It's not rocket science. Every coach knows this information. I guarantee that young players don't.
Listen up, Youngbloods. "Basketball is a game of separation." Offenses want it; defenses deny it. The ball is the gold in Fort Knox. Separation is your security system. Protect the gold or steal it.
With our MasterClass theme, teach techniques to get (and overcome) separation.
Five players, one ball. Sharpen your greed to score, create separation without the ball (the eighty percent) or with the ball (twenty percent). "Ball skills" demand more time to develop, so you'll overweight time with the ball. Either way, it starts with footwork and geometry with defenders.
Think "change of pace and change of direction."
Without the Ball
Read the defender. What is your relationship (positioning, vision) to the defender? And what is your position relative to obstacles (screens, officials) that collaborate with your goal? What does the defender see?
Take high defenders higher and cut back. Take low defenders lower and front cut.
When a defender helps up, relocate.
"The ball is a camera." Open the driving lane and create opportunity for yourself.
Another version of the same concept.
Inhabit your defender's "headspace"...by walking lower, you become temporarily invisible.
Defender plays off? Cut at her and react to their movement. Restated, attack the defender to get separation.
Got a screener?
Got a screener?
Read the screener.
Head-turning defender? Defenders must "see both." Make them pay when you become invisible. When baseline drivers beat their man, rotating bigs CAN'T see you...get to the open spot.
Head-turning defender? Defenders must "see both." Make them pay when you become invisible. When baseline drivers beat their man, rotating bigs CAN'T see you...get to the open spot.
With the Ball
Do you have the dribble or have you spent it? You attack with your dominant side, your non-dominant side, or combinations (e.g. double crossover moves). Develop a consistent move and counter. I saw one unstoppable freshman girl who only used hesitation, crossover, and combinations of both.
Dominant side:
- Speed
- Hesitation dribble
- In-and-out (fake crossover)
Non-dominant side:
- Crossover
- Through-the-legs
- Behind-the-back
If you want the ball, work for it.
Lagniappe: Via Chris Oliver @BBallImmersion
Really like sets that appear to be focused on one player, but really that action is just masking the final action for a completely different player. This diamond set example demonstrates this and I can already see a "ghost"screen counter to the opposite side for the screener. pic.twitter.com/fGNT1oqsVm— Chris Oliver (@BBallImmersion) July 22, 2019
Floppy into Stagger *(Multiple actions)