As the regular season winds down, a lot of Massachusetts high school teams entered holiday tournaments. Streaming video and live attendance offered key lessons that separated winners from losers. Some were obvious, others less so.
Are we taking care of the details?
1. Top teams often win by large margins. That limits their experience in executing during crunch time. That means practicing "close and late" and "special situations" may be their only time to rehearse for the big moments.
2. Many of the top teams played aggressive man-to-man defense. Players should understand that great man defense looks like zone off the ball(loading to the ball) and great zone defense resembles man with ball pressure.
3. Top defensive squads contain the ball. When defenses can't, it opens finishing at the rim or penetration and pass chances for open threes.
4. Top defensive teams often had help side defenders with two feet in the paint. When defense loads to the ball they create the overload.
5. Strong teams challenge defenses with hard-to-defend actions. Well-run pick-and-roll actions scored and drew fouls.
6. "Utilize strengths, attack weaknesses." - Sun Tzu Ancient military advice didn't go out of style. When teams pressed transition, it often succeeded.
7. Have a fallback plan. Dr. Fergus Connolly (?) wrote something like, "don't bring a gun to a gun fight, bring a tank." When the opponent brings a tank, then we need anti-tank munitions (double-teams and junk defenses).
8. Movement kills defenses. The best player I saw (profiled yesterday) moved constantly to create space and time.
Lagniappe. Not for everyone but admirable for all.
Study excellent players. I didn't go to watch this player but she forced the attention.
North Andover's Hannah Martin (22) gets her team off quickly with an assist.
Constant movement frees her for a shot.
Not "America's Play" but this BOB to inbounder "pop" is effective for Martin.
She switches sides, comes off a screen, then penetrates and scores using the window.
She penetrates and dishes.
VDE... she has vision, makes a decision, and executes.
She constantly looks to attack.
She's quick to the ball and a force in transition.
She makes free throws.
She relocates and scores.
She moves to open spots and finds "blue sky."
For the game, she had 37 points (out of 50) and assisted on more than half the rest of the points. She literally scored more points than their opponent's 35.
To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heav'n in a wild flower. Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour. - William Blake
Independent film director Mira Nair says that to do her job well she needs, "the soul of a poet and the hide of an elephant." That fits the description of coaches, too.
What belongs for coaching with each analogy?
The Soul of a Poet
Poets communicate and evoke emotional responses. So do coaches. Poets use imagination to share their vision. So do coaches. It takes time for poets to develop their craft and engage a following. As does coaching.
The Hide of an Elephant
If you put yourself out there as a teacher, writer, or coach, others will push back against your tone, content, and context.
Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton literally brushed his skin regularly with a horsehair brush to achieve a leathery quality.
Sometimes people form opinions to generate controversy or to challenge conventional wisdom. Copernicus postulated the sun at the center of the universe with planets orbiting it. Colleagues lambasted Semmelweis for his germ theory of handwashing to reduce infections. Few accepted three-point shooting theories of Mike D'Antoni. If you want to be different, especially publicly, get thicker skin.
Every new idea isn't correct either. Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement of Hitler turned out fatally flawed. British researcher Andrew Wakefield fabricated data showing the immunization caused autism. He had his medical degree stripped and continues to spread disinformation. We still aren't sure about how many planets exist in the Solar System.
Bottom line, if you want to coach, or write, finding critics won't be difficult. Or as I remind people, "don't beat yourself up, there will always be someone around to do it for you."
An AI Take:
The soul of a poet is a complex and elusive concept, as it encompasses many different qualities and characteristics that poets possess. At its core, the soul of a poet is a deep sensitivity and a profound appreciation for the beauty of the world around them.
Poets have a unique ability to see beyond the surface level of things and to find meaning in the smallest of details. They are often deeply introspective, and their work is an expression of their innermost thoughts and emotions. The soul of a poet is therefore deeply connected to their creative process, which involves a constant exploration of their own inner world and an ongoing quest to understand the world around them.
