

Momentum Killers:

Bad shot selection
Missed free throws
Giving up second shot baskets
Allowing opponent to score the last basket of a quarter. Tip (If you hold the ball for the last shot as the clock is running down, your opponent is less likely to get the last shot.)
Giving up three point baskets in the fourth quarter
Turnovers that lead to scores
Unnecessary fouls. Playing hard and with discipline on defense is crucial!
Loss of poise

Momentum Getters:

Scoring to end a quarter
Negating a basket by taking a charge. Coaches tip (Emphasize how to and when to take charges in basketball practice and reward and praise it when it happens in practice or in a game.)
Making a shot to take the lead in the 4th quarter. The right player shooting with great shooting technique, great shot selection, and repetitive pressurized success in basketball practice increase your odds dramatically.
Scoring against a press. This kills the defense and can change your opponents game strategy.
Diving on a loose ball to gain/save a possession

If you can isolate and reduce the momentum killers while taking advantage of the momentum getters, you will control the tempo of the basketball game!

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Moving Without The Basketball

Posted on May 11, 2010 at 4:09 PM

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Coaches often ask me what the key is to getting better offense out of their teams. They are often surprised when I tell them:

It's NOT forcing your team to shoot 1,000 jumpers a day.

It's NOT sentencing them to death by pushups if they happen to miss a layup.

And it's DEFINITELY not having 12 different set plays

to run.

What's the key to offensive success?

Moving without the ball!

It sounds simple, but some coaches think I'm kind of WEIRD when I bring it up. This short video below hosted by Michael Jordan will show you how to get open by using screens.

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Killer Crossover Tips

Posted on May 4, 2010 at 4:51 PM

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Beating your defender off the dribble involves change of speed and change of direction. Developing a Dwayne Wade type basketball crossover move does not happen over night. You have to have fast reflexces and know the proper dribbling techniques to execute it. Take a look at Dwayne Wade in action in the free basketball video below and then see the step by step instructions below the video that will teach you how it is done!

--> Dwayne Wade killer crossover move <--

Follow these 3 Steps to execute a killer crossover dribble move:

1. Step with same foot as the hand you are dribbling with

2. Fake and make your defender jump

3. Take ball and rip it below knee and blow by!

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5 Tips on How To Get more Playing Time in Basketball

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 4:02 PM

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We hope you've been playing a lot of basketball and working hard on

improving your game...

If you've been slacking off, now's the time to get up and start

moving! Go through all the emails we sent you and follow our

powerful tips and drills...you'll be glad you did.

Today, we want to share valuable tips and secrets on making the

basketball team during tryouts... If you've already made the team,

these tips and secrets will help you get more playing time.

Making the team or getting more playing time boils down to one

simple thing: "Giving the coaches what they're looking for".

Until you fully understand what coaches want, you'll never maximize

your playing time.

Here's a very simple, easy-to-follow list of the things you need to

do to impress coaches in try-outs and in practices:

1) Solid Fundamentals: This is the most important thing coaches

look for. They don't want you to be fancy, they don't want to see

awesome moves. They just want to see if you can dribble with both

hands, if your shooting form looks normal, if you pass the ball

right, if you keep your head up when you dribble, if you move

around without the ball, and so on...

2) Tough Defense: The tougher, more intense defense you can play,

the better. Defense doesn't mean that you get steals and block

shots...it simply means to stay in front of your man, prevent easy

shots, and challenge shots. The goal is to give the offensive

player trouble and to make them work hard.

3) Boxing Out: Even more important than getting the rebound is

putting a body on your man and boxing them out. Coaches notice

this! Don't think that just the player who gets the rebound gets

noticed. A real coach sees all the people who boxed out their man.

So, you should always put a body on your man and learn proper

boxing out techniques.

4) Good passing: Players who move the ball around, deliver the pass

in the right spot, not too fast and not too slow, are valuable to

the coaches. Remember, the coach is looking at you as a team

player, not as an individual. Good passing shows that you're a team

player.

5) Avoid turnovers: Protect the ball as if your life depends on it.

There is nothing more hated in the game of basketball than silly

turnovers. Whether you're dribbling or passing, make sure that you

don't turn the ball over. Play conservative. Its better not to mess

up the 1st couple of times a coach sees you play.

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Basketball Dribbling Aids and Ballhandling Performance

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 3:40 PM

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If you're ready to develop a slick handle and awesome

off-the-dribble moves, then you have to do these four things:

1) Learn how to control the ball mostly with your fingers.

2) Keep your head up. Never look down at the ball.

3) Strengthen your wrists and fingers.

