Saturday, October 3, 2026

Ten Best Lessons from Basketball Losses

Learn from every experience. Losses often teach more. Compile your lessons as a coach and as a player.

1. "Control what you can control." If a player "goes off" and 'shoots the lights out', did we adjust by trying to deny her the ball, keep her from her 'spots', and contest the shots without fouling? 

2. Stay positive. "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." Build on the positives, while recognizing needs. 

3. Be accountable. Never allow results to become, "winning reflects coaching and losing results from playing." 

4. Toughness is a skill. Train players via the weight room and physical practice to meet the challenge of physical teams. "How you play reflects how you live your life."

5. "Be on the same page." Losing a game because of confusion about our principles (e.g. PnR coverage) causes lasting psychological pain. As coaches, we are accountable. 

6. Shot selection is not a suggestion. Players need to know and adhere to what good shots are for them. As Bilas says, "It's not your shot, it's our shot." 

7. "Don't be in a rush to win" out of the box. Being in a rush to force pressure or transition when an opponent has physical advantages or preparation can cause quick deficits. Play uphill against strong teams at your risk. 

8. "Foul for profit." - Kevin Sivils  Fouling perimeter shots, threes, late shot clock, bad shots, or frustration fouls are unacceptable. 

9. "Watch more video." Reduce failed pattern recognition and low basketball basketball IQ. Keep a "video library" in a journal or electronic media like a spreadsheet. 

10.Make sportsmanship an entree not an occasional side dish. How players and coaches conduct themselves on the court impacts how they live. "How you do anything is how you do everything." 

Lagniappe. "The quality of the shot relates to the quality of the pass." - Pete Carril   There's data. In shooting drills, emphasize pass quality. 

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Friday, October 2, 2026

Basketball Cliches

What we don't know can hurt us. 

Everyone has heard 'the first rule of medicine' - "Do no harm." Ever heard of rule 1b? "Never dump work on your coworker." 

“Defense wins championships.”

Or does excellent basketball win championships? You cannot win a game 0-0. And you won't make your high school team as a defensive demon with the offensive skills of an octopus. They say you have to play both ends, but the news disputes that. 

“Take what the defense gives you.”

That's works until they give you nothing. As Mike Tyson said, "Everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth." 

“Play one possession at a time.”

Taken literally, what alternative do you have? Never has anyone described game planning, "one possession planning." There's a line in The Transformers (1986), “Would you like to beg for your lives? It sometimes helps… but not often.” Preparation beats false hope. 

“The ball has energy.”

 The ball does not. Players create energy by moving the ball before the defense can recover. 

“Good teams find a way to win.”

 Sometimes. Bad teams find a way to lose. Sometimes bad teams find a way to win..or two bad teams play each other.

“You can't teach size.”

 Size, athleticism, and skill are raw materials. Meatloaf sang, "Two out of three ain't bad."

“It's a make-or-miss game.”

Ignores everything the where, when, and by whom those shots arise. "Bad shooters are always open."

“Feed the hot hand.”

 The Hot Hand Theory has supporters. Then the "heat check" results in the cool hand. 

“Players make plays.”

 Coach K said it another way (loaded with talent) - "Basketball isn't about running plays; it's about making plays."
 
“We need to want it more.”

The worst broadcasters say, "It's all about which team wants it more." That's a load of hoarse manure. Find players who want to screen, sprint back, box out, communicate, and make the extra pass.
 
“Leave it all on the floor.”

 Playing hard won't hurt. Without enough talent, you'll be more fun to watch and lose a lot. 

“Control what you can control.”

Yogi Berra would love this foundational principle of Stoicism. "Their guys better not control more than we can." If you have players that confuse back door with screen (door), then it's a long winter. 

“Trust the process.”

Only if the process deserves trust. Repeating a flawed process with conviction doesn't cut the mustard. 

"Success Is a Choice." 

I'm picking on Coach Pitino's book title because coaching at a school without football is a choice, allowing you to pay your guys more. He practices what he preaches. 

Lagniappe. Dean Smith met with players regularly. Cody Royle shares details. 


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Thursday, October 1, 2026

Developing a Basketball Ecosystem - "What Everyone Knows"

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Chinese Proverb

Basketball offenses evolved with rules changes, concept changes, and player development.

New and experienced coaches can benefit from rethinking ideas and approaches. There is not always an analogy. In Golf Is not a Game of Perfect, Dr. Bob Rotella recommends walking the course backwards from hole to tee to plan course management. That won't work "rim to top." 

Coaches often hear, "everyone knows that." Everyone knows to take good shots, limit turnovers, win the rebounding battle, limit transition hoops, deny direct drives, don't commit dumb fouls, allow "one bad shot." And in every game, what everyone knows gets ignored or forgotten. 

Share concepts:

  • Player development
  • Creating advantage
  • Understanding the 'chain' of offense
  • Exploiting defensive mistakes 
  • A favored ecosystem

Player Development

Each player could envision "four ways to score" from among offensive rebounding, free throws, drives, shooting, cutting to name a few. 

That applies to 'common plays' such as PnR ballhandler, PnR roller, give-and-go, and individual actions from the wing and post. 

Among those individual actions, each player should develop a "go to" and "counter" move. The player has to have them in "their bag."  

 Creating Advantage

Advantage comes from separation and finishing. 

Separation is with or without the dribble, with cutting and/or screening. Screeners adopt "the screener is the second cutter." 

The Chain of Offense

The chain links spacing, to player and ball movement, to the "scoring moment." Contemporary basketball emphasizes layups, threes, and free throws as the "high velocity scoring moments."  

Exploiting Defensive Mistakes

In "Why the Best Are the Best" Kevin Eastman explained that the 2008 NBA Champion Celtics allowed 32 points in a game against the Lakers because of defensive mistakes and errors. Do we believe that high schoolers will make fewer mistakes? 

Common mistakes are missed assignments, poor communication, unchallenged shots, lack of help, poor defensive rebounding, and undisciplined fouling.  

Inhabiting Your Ecosystem 

Explain clearly to your team your expectations with specifics (examples)

  • "Playing hard" means ball containment, no middle, limiting transition via specifics
  • Sending 2 or 3 to the offensive boards (your choice, not theirs)
  • "Greenlighting" specific players taking three-pointers
  • Specifying pick-and-roll coverages  
  • Observers should have a clear idea about offensive and defensive intent. If they can't, is it a clarity of purpose issue or execution?  

Patriots special assistant Ernie Adams kept a sign on his desk, "Stamp out bad football." A sign isn't necessary, but make the intent so. 

Lagniappe. Coach Hoiberg focuses on preparing his team for what they will see the most. 

View on Threads

Lagniappe 2. A Hollywood analogy from Coach Chiesa 


 

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