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Quick Tip: Individual Defensive Skills and Techniques

Like their offensive counterparts, defensive fundamentals must be broken down and practiced constantly on all levels of basketball. Players need to know and practice how to guard the player with the ball, how to guard a player without the ball, how to guard a cutter, how to guard a player in post area, and how to box out and rebound on shots.

Featured Play: Clock Zone Offense

The “Clock” is a very simple but powerful zone offense. It is easy to teach, learn and execute. It incorporates a basic 1-3-1 free lance passing attack with a few basic rotation rules. It gets its name from the outside players clockwise and counter clockwise rotations. The Clock Offense is ideal for those looking for a very effective, but simple zone offense. Learn More – Click Here

Coaching Tips: Importance of Player Development

Individual player development, on and off the court, is the greatest satisfaction of coaching. Basketball is unique in that it is a game within a game. However, we coaches often have a tendency to spend more time on introducing and refining plays or defenses rather than developing and improving individual player skills and techniques that will ultimately determine their success or failure.

Remember, basketball is not a game of offenses and defenses, but a game of effort and execution. Coach your players, not the system. Be sure to develop all of your players to the best of their capabilities. Coaching great players is easy. Where great coaches excel is in getting the most out of every player on the squad regardless of physical abilities and skills.

GUIDANCE

“Regard your soldiers as your children, and they may follow you wherever you may lead.

Look upon them as your beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.

If, however, you are indulgent, but unable to make your authority felt; kind hearted but unable to

enforce your commands; and incapable, moreover, of quelling disorder,

Then, your soldiers must be able to liken to spoiled children. They are useless for all tactical purposes.”

Sun Tzu Wu, Art of War 450 BC

Defending Against Out-Numbered Situations

Transition defense starts with being able to defend the out numbered situation. Players should be well schooled in how to defending out-numbered situations. Successfully defending an outnumbered break is a really big play (RBP). It often times makes the difference in winning or losing a close game.

Do not make the mistake of taking for granted that players are already knowledgeable and skilled in how to defend against the out number situations. Players need to be taught the correct way to “Wolf” (catch a dribbler from behind), how to defend 2 & 3 against one situations as well as 3 & 4 against two situations. To learn More –  Click Here

Defensive Rebounding a Total Team Effort

The importance of rebounding defensively cannot be over emphasized. A rebound on defense is equivalent to a made shot on offense. A team can play tremendous defense and force a bad or rushed shot, but this defensive effort will be wasted if the offense is allowed to rebound the missed shot. For any defensive effort to be successful it must end in a turnover or defensive rebound (defensive stop).

Defensive rebounding is a coordinated team effort, and every player must realize that it is just as important to box out and prevent their opponent from getting the rebound as it is to obtain the rebound. Therefore, defensive rebounding is one of those situations in basketball where it’s not the number of times you do, but it’s the time you do not that counts. This means that the defenders block every offensive player’s path to the basket and ball on every shot during a game. This is especially true for the shooter since they know where the ball is going as soon as it leaves their hand. Learn More –  Click Here

Featured Play: Base Cross Offense

Posting up is a big part of the game of basketball. It is truly an advantage to have a dominant force inside. However, post ups are not limited to just big men, look for all teams to exploit size mismatches at any position. In addition, teams will commonly deploy the tactic of a small player setting a screen for a big player to create mismatches such is the case with the Base Cross offense.

We coaches have a tendency to make the game too complex. At first glance the Base Cross offense may look simple, but it’s the execution of the baseline screen that is the key to making it so devastating. Learn More – Click Here

Defensive Tips: Transition Defense

Off season and pick-up games create bad defensive transition habits. In these unorganized games, players have a tendency to hang back on offense (“Cherry Pick”) rather than hustle back on defense. As a result, during the season, coaches have their work cut out in establishing good defensive transition habits. Good transition defense really starts with good offense. When players take good care of the ball and take good shots along with strong offensive rebounding and defensive balance, it makes it difficult for the opponent to push the ball. However, do not do not leave defensive transition up to chance. Learn more about defensive transition – Click Here

Playing Tips: Keys to Improving Your Free Throw Accuracy

What is your or your team’s current free throw percentage?

Free Throw shots are unique in that the shooter has complete control of the shot. Free throws are shot from the same spot and distance from the basket with no defense to worry about. The shooter also has the choice of the type of shot to shoot. Since free throws account for approximately 25% of scoring, and a single free throw can make the difference in winning or losing, the ability to shoot free throws should be taken very seriously.