4) Improve dribbling with your weaker hand.

Until you work on the above four things to perfection, you'll never

handle the rock like a pro, and your dribbling moves will always be

weak and out of control.

The real secret to lightning quick crossovers and flashy dribbling

moves is having great finger and wrist control, being able to keep

your head up, and being able to handle the ball with both hands.

Most people use their palms to control the ball. This isn't

good...using your palms causes you to lose control, and most

importantly, it forces you to dribble the ball slowly. If you can't

be quick with the dribble, then its really hard to be effective

with the ball...

The key is to learn how to use your fingers. Ofcourse, this takes

lots of practice. Later on this email, we'll show you how to

practically force yourself to dribble with your fingers.

Keeping your head up when you dribble is another extremely

important skill. Think about it, if you're staring down at the

ball, how will you read your defender? How will you know where your

teammates are? Keeping your head down is as good as being blind,

because you can't see in front of you.

Dribbling requires a decent amount of finger and wrist strength,

since you're constantly pounding the ball to the floor and

executing moves. Infact, the faster a dribbling move, the more

overall finger and wrist strength it requires. To gain strength in

this area, do forearm curls with a pair of dummbells. Increasing

your wrist and finger strength will also improve your shooting.

Many times, we've seen players dribble with mostly one hand and

drive only on one side of the court. This is a major disaster,

because the defense can read you perfectly. To be a lethal

offensive weapon, you have to dribble equally well with both hands,

which allows you to drive on either side of the court.

If you want to become your defender's worst nightmare...if you want

to dish, drive, and shoot at will, then improve in the four areas

we talked about in this email...

Now, are you ready to take a shortcut that will help dramatically

improve your ball-handling? There's a couple of special training

aids that help you develop much better handles ... Very few

players know about these training aids. Using them can help you get

5x better results from every ball-handling drill you do.

These training aids are the NayPalm Dribbling Aid and the Dribble

Specs. The Nayplam Dribbling Aid is a special glove you wear on

your hands that forces you to use your fingers, strengthen your wrists,

and improve your weak-hand. The Dribble Specs are goggles you wear that

prevent you from looking down...

Basically, the NayPalm Dribbling Aid helps improve your ball

control and the Dribble Specs force you to keep your head up. Both

these training aids should be in every baller's arsenal...especially

if you want to seriously improve your ball-handling as fast as possible.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

Basketball Warm-up Drills

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 3:37 PM

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The best type of warming-up is dynamic stretching and

sport-specific drills.

Dynamic stretching is the opposite of static stretching. It is a

slow controlled movement through the range of motion. However, you

NEVER "stretch and hold" during a dynamic stretch.

Dynamic stretching is better for warming-up because it helps boost

performance. You should spend about 10 minutes doing a dynamic

stretching routine before competitive play. Some key exercises to

do are as follows:

- Shoulder Circles: Stand up straight, feet about shoulder-width

apart, knees slightly bent. Raise your arms to your sides to about

ear-height. Keeping your elbows straight, rotate your arms in a 180

degree motion as if you're turning a steering wheel.

- Arm Crossover: Stand up straight, feet about shoulder-width

apart, knees slightly bent. Swing both arms out to your sides and

then cross them in front of your chest.

- Side Bends: Standing straight, put your hands on your hips and

bend down directly to your left side using only your trunk. Come

back up to standing position and bend to the opposite side.

- Hip circles and twists: Stand straight and put your hands on your

hips. Now make circles with your hips in circular direction. After

finishing a few circles, start doing twists by grounding your feet

and then twisting to one direction by using your abs and hips, and

then twisting to the opposite direction (keep your feet planted,

they do not move)

- Half Squat: Instead of doing a regular full squat, just do a

half-squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Use

bodyweight only and don't do more than 15-20.

- Leg Swings: Stand sideways onto the wall. Weight on your left leg

and your right hand on the wall for balance. Swing your right leg

forward and backward. Switch legs and repeat.

- Cross-Leg Swings - Put both hands on a wall, lean forward

slightly, and putyour weight on your left leg. Swing your right leg

to the left in front of your body, pointing your toes upwards as

your foot reaches its furthest point of motion. Then swing the

right leg back to the right as far as comfortable, again pointing

your toes up towards the end of the movement.

- Lunges: Stand up straight with both feet together. Lunge forward

with the right leg as far forward as you can, until your right

thigh is parallel with the floor. Come back up to the starting

position and repeat with left leg.

- Ankle Hops: Bounce up and down using only your ankles. Do not

bend at the knees. Hop strictly on the balls of your feet as far up

and as fast as you can, using only your ankles.

