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Sunday, March 3, 2024

Basketball: Forget the Cliches...How Two Players Earned D1 Scholarships

Cliches, like money, can't play. For some of you, the offseason has begun. Development limits disappointment. 

After fifteen years an assistant, in six years of head coaching middle schoolers in a small city of under 30,000 (total of 25 players), I saw two (Samantha Dewey, Cecilia Kay) earn D1 scholarships. They deserve most of the credit. What helped?

1. Study. Maintain your notebook and study game video. "Do more of what works and less of what doesn't." 

2. Say 'yes' to offseason workouts. Learn to score at three levels. Finish with either hand from either side off two feet and off either foot. I'm partial to box drills with defense, working from either elbow. Elite finishers get fouled, so work on free throws during 'breaks'. 

3. Develop elite footwork. Pivot off either foot, both front and reverse. Pivoting is an undertaught, undervalued skill. Get access to Pete Newell books and/or tape...or a reasonable facsimile. 

4. Practice off-the-catch. Leverage early advantage. Don't get bored. Work with a partner for competition and rebounding.

  • Catch and shoot.
  • Stampede (attack off the moving catch).
  • Split catch 
  • Negative step/load step
  • Jab series 
  • Develop a shot fake, "a shot not taken." 
5. Shoot with volume, self-competitive shooting to set personal best (PB)


"Quarters" - 84 shots, 168 possible points


Three point shooting, score 1 point per shot taken until two consecutive misses. 


Championship 38, 15 shots plus 3 free throws


Game shots, on the move catch and shoot... elbow to sideline, elbow to elbow. 

6. Separate with the dribble (less is more). Work with a partner for defense or work within small-sided games (SSGs)
  • Hesitation
  • Crossover
  • Combinations 
  • Lateral glide (optional)
7. Defend ("play a lot").
  • "Everyone plays defense." - Knight
  • Ball containment (play one-on-one)
  • Defend the pick-and-roll (two-on-two or SSGs).
  • Contest shots without fouling.
  • Block out or rebound.

8. Physical training. Sport rewards athletic explosion. 


Lagniappe (something extra). Cutting. 

Lagniappe 2. I think about sets as ways to put "lines on paper" when teaching writing. Create variety by running similar actions from different alignment and different actions from the same alignment. The Joe Gibbs Redskins ran about three running plays and ten passes but different alignments and motion disguised them. 

 

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