Basketball Friday examines one drill, three concepts, and one play. Today, I'll share a pressure drill and sideline out of bounds plays (SLOBs).
Drill: Carolina (Sylvia Hatchell) works to handle pressure.
"Carolina" uses pressure plus "advantage-disadvantage." The coach (C) hands the ball to 1 with the initial x1 and x2 defenders one step away. 1 has a live dribble and players must relocate to receive the pass and the "trappers" must disallow escape.
Concepts: Sometimes it's not enough to get the ball inbounds and other times that's exactly what we need, clinging to a small lead with little time left.
Our seventh grade girls led by one with five seconds remaining with the ball at half-court. The priorities were getting the ball inbounds, running clock, and doing so far away from our own basket. If things went wrong, the opponent would need to score on the "long field." The other coach was knowledgeable and I expected him to "switch everything" (he did). I was looking for a "good hands" player to receive and a good free throw shooter.
We entered the ball to the corner and unfortunately it turned into a held ball. With no time outs and a couple of seconds left, the opponents never got a shot. We earned a road upset win over the top-ranked team without our top player.
1. Find a reliable inbounder with the quarterback instincts (vision, decision-making, and execution) to make on-time and on-target passes. Poor personnel choices sabotage the best play.
2. Understand what you're looking to get from the play. Most of the time, we seek a scoring opportunity. Need a 3 point shot?
This creates multiple options for three-point shots, starting with screen-the-screener.
3. Make the defense make "hard choices" about where and whom to defend.
Screening the middle of a zone can challenge defenses.
Play. Here's video evidence of something that worked.
Screening the middle of a zone can challenge defenses.
Play. Here's video evidence of something that worked.
The players improvised here with a zipper cut (base action), give-and-go pass, and seal with post entry.
Lagniappe: Practice finishing off two feet for better base, balance, and bounce. Video from Coach Giesbrecht.
More examples and explanation.