The above dynamic stretching exercises are excellent for getting

your muscles and joints ready for gametime.

After doing the above exercises for a total of 10 minutes, move on to

the following sport-specific drills (in this order)...

1) Take 10 free-throw shots, grabbing your own rebounds.

2) Running from the 3-point line, do about 10 layups from the right

side and then do 10 layups from the left side.

3) Defensive slides - Moving sideways, slide to the left as quickly

as you can. Then, slide to the right as quickly as you can.

4) Go underneath the rim and do a few jumps trying to get up as

high as you can.

5) Pick up a ball and work on doing your ball-handling moves at

game-speed. Doing these at game-speed is very important.

6) Do two sprints - one from the baeline to half-court, and the

other from half-court back to the baseline.

7) Finish by doing a light jog around the gym once or twice.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

How To Frustrate Your Defender in Basketball

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 3:32 PM

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Are you ready to get any kind of shot you want...do you want to OWN

your defender?

If you really want to frustrate your defender and score at will,

then you gotta develop some more 1-on-1 offensive moves...

We've got you covered. Today we'll teach you a couple of moves you

can use as weapons to destroy the defense.

Keep in mind that the purpose of any move is to confuse the

defender and keep him/her guessing. This is the REAL key to beating

good defenders.

If your man knows what you're going to do, he'll be

able to stop you. If you keep them guessing, then you're in

control...ready to score, drive, dish...whatever you feel like

doing!

Okay, so the moves we'll talk about in this newsletter are based on

the principle of confusing your defender. The 1st move is the

Stutter Step Jump Shot:

>> The Stutter Step Jump Shot opens up your options to shoot. To

use this move, you have to drive on your defender a couple of times

in a row. Now, your defender will start backing up in anticipation

of your drive.

At this point, you can really create space for the jump shot by

using the stutter step...

1) Come at him hard, keeping your head up and looking at him

dead-in-the-eyes.

2) Take a couple of quick stutter steps as if you're about to drive

(but you'll be staying in one spot).

3) As the defender falls for your fake by backing up, use the space

to quickly rise up and shoot a jump shot!

The stutter Step Jump Shot is a powerful move, don't underestimate

it. Its simple but very, very effective, especially if you've

gotten past your defender a couple of times before doing this move.

Remember, the key is to "stutter" your steps quickly, almost as if

you're climbing a set of stairs. You want to appear as if you're

about to drive, but you want to stay in the same spot so you can

rise up and shoot. By slightly leaning your body forward as you do

the "stutters", you'll create the illusion of moving forward.

The 2nd move that will confuse your defender is the Half Crossover

In-&-Out Move:

>> The Half Crossover In-&-Out Move allows you to freeze your

defender and drive past him/her.

1) Dribbling with the right hand, come towards your defender.

2) Take a big hard step with your left foot, while keeping the ball

in your right hand.

3) At the same time, take the ball and go inside out halfway across

your body. Basically, you're faking as if you're crossing over from

right to left, but you stop halfway and bring the ball back to the

right side of your body.

4) Drive past the defender tightly, body-to-body, from your right

side. The key is to lightly brush his body as you're driving. This

tight spacing prevents the defender from cutting you off.

Alright, so now you have a couple of extra moves that you can work

on...

Remember, the key is to practice these moves alone and with actual

defenders. Otherwise, you won't do these moves well. Practice them

everyday for about 2-3 weeks and they'll become natural.

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

How To Become a Beast Playing in the Post

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 3:19 PM

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Developing a low-post game can help you dominate the competition...

It doesn't matter if you're tall or short, guard or center...Look at

some of the best guards in the NBA, like Chauncey Billups and Jason

Kidd, both of them can post-up their man.

If you're a big-man(or woman), then you definitely need to work on

your low-post game. Imagine being a scoring machine like Tim

Duncan...

To help you develop this area of your game, we've put together some

nice moves that you can use to "dominate in the low post"...

Here are the moves you should start practicing right away:

1) Drop step to baseline

After getting the pass, get a feel for where your defender is.

Depending on which side he/she is, give a fake to that side. Then,

plant the foot that's opposite to the ball, pivot on it quickly to

face up with the hoop and go aggressively to the hoop. Keep your

body between you and your defender, keep the ball up high, and

flare your elbows out. Also, make sure to extend your hands out in

front of you so you're ready to release for a shot right

away...this also makes it harder for the defender to block you.

2) Drop step to lane & jump hook

After getting the pass, get a feel for where you defender is. If

he/she is on the baseline side, then fake to the baseline, plant

your lane-side foot and pivot on it quickly...As soon as you pivot

go up in the air for a jump hook with the hand that is opposite the

defender.

