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Thursday, May 9, 2024

Basketball: Expand on a Theme, When the Path to Victory is Narrow

Never traffic in excuses. Every coach wants more talent, more size, more experience. 

With a narrow margin for error, teams must be more efficient and less error-prone.

1. "Basketball is a game meant to be played fast." With superior talent and "points per possession" edge, play fast. Inversion argues that lesser talent favors a slower tempo.

2. Possession control. Keep the better team off the boards. Second shots and third shots increase points per possession. "Hit and get" or block out and rebound. Whatever works. 

3. Maximize opportunities. Convert free throws and emphasize shot quality.

4. "Value the ball." Turnovers kill dreams. Live ball turnovers catalyze high points per possession. Every turnover is a 'zero percent' possession. 

5. "Foul for profit" coined by Kevin Sivils. Especially harmful are fouling perimeter shots, three-point shots, and forced shots. "Show your hands" and "don't swat down" on block attempts. 

6. Tempus fugit (time flies). Understand and execute offensive and defensive delay games. The clock is our ally or our enemy. 

7. Develop. In a rematch against an opponent, opposing parents complained how "they got new players." Middle school teams don't have free agency or the waiver wire. In youth leagues, skill building is your primary mission.  

8. "Don'ts." Don't give players excuses. Don't lower expectations with the R word (rebuilding). Don't play the blame game. 

Coach Battenberg shares his perspective. 

Lagniappe. Set a goal (e.g. three or fewer) of limiting transition hoops. 

Lagniappe 2. Exploit zone defenses with screens.  

 

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