The soul of a poet is also marked by a deep sense of empathy and compassion. Poets have a unique ability to connect with others on a deep emotional level, and their work often reflects a profound understanding of the human condition. They are often driven by a desire to communicate important truths about the world and to help others to see things from a new perspective.
Finally, the soul of a poet is marked by a deep commitment to their craft. Poets are often driven by a deep sense of purpose and a desire to create something meaningful and lasting. They are willing to put in the time and effort required to hone their skills and to perfect their craft, and they are constantly striving to improve their work.
Overall, the soul of a poet is a multifaceted and complex concept that encompasses many different qualities and characteristics. At its core, it is marked by a deep sensitivity, a profound appreciation for the beauty of the world, a strong sense of empathy and compassion, and a deep commitment to the craft of poetry.
Lagniappe. Build athleticism. This guy has big ups.
Lagniappe 2. You don't have to be the Cone Ranger, but do the work.
Learn from video. Two of the top teams in the Massachusetts top division faced off in a President's Day tournament. I have no affiliation with either team - no "dog in the fight" and "no axe to grind."
Lessons always emerge and what is coached may or may not show up on the floor as players play. Also, the best teams usually have more size and athleticism meaning shorter time and margin of error in decision making.
Start with the organization of a possession:
Initial positioning (formation and spacing)
Creating advantage
Executing at the 'scoring moment'
Why are these successful teams? What's their intent? How are they similar or different from other clubs?
Feehan (green) clears players setting up a side ball screen. How will Andover (white) defend? Why does the offensive player on the help side bring her defender back into the play? Why does the ball handler make the decision she chooses? The momentary advantage dissipates largely because the help defender stays engaged.
This game matched up speed (Feehan) versus size (Andover). Analyzing personnel, examine size, athleticism, and skill. Feehan gains advantage with the first pass and the ball handler has two viable choices, the other being a pass for the open corner three.
"Who died and made you king?" I don't like the spacing and it appears the "intent" was a diagonal screen to get the big open in the paint, possibly with a size mismatch.
Why does something work or not work? White sets up a "UCLA cut" into a side ball screen. Green has excellent help side defensive positioning with both players well into the paint. Then white brings another defender into play which cancels the ball screen.
Face up. One of Jay Bilas's "Toughness" principles is to catch and face the basket. Opportunistic defense swarms a player who doesn't and turns the ball over.
Paint touches change the offense dynamic. They collapse the defense and open 'inside-outside' chances. Not the prettiest but the concept applies.
Attention to detail. Another Bilas concept is "set up your cut." The BOB concept is a "sandwich screen" but the timing and execution isn't there.
Great offense is multiple actions and great defense is multiple efforts. Andover runs a back-screen/cross-screen and Feehan's trap ("put them in a glass box") is ineffective against Andover's size.
VDE. Vision, decision, execution. Feehan has a "horns-like" set and opens a few possibilities including an open corner three or a corner cut to the hoop. Instead, they play into traffic. "Win in space."
A good concept turns into second chance points. Andover runs a diagonal screen into a slip. I teach "bigs away come back into play" as a good rule of thumb.
Players make the game. Extending defense offers both benefits and risks. Players make an individual play that is noteworthy.
Turnovers may result from a flawed decision or execution. This slipped screen looked promising but the connection didn't happen. And the help defense was reacting quickly.
Stronger teams often play few close games. That's an argument for practicing close and late situations. Andover played zero two possession games and Feehan had played only one this season. Predicting how players will respond in those situations isn't easy. In a one possession game late, Andover runs Iverson action but doesn't score and Feehan rushes the ball up court into traffic and turns the ball over.
"If everything you see confirms your view of the world, you're doing it wrong. You're building a lawyer's case..." - Paul Krugman
Coaching is never boring. How can a job demanding excellence in organization, short-term and long-range decisions, teaching, communication, self-regulation, and more be easy?
Three things is life are certain - death, taxes, and no coach has players and players' extended families who are completely satisfied.
