Basketball - Friday 1-3-1 (Drill, Concepts, Play) Episode 8

"Success leaves footprints." Great institutions thrive with superior leadership and core values. Rose Blumkin (Mrs B) founded Nebraska Furniture Mart in 1937 and became the largest furniture retailer in North America. Her simple motto "sell cheap and tell the truth" won over customers and acquirer Warren Buffett. Buffett bought eighty percent of NFM in 1983 for $60 million. She continued to work her normal seventy hour work week until her family forced her to retire at age 95. 

Drill. Elements from "Box Drills."

Start and alternate with players on both elbows. The reverse pivot starts with the ball held low outside the defensive strike zone. With practice the pivot is quicker and the player executes a one dribble layup. The coach decides whether to teach a "permanent pivot foot." 

The next step adds defense and the player executes the move while reading the defender and developing counters (drive opposite and mid-range shots). 

Concepts. Zone offense. 

Young players struggle with zone offense because zones often limit dribble penetration, pick-and-roll, and encourage perimeter shooting. 

1. Zones are vulnerable. The transition game beats the defense from setting up. Zones are vulnerable to strong offensive rebounding without specific block out assignments. Third, the offense decides which players and areas to attack. 

2. Distort the zone. Distort the zone with shot fakes and pass fakes. Distort the zone by "drawing two," dribbling into gaps and penetrating to pass. 

This isn't new, with video from 1972. 


The forward drives and draws two, hits the center flashing to an open space, and gets a give-and-go pass for a layup. 

3. Move the ball. Jim Boeheim knows something about zone defense and has ideas about defeating the zone. 


He teaches "hard passes" and high-low options.

Use the acronym DR FLAPS)
- Dribble into gaps
- Reverse the ball
- Flash to open spots
- Post Up if you have the personnel
- Screen 

3. Play. Better opponents and postseason play require excellence in the half-court and a minimum of turnovers. Turnovers sabotage offense as opponents exploit easy shots turning defense into offense. Simple is better. 

"Zipper Away" shines the light on multiple options - drive, pick-and-roll, and high-low if the defense switches. 

Earn the right to win through a competitive edge and relentless work...just like Mrs B at Nebraska Furniture Mart. 

Lagniappe:  Win close and late: 

- Excel at free throws and avoid bad fouls.

- ABCs Activate Best Choices - Man play, zone set, SLOB, BOB, ATOs. 

- Cultivate offensive and defensive delay games.