Basketball success migrates to thinking persons. Pete Carril wrote The Smart Take from the Strong. It's silly to overstate postseason play in youth basketball, but certain truths prevail. Control what you can control. Here are a few:
1. Teams bring more intensity. Be prepared to match or exceed it.
2. A poor start creates an uphill climb. You can't wake up after a quarter. It's 'easier' to play downhill.
3. "Do more of what's working and less of what isn't." Don't force what isn't there. Carril wrote, "As a player, you want to be good at those things that happen a lot — that cannot be overstated."
4. Better teams have more size, athleticism, and defensive range. This especially impacts passing. "Fall in love with easy."
5. Good teams surrender fewer transition points. Compensate with fewer mistakes. Carril also shared (about practice), "No drill is any good unless it’s used in some form in the game. There is no transfer of learning."
6. Take care of the basketball. The turnover 'margin of error' is smaller.
7. Taking away transition baskets (as a subset of easy hoops) is vital.
8. Get more possessions via rebounds, deflections, and steals by anticipation.
9. Foul for profit, not from carelessness.
10.You can't afford "throwaway" possessions on either end. Losing your player, not blocking out, or not calling a screen can determine whether you survive and advance or go home. Focus defines you.
11."Dance with the one the brung you." Don't reinvent your team or yourself. These are kids and it's still a game. It's another chance for them to make memories. Be the adult in the room and make it about them.
Lagniappe: Big Thinkers Think Differently from Lolly Daskal
Think big...but remember the big picture reveals the details.
Be focused.
Assess risk.
Collaborate.
Ask hard questions.