THE SPURS 8 KEYS TO BALL MOVEMENT

Outstanding list compiled by BasketballHQ.com (outstanding website).  Click here to read the entire post which also includes video.

1. Ball Reversals

• Make the Defense Move
  • The more times the ball goes from side to side, the more the defense must rotate and closeout.
  • Be down ready on the back side as the ball is swung to you.
  • Attack closeouts that are too close, and shoot the ball when the defense closes out short with hands down.
• Don't Catch and Hold the Ball
  • Be thinking one play ahead and be decisive with your moves.
  • Don't waste your dribbles. Either drive the closeout, shoot, or move the ball.

 
2. Player Movement

• Don't Stand
  • Players that stand are easy to guard and force one on one offense.
  • Sometimes you may need to space, but most of the time you should always be moving.
• Hard Cuts
  • Read your defender and make the appropriate cut.
    • Back cut
    • Face cut
  • Make decisive cuts.
  • Set up your defender before cutting.
  • Slow to fast.
  • Look to score on every cut.
  • Your cut may open up a scoring chance for a teammate.

3. Screens

• Set GREAT Legal Screens
  • Use screens to help get other teammates open.
  • Must head hunt on screens.
  • Never screen and stand.
  • Read the defense and offensive player using the screen to determine whether you should roll or space after you set the screen.
  • Slip the screen if you are being overplayed.
• Use Screens to Get Open
  • Set up your defender before using a screen. EVERY TIME.
  • Read your defender when using the screen and then make the appropriate cut.
    • Curl cut
    • Straight cut
    • Fade cut
    • Pro cut
• On the Same Page
  • The player using the screen and the player(s) setting the screen must work together.
  • Must have great timing and spacing when executing a screen.
• Hand Offs
  • Use hand offs similar to ball screens to help teammates get open.
  • If your defender is cheating the hand off, fake it and then make a move.

4. Penetration

• Drive and Kick
  • Great penetration forces the defense to suck in and help, which opens up the kick out pass.
  • Get your shoulders to the basket before making the kick out pass.
    • This sells that you are attacking the basket and makes the defense sink in.
  • Receiver needs to be down ready to either shoot, drive, or swing the ball. Don't catch and hold!
    • If you catch and hold, the defense can recover and the ball movement is dead.
• Stay Under Control
  • Don't leave your feet and open yourself up to charges and wild passes.
  • Don't over penetrate into trouble.
    • If you get too deep into the defense, there are too many hands to deflect your pass.

5. Passing Angles

• Receiver Needs to Create Passing Lanes
  • Don't stand and watch on penetration.
  • Either slide up or down to create a great passing lane.
  • A great time to move is once your defender turns their head to watch the ball.
  • Find the passers eyes, especially when the ball goes into the post.
• Down Ready
  • Don't catch the ball standing straight up and down.
  • Anticipate what you are going to do with the ball by how the defender is guarding you; shoot, drive, or swing pass.

6. Inside Out

• Post Play
  • Get the ball into the post and then look for kick outs when the defense helps.
  • Find the post players eyes and create passing lanes by moving up or down.
  • Hard cuts on the weak side will be open with a great post passer.
• Pass Fakes
  • Being unselfish opens up opportunities for pass fakes and keeps.
  • Works great for hand offs in the high post area.
  • Must sell the pass.
  • Use your body to shield the ball from the view of the defender.

7. Designed Plays

• Executing Offense
  • Use set plays to help establish ball movement and player movement.
  • It can be a set play or a motion offense.
• Read the Defense
  • Don't be a robot to the play.
  • If the defense is cheating the play than make them pay.

 
8. Unselfish Plays

• Extra Pass
  • Turn down an okay shot for a great shot.
  • This type of play will be contagious and lead to better shots for everyone.
• Set Up Teammates
  • Make a move with the specific desire to set up another teammate for an easy shot.
  • Not just the point guards responsibility.
• Celebrate Winning Plays
  • Get excited when a teammate makes an unselfish play.
  • It must be all about the team.

THE ADVANTAGES OF READING

If you follow my blog or follow me on twitter you know I'm a big fan of Michael Hyatt.  His blog is outstanding in terms of helping us with organization, time management, social media, technology and much more.  And he is absolutely a must follow on twitter.  You also know of passion and belief in the importance of reading which makes this post by Michael a must read in my book.