"She's turning the ball over too much. Why is she playing ahead of my kid?"
Are we seeing with our eyes or our heart?"
Are we ignoring strengths or overweighting negatives?
Maybe the positives outweigh the negatives.
Maybe there's a "development" factor. Things are getting better.
Maybe, for all her flaws, our child's are worse.
The list goes on. Parents should advocate for our children. If not parents, then who will? I have no children or grandchildren playing competitively, so no paternity prism filters the light reaching my eyes.
As coaches, accept that. But at the same time, the coach's job is doing what is best for the team. As Brad Stevens says, each day ask, "what does our team need now?"
Everyone needs clarity. At the varsity level, winning and sustainable competitive advantage should be goals. How?
Add value."Every day is player development day." Competition paired with development strengthens the program.
Get buy in. Choose a consistent program philosophy and get everyone on the same page with it.
"Character is job one." - Etorre Messina. Character forges commitment, discipline, empathy, sportsmanship, and teamwork. Coaches set the tone and model excellence. An abundance of rules won't make people better. Player ownership of team behaviors fashions maturity. If smoking and drinking take priority over basketball, then feel free to leave.
"Obsess the product." The best players make everyone around them better and impact winning. Within that context, remember what Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says, "there is always a pecking order." Every player deserves coaching but every player may not get minutes every game. If the principal and the AD want it to be rec ball and everyone plays, then everyone in the community can't have championship aspirations.
Consider more transparency if not "radical transparency." Without transparency, people speculate. "The coach doesn't like me" or "I'm not getting opportunities at practice." Coaches can't co-coach with parents, but when parents observe parts of practices, education, and the direction in which the team is headed, there is less diversity and extremism of opinion. Ray Dalio said, "I think the greatest tragedy of mankind is that people have ideas and opinions in their heads but don’t have a process for properly examining these ideas to find out what’s true. That creates a world of distortions. That’s relevant to what we do, and I think it’s relevant to all decision making." Know that, "Transparency generates trust in both consumers and employees."
There are problems with more objective self-assessment.
More objective people have higher rates of depression.
We see ourselves through a harsher light of reality.
Objectivity can be soul-crushing for some.
Finding balance between arrogance and doubt has a name - confidence. With a better process, considering outside opinions and both sides of an issue, we may gain both perspective and respect. Saying, "I hadn't thought of it that way" isn't always easy.
Summary:
Add value.
Get buy in.
"Character is job one." - Etorre Messina.
"Obsess the product." - Sarah Blakely
Consider more transparency.
Lagniappe (something extra). This is NOT an introductory press. Without players having a strong defensive foundation, it is hard to teach.
🔑s to the Run & Jump Press
▪️Play with aggression/effort & without fear ▪️Quick matchups ▪️Force an inbound below the FT line ▪️Steer the dribbler sideline into a speed dribble ▪️Trap from behind and ROTATE ▪️Get back tips and deflections pic.twitter.com/ja5YuOOno5
Lagniappe 2. Even if you play in a shot clock state (we do in Massachusetts), there's a role for having a delay game and learning to defend against it.
Video - breakdown from 2020 Olympics (semifinal versus Slovenia)
High ball screen as Fournier/Gobert combine to score against drop coverage as Fournier maintains advantage.
A dribble handoff and staggered screen free DeColo for an open corner three.
Doncic be Doncic. Off a SLOB, Doncic runs the high pick-and-roll against drop coverage and Slovenia gets a dunk.
Creating edges. Former Celtic Yabusele frees De Colo with a backscreen and he does the rest at the rim with a speed mismatch.
Fall in love with easy. With more 'drop coverage' De Colo uses a Gobert screen for an easy foul line jumper.
"Once burned, twice shy." Drop coverage didn't work, so France elects to switch the PnR against Luka. Back to the drawing board.
France into Spain? France sets up a horns set with a handback into action that looks like Spain pick-and-roll (backscreen the roller). It frees Fournier for a floater and 'maybe' Yabusele could have cut harder for a lob. Just saying.
