Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Basketball: Foul Prevention (and Triple Lagniappe)




"The most important six inches of the body is between the ears." Benching with foul trouble frustrates coaches, players, friends, and families. Good teams do not habitually commit bad fouls. Stop doing what mustn't be done. 

 "We get what we accept." Defensive core values include: NO EASY BASKETS - layups, put backs, transition, mismatches, and free throws. From a points-per-possession analysis, free throws are among the leaders. Even sixty percent shooting (1.2 points/possession) equals forty percent three point shooting...and it gets opponents into foul trouble. 

 What can we control to change our foul fortunes? Let's review tactics and strategy. 

 Tactics

Limit mistakes. Many are avoidable. Pressure the ball without fouling. If you can't reach out and touch someone, you're too far from the ball. Use hand discipline to avoid reaching in. 

 "It looks like a foul." If it looks like a foul (wild chopping movements), then it probably gets called, even without contact. 

Defend with your head, your heart, and your feet. To make the ballhandler uncomfortable, insert yourself into their space...which feels unnatural. 

"Show your hands" but don't be a SNOWMAN (hands out, feet still) who doesn't challenge ballhandlers. We condemn "snowman defense." 

Avoid 'stupid fouls' reaching in, pushing, and retaliation fouls. You've just turned the ball over or taken a forced shot, so you DOUBLE DOWN with a foolish foul (you see it every game at every level). 

 Foul for profit. Kevin Sivils emphasizes to commit fouls when they help. We may need to stop the clock strategically, for substitution, or get opponents into the penalty.  

Maintain verticality. Keep your "elbows behind the ears." 


Establish "legal guarding position." 


"Be stone walls not the Rolling Stones." You've Got to Be There. 

Strategy

 Do you sit the player with early fouls? There's no easy answer. Coaches expect intelligent aggressiveness. Some coaches automatically remove a player with two fouls in the first half. I think it depends on the player. But look to strategically substitute key players out to avoid the next critical foul or disqualification depending on time, score, and situation. 

 Switch the player in foul trouble onto a lesser offensive threat. To keep your key player in the game, you sacrifice ideal matchups at times. 

Play zone defense. Because we've played almost exclusively man, this becomes a challenge. Players who've played in other systems have exposure to zones and we play some zone in practice to work zone offense. 

 Learn to play with fouls. The best players have high basketball smarts. Those with a great 'feel' for the game often can play with fouls. 

 How is the game being officiated? Officials can change, but they call games "tighter" (more fouls) and looser. When fouls are raining, do you bring your umbrella or get soaked? 

 Last season about eighty percent of our games were within two possessions. Fouling and making free throws decides these contests. Don't blame the officials. Play smart every possession. 

 Lagniappe: "Fight for your tribe; fight for the family born to you. Fight for the brothers you find." 


Lagniappe 2: "Fall in love with easy." Short and midrange shots count, too. 
Lagniappe 3: Replay BOB (NASA?, the Earth Orbiter) via @BBallImmersion (Chris Oliver)
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