Here are some brief excerpts from a recent post from his blog titled "5 Ways Reading Makes You A Better Leader."  Again, these are just short takes form the post and you can (and should) read it in its entirety here.

"One of the best ways to become

an indispensable leader?

Crack open a book."

-Michael Hyatt

1. Reading Makes us Better Thinkers

Reading is one of the most efficient ways to acquire information, and leaders need a lot of general information to keep perspective and seize opportunities. But reading does more than give us a toolbox of ideas. It actually upgrades our analytical tools, especially our judgment and problem-solving abilities.

Research by Anne E. Cunningham compared the general knowledge of readers and television watchers. The readers not only knew more, but they were also better at deciphering misinformation. In other words, reading improved their judgment.

2. Reading Improves Our People Skills

Sometimes we think of readers as antisocial introverts with the their nose in a book and ignoring the people around them. But reading can actually improve a leader’s people skills.

Stories give us an opportunity to walk in other people’s shoes and see the world through their experiences and with their motivations—this is especially true for novels, biographies, and memoirs. When asked about the reading that helps her lead her business, one CEO said the insights about human nature in fiction and poetry has made all the difference in understanding and relating to her people.

3. Reading Helps us Master Communication

When we read, especially widely and deeply, we pick up language proficiency that transfers across the board, including speaking and writing.

Reading uniquely expands our vocabulary. According to Cunningham, the books, magazines, and other written texts we read as adults use double and triple the number of rare words we hear on television.

4. Reading Helps us Relax

An ongoing challenge every leader faces is managing stress. The great news is that while we’re reading and picking up the benefits of Ways 1, 2, and 3, we can simultaneously lower our stress levels.

One study compared reading to other stress relievers like walking, listening to music, or drinking a cup of tea. Reading was found the most effective, and it worked to lower heart rates and relieve tension in as few as six minutes.

“It really doesn’t matter what book you read,” according to the doctor who conducted the study. “By losing yourself in a thoroughly engrossing book you can escape from the worries and stresses of the everyday world.”

5. Reading Keeps us Young

I recently explained why older people make better entrepreneurs. They typically have advantages in experience, knowledge, and social networks.

It’s the same with leaders—and readers are especially positioned to leverage these advantages because reading has been shown in research by Keith E. Stanovich to keep us mentally sharp as we age. By exercising our brains with books and other reading we might even be able to prevent dementia in later years.

 

INSIDE LOOK AT TWO HALL OF FAME COACHES AND THEIR PROGRAMS

I've wrote before about how much I absolutely love Coach Greg Brown's book "The Best Things I've Seen In Coaching."  But I was rereading parts of it this week and thought I'd share some more thoughts about why this book is essential for all coaches on all levels. First, just to get insight into the teaching methods of Coach Don Meyer and Coach Pat Summitt makes is must-have book. Add to the fact that all the proceeds from the book go to charities for the foundations of both Coach Meyer and Coach Summitt and you have something very special indeed.  Ordering information will be at the bottom of the post.

Here is just a portion of what you can find in this book:

A look at the “Cornell Notetaking” system as taught by Coach Don Meyer.

Coach Pat Summitt talking about the components of “The Tennessee Way.”

Greg’s notes (he’s a prolific notetaker) following the Lady Vols games in which Coach Summitt meets with the team.  This includes post game notes from non-conference opponents like UConn as well SEC rivals.

Greg’s notes from John Maxwell as he addresses the Lady Vols.

Coach Summitt’s post-season meetings with players following the 2004 National Championship game.

Coach Summitt’s practice expectations.

Sections with Coach Summitt’s thoughts on responsibility, attitude, discipline, competing and communication.

An absolute great section titled “Put The Team Before Yourself.”

Coach Meyer’s core values: Team Attitude.

A great section with Coach Meyer’s principles in regard to planning and organization.

Coach Meyer’s views on self-improvement and being resilient.

An amazing section on Coach Meyers thoughts about leadership.

Coach Meyer’s formula for building a team and building a program.

For information on ordering "The Best Things I've Seen In Coaching" click here.

EMAIL NOTIFICATION TO HELP YOU BETTER FOLLOW HOOPTHOUGHTS

Over the past year we have received a lot of requests for an email notification system for our blog posts.  We finally found some time (and some knowledge) to add a simple method in which you can type in your email address and then each time we add a new post you will receive an email on that post.  This will not include our Hoop Thoughts Flashback posts -- which can keep track of by following us on twitter.