3) Turn, Face, & Jab

After getting the pass, if the defender is directly behind you,

then pivot and face the defender. Keep the ball low and protected.

Give a shoulder fake or a jab step fake, and watch what the

defender does. If he/she takes a step back, shoot a little jumper.

If the defender doesn't back off, just drive right past him/her

with a quick, explosive step away from the direction that you faked

to. Go strong and try to make some contact with the defender's

shoulder to get him/her off balance. Most times, you'll even get

the foul call because the defender's feet won't be set.

4) Up and under

Pivot and face the defender. Get him/her in the air by faking a

quick shot (raise your chin up to really fake the defender even

more). Once the defender rises up or jumps, just get low and go

right under him/her towards the hoop. Try to brush against the

defender sligthly when you're going underneath, so you can be sure

that you're on the quickest path to the hoop. If the ref calls a

foul, majority of the time the defender will be called for it.

5) Flash to the elbow or free throw line.

Get up near the free-throw line and out of the paint. Get the ball,

pivot, and face the defender. Now, do a quick shot fake to get the

defender in the air or off-balance, and just drive right around

him/her. Or, you can fake the drive by doing a strong jab-step

forward, coming back, and shooting the jumper. The key to this move

is getting the defender away from the hoop where you can use your

quickness.

6. Back Door Lob

It the defender is denying you the ball by staying in front of you,

simply take him to the free-throw line area. Then, plant your feet

wide, put your forearm on the defender, and seal him/her off.

Immediately, put your free hand up calling for your teammate to

pass the ball over the defender's head. As soon as the guard passes

the ball, cut to the hoop and catch the pass to score.

-----------

Listen, you gotta practice these moves over and over again. This way,

it'll become automatic, and you'll use just the right move in the

right situation. Imagine being really good at 4 or 5 different

low post moves. How can the defense ever guard you?

The key is to keep the defender guessing, so he/she never knows which

move is coming next. Thats why you've gotta practice!

Don't forget to check out the BBall360 Store for all your basketball needs

How To Improve Your Scoring Average in Basketball

Posted on March 25, 2010 at 3:16 PM

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Do you know the easiest way to improve your scoring average and

make coaches fall in love with you?

Second chance points...Getting an offensive rebound and having a

second chance at scoring.

Today, we'll help you become a better offensive rebounder, which will,

in turn, allow you to score easy points off put-backs.

Unfortunately, most players fail to realize the importance of

offensive rebounding. They simply give it no importance, which is

really sad considering how it really helps win games.

A lot of times we hear players complaining that crashing the

offensive boards requires too much energy, and it starts affecting

their offensive and defensive game.

Yeah, it's true; it is a dirty job that requires lots of energy and

effort on your part. But you have to ask yourself "How much is

winning worth to you"? "How much is adding 4-6 EXTRA points per game

worth to you"?

Its worth a LOT, and let us show you how to make grabbing that

offensive board a little "easy-er":

> Anticipation

You need to be able to anticipate when and where the shot will be

taken. So, you have to keep an eye on the person with the ball and

try to anticipate whether he/she is looking to shoot or pass...

..the key to getting the offensive rebound is being able to

beat your defender to the spot. If you know that your teammate is

going to shoot, then you can start setting up for an offensive

rebound. Know your teammates, study them well, and know when they

like to shoot.

=> TIP: 70% of the shots end up on the opposite side of the

shooter. Also, make sure to follow your shots. This is something

so simple, yet often times over-looked. If you're the one shooting,

simply run in for the rebound right away, every single time.

=> TIP: Look at the ball in the air, and determine if it's going to

be short or long. With enough practice, you'll get really good at

predicting where the ball will end up. Typically, line-drive shots

with little arc tend to come off the rim "strong", and high arcing

shots come off the rim "softer".

> Attitude & Focus

Rebounding is 75% desire and 25% physical. You need to have the

passion and desire to grab the rebound. Remember, the player that

wants it the most will get the rebound.

=> TIP: Assuming that every shot will be missed will help get you

in the right frame of mind. If you think the shot might go in, you

won't even begin setting up for the rebound.

=> TIP: Focus on keeping your hands active. Only good things can

happen if get your hands on the ball. Keep your hands up, palms open,

ready to grab or swat the ball as needed.

> Counter-Moves

You're not always going to guess right, or be in the right position

to get the rebound. That's why you must have great counter-moves

to get around your defender.

=> TIP: Fake and Go -- Before the defender makes contact, step as

though you are going to go in one direction and then quickly step

in the opposite direction to gain position.

