Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Basketball: Drills to Teach Multiple Skills and Wisdom from Sheila E

Because "great defense is multiple efforts" and "great offense is multiple actions," devise methods to practice both. These drills aren't "new" or mine, just ones I've adapted or am planning to implement. Good teams don't beat us with trickery, they execute. 

 First, what's the (obvious) ultimate drill to test offense, defense, conversion? 1 5-on-5 game play. That brings individual skill development into conflict with "playing." This may be a unique season as (most likely) the generic player has less supervised practice and play because of the pandemic. 

 It keep bringing us back to Dave Smart keys:
- "We don't run a lot of stuff."
- "Every day is skill development." 
- Be good at transition/transition D, PnR offense/defense, half court actions. 

 And Mano Watsa's caveat, "don't major in the minors." Invest time on what you do a lot. 

But some drills teach multiple actions: 2 Shivek Drill (offense and limited defense)


 1. Give-and-go (pass and cut) and finish.
2. Cut to the ball, shot ready. 
3. Pass and sink (to the corner)
4. Basket attack against a closeout 

 3 "Ten seconds to glory." 

"Floppy action" where "scorer" needs to read defense against off-ball screens, defense can vary defense, and players have a time element (ten seconds) to score. I created it and steal away, brothers and sisters. 

 4 "SSG diagonal" (from Aaron Fernandez)

5 "Advantage-disadvantage" 5 versus 7 full court press, no dribbling. If you master the press break against numbers with constraints, you should handle most presses. 

6 Knight's Triangle screening 
Set and defend pindowns and cross-screens. Make it competitive to add spice. 

Simple is better. And nothing works unless they do. 

 Summary: 
- Scrimmage 
- Shivek 
- Ten Seconds to Glory
- "Sideways"
- 5 on 7 Advantage-Disadvantage
- Triangle Drill

 Lagniappe: Followup on "Defending the 3" from Coach Nick's blog. Better mouse; better mousetrap. 

 Watch how he’s rotating in the air to immediately pop back in the play. I’ve been preaching this for a long time, and I’m ecstatic to see a major college team training it. The choppy steps high hands close out on shooters is becoming extinct, thankfully. https://t.co/kIn786Svlt

Lagniappe 2: "If someone says "you're asking too many questions," you're going to get ripped off." - MasterClass, Sheila E. (Look out for yourself.)  

 Sheila E. has a chapter titled, "Advice to Musicians." They work for basketball, too. 




She makes a key point about authenticity, that if people copy you, be proud of the original. 


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