See me, not? I can watch whole high school games without seeing one legit pick-and-roll. Here Fournier and Gobert run it again and create an edge. Slovenia is NOT going to help off perimeter shooters. Gobert gets fouled. He is a career 64% FT shooter, FWIW.
Down 4 with 44 seconds left, Slovenia uses a variation of what France ran but the initial screen sets a second (down) screen to free up a three-pointer.
France hosts the 2024 Olympics, so France is an automatic qualifier. Here's a brief Reddit summary:
"2024 will be the Olympic debut of Victor Wembanyama, right after his 2023-24 rookie campaign. His addition alone to an already loaded veteran team will make them the most talented French squad in history. Gobert, Fournier, and Batum should still be the leaders of this team by 2024, but France also is banking on the development of young guys like Killian Hayes, Theo Maledon, Ousmane Dieng (projected 1st Rd pick in 2022), and Sekou Doumbouya to give them the best possible chance at winning a gold medal on home court."
Analogies help us 'relate the unrelated' to increase understanding. Analogies prove useful in science and discovery. Thomas Edison discussed imagination, persistence and analogy as keys to inventing. They're everywhere in daily life. Apply some to basketball.
Military strategy and basketball offense. Historical military offense includes long-range artillery, the cavalry, and infantry. These relate to basketball as perimeter shooting, transition offense, and the power game inside.
The Chessmaster, alternatively The General. Although technique beats tactics, basketball tacticians get variously celebrated. I don't favor the grandmaster strategy because it reduces players to pieces. Numerous coaches, most notably Bobby Knight earned recognition as "The General."
Solving puzzles. Both coaches and players solve problems. South Carolina's Dawn Staley shares her love for solving puzzles. The media sometimes refer to an individual player as the "missing piece" of the puzzle, and 'misfits' like Dennis Rodman can be critical answers.
Frankenstein's monster. A player can look assembled with the best of many - intellect, size, athleticism, toughness, resilience, skill. Coaches, unlike Dr. Frankenstein cannot assemble the individual monster but sometimes make a monster of the parts.
Software and hardware. Players, like computers, are the intersection between hardware and software. Trainers and strength and conditioning guys work on the hardware (physicality). Coaches, sports psychologists, and trainers work on the software, constantly looking to upgrade to better versions.
Time bombs. All of us are time bombs ticking down in the big picture. Teams can be time bombs of deterioration (age, contracts) or dysfunctional behaviors or cultures.
By 'the book'. We celebrate conventional wisdom, until we don't. In Making Decisions, Ed Smith writes how 'old timers' are the first to criticize the failure of innovation or changing decisions. "The book" gives the high drift choice an abundance of chances. "The book" ends close games with isolation plays instead of higher points/possession play types. "The book" takes the field goal on fourth and one from the eight.
The Hatfields and the McCoys. Cross-town or intersectional rivalries get overstated in the manner of the nineteenth century blood feud. A more literary feud would reference the Capulets and the Montagues, the families behind Romeo and Juliet.
"See one, do one, teach one." Medicine is famous for teaching by demonstration, imitation, and education. We know Coach Wooden's recommendation for EDIRx5. Explanation, demonstration, imitation. repetition x five. As kids we heard, "monkey see, monkey do."
Lagniappe. "Every day is player development day."
Rewind of "Why Aren't We Scoring More?"
Where does the rubber meet the road? In a recent game, a high school team I follow had 44 FGA, 6 offensive rebounds, 22 turnovers, and 13 FTAs. That calculates to 66 possessions.
39 points/66 possessions (0.59 points/possession)
EFG% was .304
FT% was 12/13 (92%)
Assists (6)
Ineffective possessions (poor shooting, few assists, high turnovers) were all easy explanations for only 39 points.
Practical applications:
Reduce turnovers.
Pass better (the quality of the shot relates to the quality of the pass).
