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Tuesday, May 26, 2026

Basketball - The Art of Problem Solving...New Applications from Old Concepts

Sporting excellence depends on problem solving. George Polya wrote an important book, "How to Solve It" in 1945. Apply lessons to our sports.

Baseball

"Hitting is timing; pitching is disrupting timing." Ted Williams hitting zones notwithstanding, hitters must adjust to change of speed and change of location. When a hitter can't hit fastballs up, he'll get a steady diet of them. 

Volleyball

Pin (outside) hitters have to solve the double block. That might involve pushes off the outside hand, tips, cut shots, or even recycling off the block. Few can smash through the block.

Basketball

Team can't score. Is the problem skill, shot selection, passing, turnovers, shot distribution? 

Polya's Premises

  • Understand the Problem
  • Draw a Picture
  • Solve a Simpler One
  • Pattern Recognition
  • Work Backwards
  • Reflect on the Situation

The Problem

Not scoring is a common issue in high school basketball. Three issues stand out - 1) Too many three-pointers, 2) too low a percentage, and 3) turnovers. "There are three kinds of lies - lies, damned lies, and statistics." I don't show a lot of high school game clips because then I'm a hater. A parent told me he tracked a high school game where 50 percent of the shots missed iron or were air balls. Their team lost by about 50. 

Our high school coach, Ellis Lane, was adamant about two things, "Take good shots" and "the ball is gold" (limit turnovers). Pre-shot clock and three point shooting, this resulted in 65 points/game, a 21-4 record, and a trip to the top division final four.  We lost those four games by a total of seven points. Good shots and few turnovers isn't flashy. It helps. 

Draw a Picture

Shot charts are "old school" for high school. You can talk until blue in the face about how good a shooter your kid is. Show us the shot charts. 

Solve a Simpler Problem

The game is a math problem. EFG percent matters and it matters a whole lot more when you add in turnovers as "missed field goals." Turnovers are "zero percent possessions." If you could reduce turnovers from over twenty to maybe a dozen, you give yourself a fighting chance in close games. 

Pattern Recognition 

Patterns include spacing, ball movement, shots against zone defense, turnovers against pressure, late shot clock shots, etc. It also includes seeing the invisible, the lack of "hard to defend actions" - pick-and-roll, back cuts, complex screens. See what is there and what isn't. 

Work Backwards

Maybe we're allowing too many points - too many layups, or open threes, or too many foul shots. Too many layups usually means poor ball containment or transition defense. Open threes might mean "help" issues, and foul shots often means poor technique. Go back to practice to work on the precipitants. 

Reflection

I asked a coach I worked with for his thoughts on our middle school team. He said that the best players weren't playing enough. He was absolutely right, but in the "pay to participate" developmental world, with time already at a premium (maybe 60-40), I wasn't willing to trade minutes for wins. 

Key points from "How to Solve It"

  • Good thinking leaves clues.
  • Success is more about process than genius.

How to Solve It emphasizes:

  • decision-making theory
  • pattern recognition
  • reflective practice
  • and cognitive skill development decades before fashionable

 Lagniappe. "Every day is showtime." 

Lagniappe 2. Leadership, relationships, disciplined behavior.  

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