Anyone can be a successful free throws shooter regardless of age, sex and physical attributes. Shooting a free throw is a simple, single, action consisting of a minimum of moving parts with consistency, concentration and confidence playing important roles. Once the smooth, repetitive action of a free throw is learned and acquired, it becomes a natural reflex that is seldom lost. In fact, you will be able to make free throws with your eyes closed. However, don’t wait until you have a problem to improve your free throw shooting. Learn how the 3C’s can greatly improve your accuracy now – Click Here  

Featured Play: Reverse Action Motion Offense

The Reverse Action Offense was first introduced and utilized by the late Hall of Fame Coach, Pete Newell, back in the late fifties. It was the forefather of today’s triangle post and flex offenses. Although the basic guard around continuity is fairly simple, it is a bear to defend because of its precise execution and footwork. The weakside wing’s rub cut off a post screen to the basket is its most recognizable option; however, Reverse Action also affords for a very strong post up game along with a two player guard around isolation along with providing numerous quick hitting counters against any defensive overplay. To learn the details about the Reverse Action Offense – Click Here

Coaching Tips: Warming Up

Starting a strenuous physical activity, such as basketball, without proper warm-up is not only detrimental to a player’s health, but to their athletic performance as well. The warm-up period for basketball should be composed of some light running or shooting followed by a thorough stretching program. It should be of sufficient duration and intensity to adequately prepare oneself for the physical demands of the workout or game. The main purpose of a warm-up is to prepare for muscular activity, and is not an exhausting activity to bring on fatigue. Therefore, players should not expend themselves during the warm-up periods, especially before a game. To Learn more – Click Here

Defensive Tips: Two-Three Zone Defense

The 2-3 zone is the most commonly used zone defense. Since its 2-3 alignment allows teams to keep their big players inside, it is very strong in protecting the basket area and against dribble penetration. The 2-3 zone is also effective against poor outside shooting teams. However, on the other hand, the 2-3 zone is very vulnerable to good outside shooting teams.

Because of its packed-in alignment, the 2-3 zone is the most common choice of defense to use when teams are at a disadvantage when it comes to quickness, athleticism and skill. However, with quick and agile players, the 2-3 zone can become a very aggressive, trapping defense. It is also an excellent defense to use to defend against talented or big low post players. Learn more – Click Here

Playing Tips: Training Demands & Expectations

To be successful, each player as well as the team collectively, must be possessed with the desire and determination to develop superior physical condition. Throughout the course of the season the team will be pushed and trained hard. However, it is going to be up to you, individually, to see that your maximum physical condition is achieved and maintained. Learn more about the importance of physical training and conditioning – Click Here

HoopTactics Newsletter

Coach John Wooden, Featured Play: UCLA Set Offense, Individual “On” Ball Defense

Premium Membership What’s New

• Player Development: Pressuring Player with the Ball
• Player Development: Containing a Dribbler
• Player Development: Defending Against Dribble Penetration

In Memory of John Wooden

 “Success is peace of mind that is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”

Basketball Legend, John Wooden, was one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game. Although, his fame extended well  beyond the sports world, it was his success and achievements on the court for which he is best renowned. He is enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, both as a player and a coach.

He was a three time all-state high school player winning a state championship in 1927 and a three time all-American for Perdue University winning Perdue’s only national championship in 1932. His coaching accolades include an unprecedented 10 NCAA National Basketball Championships and 88 consecutive victories. However, what is most encouraging about John Wooden’s coaching career is that he worked his way up through the ranks being a high school teacher and coach for 11 years, and a small college coach at Indiana Teachers College (now Indiana State University), prior to being hired by UCLA.

Wooden’s dynasty at UCLA was built on sound teaching and high standards. He demanded precise execution of fundamentals and teamwork based on his “Pyramid of Success.” In 2003 John Wooden received the US Medal of Freedom. The highest honor awarded to a US civilian.   John Wooden’s example, leadership and contributions to the game will definitely live on forever.

Featured Play: “UCLA” High Post Rub Offense

This potent high post attack was instrumental to the success of many of UCLA’s NCAA championship teams under coach John Wooden, and is commonly used on all levels of basketball, including the NBA. The UCLA Offense is a viable option for teams that do not have a bona fide low post player. It is primarily designed to take full advantage of a post player with good passing and shooting skills, but it also takes advantage of the post up abilities of a point guard and power forward. Like any successful offense, the UCLA offense is based on very sound principles and excellent court spacing.  Learn more about UCLA Offense High Post Rub Offense – Click Here

Off Season Player Development: Individual “On” Ball Defense

Individual “On Ball” defense is comprised of three basic fundamentals: Pressuring the player with the ball, containing a dribbler and attacking the picked up dribble. Summer basketball competition is an excellent opportunity for players to refine and improve individual defensive skills. However, with the main emphasis in these games placed on “showcasing” current abilities and strengths rather than utilizing the opportunity to improve their playing skills for future play, defensive efforts are usually lax.

Players need to take full responsibility in making off season skill improvement a primary goal. They do not need a coach or personal trainer. “A game within in a game” – Every time they take to the court, whether for a game, a practice or just a pickup game, they should make it a goal to work on improving a single or related defensive skill. They will still shoot, pass, dribble, and rebound. But, most importantly, they will be working hard to improve a specific defensive skill such as defending against dribble penetration. HoopTactics Premium Members: Learn all about defending the player with the ball – Click Here