1. Do your players play hard? What's your motivational tool?
"Are we going to stand around here all day or are we going to fight?" They answer. These are the last words the girls hear before they go onto the floor.
2. Slow down. Read screens. Wait.
Players err because they don't wait, they don't set up their cuts, and they don't read screens properly.
3. X's and O's don't matter.
"Basketball is about making plays, not running plays." - Coach K. Well, we did run the basic high screen and roll right once today, where the guard defender X1 went under, X5 did not hedge and the point guard buried a jumpshot after she read the screen properly.
4. Analytics. How much is enough?
I had a chance to chat awhile ago with my high school coach, Sonny Lane, who is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. He shared that the biggest two statistics he cared about were 1) rebounds and 2) assists. Rebounds meant you got possession and assists meant you set up baskets. He was an ardent student of John Wooden, who also favored scoring off assists rather than the dribble.
5. Believe.
Not so long ago, last season, we traveled to a local community and got our lunch handed to us. It was one of the worst beatings we've received, as we lost by over thirty points. This weekend, we returned with a lot of heart and much better play at both ends and left with a buzzer-beating jumpshot sealing a 41-39 win. "You have everything you need if you just believe."
6. Copy Cat.
"Good artists borrow; great artists steal." - Picasso
George Karl shared his wisdom about defense, "The Nuggets have a no lay‐up rule. They want to make teams shoot tough 2s. Their phrase is “Keep them out of the house (the paint), Chase them off the fence (the 3pt line) and let them play in the yard (mid‐range area).”
7. One place to be selfish.
Rebound selfishly. No coach is ever upset with a player who gets "too many" rebounds. Yesterday, we had 33 rebounds (unofficially) including 13 offensive rebounds. Add 15 steals and that translated into a lot of possessions, which carries a signature odor.
