Basketball: Boosting Your Team's Success

Coaches can generate a long list of possible solutions. Find the absolutes that help impact winning.

REDUCE EASY BASKETS

1. Handle pressure. Good teams can withstand defensive pressure that results in turnovers, especially live-ball turnovers. 

Remedy: Advantage-disadvantage, 5 versus 7 full court and 3 versus 4 half court. 

2. Improve transition defense. 

Remedies: multifactorial

• Make it a priority. Suggest no more than three transition hoops/game.
• Specific assignments of who goes to O-boards, who gets back. 
• Conversion drill. Offense (4), defense (4), waiting (4) at foul line. Defense goes to transition offense and waiting group enters at change of possession. Communicate assignments on the fly. 

3. Reduce bad fouls. 

Remedies: multiple

• "Foul for profit." - Kevin Sivils
• "Never foul a jump shot."
• "Never ever foul three-point shots. 
• Better technique - "show your hands," don't slap down on blocking shots, avoid fouling 'bail out' shots

GET MORE EASY BASKETS

1. Win at the foul line.

Remedies: multiple

• Draw more fouls by attacking the rim
• Convert more free throws. "Teams that cannot shoot free throws last a as long as dogs that chase cars." - Tom Hellen
• Work on targeting (e.g. aim for the word on the plate)

2. Reduce turnovers. "Turnovers kill dreams" as zero percent possessions.

Remedies: multiple

• Work on pivoting out of trouble.
• Advantage-disadvantage above. 
• 5 on 5 full court and 4 on 4 half-court without dribbling. If the ball hits the floor for any reason, possession ends and the defense immediately converts to offense. 

3. Improve EFG%. 

Remedies: multiple

• Higher points per possession scoring plays (e.g. transition, scoring off cuts, free throws).
• Higher percentage shots (layups, open shots, 3s if you have players who make them)

Lagniappe. Never fatigue of footwork training. 

The magic is in the footwork 🪄 The #MicroSkills make the biggest difference in mastering those game-changing moves. pic.twitter.com/AAZ1UyIso2

— Pure Sweat (@PureSweat) May 18, 2024

Lagniappe 2. Creating open shots...this may require more experienced players to operate.  

Clips from our motion shooting/3 on 3 from last week. Trying to focus on awareness of spacing & personnel strengths. I want them to learn to play assertively with their instincts not on train tracks hoping the play scores for them. #GrowOurGame #EnjoyTheProcess #WorkInProgress pic.twitter.com/wQDXJQopt7

— Cori Close (@CoachCoriClose) May 17, 2024