=> TIP: Spin Move -- Try to make the defensive player overplay one

side, and quickly spin in the opposite direction to gain the

advantage.

So, as you can see, quickness plays a big role in getting the

offensive rebound.

Players that can make quick moves, and get off the ground quickly,

definitely have the advantage.

Many times, it's not the tallest player that gets the rebound;

rather, it's the one who gets off the ground the quickest.

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36 Defensive Principals

Posted on March 1, 2010 at 5:54 PM

comments (0)

When you try to stop everything, you stop nothing.
The number one goal of our defense is to allow a low defensive field goal percentage.
Control the dribbler. Determined to keep him out of lane.
Keep the ball out of the lane by gapping (that keeps us from having to rotate and miss block outs).
Gapping is more important than gambling for steals.
Be a high energy defensive team every night and outlast the opponent every possession
Make them shoot contested shots 18’ and out, then block out, pursue the ball, and chin the rebound
Defense involves continually performing one responsibility after another, until we have the ball.
Players who do not play defense as hard as possible do not play.
Any player with desire and determination can learn to be an adequate defensive player.
Playing hard will make up for a lot of defense mistakes.
We use both our defense and our offense to control the tempo of the game and the number of possessions.
Individual concentration, awareness, anticipation, recovery, and communication are vital.
Defense is successful when each player concentrates each possession on recognizing, anticipating, and executing.
A defensive attitude is essential. The players need to feel that they aredifficult to score against and must take pride in the defensive aspectof the game.
Great defensive teams cover up mistakes.
You recover as soon the ball is picked up. Help as far outside the lane as possible. Same on screens.
Teams don't get beat the help they get beat on better recovery—so we must practice and stress recovery.
Ball is more important—talk the switch—no penetration.
STANCE knees bent—feet wide) Tail down, Weight on balls of feet. Heels slightly up.
POSITION Do not go for a steal and take yourself out of a play. That is false hustle and it hurts our team.
VISION AND AWARENESS (see the ball and man—sink to see). Be ready to help on the ball.
Trace the ball with other hand. Hands off. Don’t foul the game away or put yourself on the bench with foul trouble.
Know the man’s strengths and play the appropriate gap. Our scouting report will make what that exactly is clear to the players.
FORCE OUTSIDE. When the man with the ball spins, or turns his back we trap him.
When the dribble is picked up, we apply pressure—“Up” is our call soeveryone knows the ball is up. Make the ball uncomfortable.
Forward pivots, hands above shoulders on block outs.
Youcan only do two of the three from: deny, help, recover. We choose tonot deny and place our defenders in the help gap to begin with.
Foul only for profit. Switch for profit.
Great defensive teams take charges and don’t reach or swing.
Takethe charge in front of the basket, in the lane, and on the baseline. Itis impossible to get a charge call in the middle of the floor.
Help across and down—never from the basket out.
Guard two places at once by using defensive fakes.
Give quick help with early recovery. Helper sees own man.
When we recover, we recover to the ball or to a gap, not to a man (unless he has the ball or is in the post)
Don’t deny past the level of the ball.

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Basketball Defensive Tips and Strategies

Posted on February 13, 2010 at 6:19 PM

comments (0)

It doesn't matter how good your offense is, if you're not

defensively sound, you WILL be the "bench warmer" for

your team.

Believe it or not, coaches do care about defense more than offense.

Coaches know that the key to winning is slowing down and stopping

the other teams' star players.

Now, you don't need to constantly steal the ball from them, or

block all their shots to be an effective defensive player.

Simply being able to stay infront of him/her and force them into

tough, low percentage shots does the trick.

The key here is to make your man work extremely hard to get off a

shot. Your mind set should be to wear him out and make him tired.

Even if he/she starts out hitting those tough shots, it doesn't

matter. As the game progresses, the amount of work, and energy they had to

use will show its effects.

Now, realize that all this is only possible if you're able to stay

infront of your man.

Let's take a look at some of the things you can do to stay in front

of your man...

TIP: Keep your eyes on the defender's abs.

=> No matter what fake the offensive player performs, they can only

go where their abs take them.

TIP: Play defense with your feet not your hands.

=> Don't be lazy, you need to move your feet. Reaching aimlessly

with your hands will only lead to pointless fouls.

TIP: Go for the steal on the up-bounce.

=> This is when the ball is moving the slowest, and when your

player has the least control.

TIP: Get low.

=> When in your defensive stance make sure to get low and wide,

while staying on the balls of your feet. This will maximize your

ability to stay in front of your defender and not let him blow past

you.