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The following is a passout that we give to our players at LSU and one that we refer back when talking to our players in giving them feedback in regard to their development.In developing outstanding post play, we want to first look for and then develop the following characteristics:
1. SHE MUST BE AGGRESSIVE
At LSU, we want post players that don’t just like contact, they love contact. So much of playing the post deals with our ability to first gain a seal and then hold onto that seal. Contact is one of the most important parts to successful post play. Part of the Lady Tiger basketball philosophy is to pound the ball inside so we can get to the free throw line. This offensive belief leads toward contact and we want to be the one to establish it.
2. SHE MUST WANT THE BASKETBALL
We want post players that have an ardent desire to receive the basketball. This doesn’t always mean that they will have an opportunity to score but they will do whatever necessary to create a passing lane for another teammate to pass them the basketball.
3. SHE MUST WANT TO SCORE
We’ve never coached a great post player that didn’t have a desire to score. This doesn’t mean that she is taking poor shots. What it does mean is that she is first sprinting the floor to see if she can beat the defense down the court for a lay-up. Then she is working in the post to get good position to create an easy scoring opportunity. Finally, when the ball is shot, she is working hard on the offensive glass to get a second shot opportunity. All three of these scenarios call for a post player that has a great desire to score.
4. SHE MUST BE PHYSICALLY STRONG
We want players that are warriors in the weight room. Our commitment in the weight room is supported through our facilities and strength staff headed up by Scott Gadeken. Working hard in the weight room doesn’t mean that we are interested in huge muscle bound athletes. We are interested in developing upper body strength and explosiveness from the lower body. Weak post players are unable to handle the situations necessary in good posting.
5. SHE MUST BE AN EXCELLENT CONDITIONED ATHLETE
We expect our post players to be able to outrun the opposing post players down the court for fast break opportunities. And, just as important, we expect our post players to be able to outrun the opposing post players in defensive transition. In our motion offense, our post players are constantly moving. They are flashing high, going to screen for teammates, and posting up inside. All of this demands a supreme physically conditioned athlete.
6. SHE MUST BE A SMART PLAYER
We expect our post players to be able to “think” the game. Again, because of our motion offense, our post players are expected to make constant decisions while on the floor. When and who to screen, when to post, when to flash are just some of the instant decisions we expect them to make. Equally, because we utilize scouting reports, they must know which particular player they are defending and how to defend them. They may start out on a post player that can hit a perimeter shot in which we may want to come out and pressure. Then following a substitution, they may be defending a non-shooter in which we may want them to back off.
7. SHE MUST POSSESS A GREAT WORK ETHIC
Obviously, to be a warrior in the weight room, and a supreme physically conditioned athlete, and a mentally prepared basketball player, you must first possess a great work ethic. We demand a lot from a Lady Tiger post player and the truly good ones are not afraid to work. To be a top-flight post player, the work ethic is a year round necessity.
8. SHE MUST BE A GOOD FREE THROW SHOOTER
The good post player gets to the free throw line — the great post player finishes by making her free throws. Getting to the free throw line is a major part of our coaching philosophy and the primary way to get to the free throw line is to get the ball inside. But there is nothing more disheartening than to execute, force the defense to make a major mistake by fouling us, and then come away with nothing because we can’t hit our free throws.
1. SHE MUST BE AGGRESSIVE
At LSU, we want post players that don’t just like contact, they love contact. So much of playing the post deals with our ability to first gain a seal and then hold onto that seal. Contact is one of the most important parts to successful post play. Part of the Lady Tiger basketball philosophy is to pound the ball inside so we can get to the free throw line. This offensive belief leads toward contact and we want to be the one to establish it.
2. SHE MUST WANT THE BASKETBALL
We want post players that have an ardent desire to receive the basketball. This doesn’t always mean that they will have an opportunity to score but they will do whatever necessary to create a passing lane for another teammate to pass them the basketball.
3. SHE MUST WANT TO SCORE
We’ve never coached a great post player that didn’t have a desire to score. This doesn’t mean that she is taking poor shots. What it does mean is that she is first sprinting the floor to see if she can beat the defense down the court for a lay-up. Then she is working in the post to get good position to create an easy scoring opportunity. Finally, when the ball is shot, she is working hard on the offensive glass to get a second shot opportunity. All three of these scenarios call for a post player that has a great desire to score.
4. SHE MUST BE PHYSICALLY STRONG
We want players that are warriors in the weight room. Our commitment in the weight room is supported through our facilities and strength staff headed up by Scott Gadeken. Working hard in the weight room doesn’t mean that we are interested in huge muscle bound athletes. We are interested in developing upper body strength and explosiveness from the lower body. Weak post players are unable to handle the situations necessary in good posting.
5. SHE MUST BE AN EXCELLENT CONDITIONED ATHLETE
We expect our post players to be able to outrun the opposing post players down the court for fast break opportunities. And, just as important, we expect our post players to be able to outrun the opposing post players in defensive transition. In our motion offense, our post players are constantly moving. They are flashing high, going to screen for teammates, and posting up inside. All of this demands a supreme physically conditioned athlete.
6. SHE MUST BE A SMART PLAYER
We expect our post players to be able to “think” the game. Again, because of our motion offense, our post players are expected to make constant decisions while on the floor. When and who to screen, when to post, when to flash are just some of the instant decisions we expect them to make. Equally, because we utilize scouting reports, they must know which particular player they are defending and how to defend them. They may start out on a post player that can hit a perimeter shot in which we may want to come out and pressure. Then following a substitution, they may be defending a non-shooter in which we may want them to back off.
7. SHE MUST POSSESS A GREAT WORK ETHIC
Obviously, to be a warrior in the weight room, and a supreme physically conditioned athlete, and a mentally prepared basketball player, you must first possess a great work ethic. We demand a lot from a Lady Tiger post player and the truly good ones are not afraid to work. To be a top-flight post player, the work ethic is a year round necessity.
8. SHE MUST BE A GOOD FREE THROW SHOOTER
The good post player gets to the free throw line — the great post player finishes by making her free throws. Getting to the free throw line is a major part of our coaching philosophy and the primary way to get to the free throw line is to get the ball inside. But there is nothing more disheartening than to execute, force the defense to make a major mistake by fouling us, and then come away with nothing because we can’t hit our free throws.