SOME OF OUR BEST COACH K BLOG POSTS

In honor of Duke's National Championship last night, here is a list of some of our favorite blog posts regarding Coach Mike Krzyzewski:

Practice & Playing Time Thoughts

3 Things to Learn From Coach K

Having Fun Is Doing Hard Things Well

The Next Play Mentality

Choosing The Right Words

Thoughts on Coach K from Jay Bilas (Coaching U Live)

Coach K on Developing a Culture

Coach K on Maintaining Passion

Key Words for Coach K

Teamwork Begins and Ends with Communication

Coach K's Little Blue Book

Random Coach K Thoughts

JIM BOONE WITH NEW PACK LINE DVD: ADVANCED TACTICS

One of the best teachers in the game, and a dear friend, is Jim Boone at Delta State.  A few years back, Jim put together a great teaching DVD outlining is Pack Line Defense.  Jim is constantly speaking at clinics and visiting with coaching staffs to outline how he plays and teaches the Pack Line.  His first DVD, "Pressure Pack Line Defense" was extremely successful.  It's a great DVD to have in your collection.  And if your response is "I don't play Pack Line."  My response would be that I guarantee that you are playing a few teams that do -- and you need to know the inner workings of the defense to better attack.

Last week Jim released a follow up: "Pressure Pack Line Defense: Advanced Tactics."  The video is an All-Access presentation that gives the viewer an opportunity to observe a team that has never ran the Pack being drilled to do so. 

Jim focuses on Four Key Areas:
1) Conversion Defense
2) Defending the Low Post
3) Defeating Screens
4) Defending Specific Offensive Movements

If you want information on either of the two DVD's (or Jim's DVD on Motion Offense), email him at JBoone@DeltaState.edu. He's got a couple of great PDFs that better explain the DVDs and give you great pricing options. 

 

THINGS I WISH AN OLDER, EXPERIENCED COACH WOULD HAVE TOLD ME WHEN I WAS YOUNG

Another quick glimpse into Greg Brown's outstanding book,  "The Best Things I've Seen In Coaching," includes an incredible list he got from Coach Don Meyer.  This title of the list should peak your curiosity enough -- Things I Wish An Older, Experienced Coach Would Have Told Me When I Was Young.  The list, compiled by Coach Meyer, has 50 bullet points of outstanding information.  Here is a look at just 10 them:

#2 Be what you is because if you be what you ain't, you ain't what you is.  Kids can spot a phony or con man a mile away.

#12 All the greats know how to keep is simple - Jack Whitaker.

#13 Average tennis players have a great variety of shots while great tennis players his the same old boring winners. -Vic Braden

#24 Who is working for you when you are not there. -Tommy Smith

#25 I never allowed myself or my staff, or our players to get satisfied. -John Wooden

#27 The saddest day of your life will be the day you find that you are no longer productive.

#31 Have a thoughts and notes journal that you keep just for you. -Dick Bennett

#34 Learn who you are and what your game is. -Rick Majerus

#36 Don't wrestle in the mud with a pig because you both get muddy and the pic likes it. (My uncle on administrators)

#44 Teach, teach, teach. You better have good practices. -Al McGuire

Want to see the entire list? Buy the book -- it is so full of great material that Coach Brown learned while working for Coach Meyer and Pat Summitt.  And even more importantly, proceeds from the book will be divided among the Meyer and Summitt Foundations.

For ordering information, click HERE.

10 CONCEPTS THAT HURT A ZONE VIA MIKE DUNLAP

Earlier this week I spoke of a great resource. Brooklyn Kohlheim is an assistant coach at Nova Southeastern University.  She puts out an email blast periodically every few weeks -- AND IT IS OUTSTANDING!!! It includes PDFs of plays and drills, links to great articles and videos.  Doesn't matter what level you coach on, there is something outstanding in each mailing. Click here to see how you can sign up.

Here is yet another example of some of the stuff you can receive via email:


10 CONCEPTS THAT HURT A ZONE FROM MIKE DUNLAP

 

1) Quick and consistent ball reversal.

 

2) The inside-out attack with ball movement.

 

3) Dribble penetration, which makes two defenders guard one. Additionally, when this

occurs, pitch for open 3's.

 

4) Teams that pound the boards to either finish, kick out for open 3, or get fouled.

 

5) The full reversal, which means that the zone doesn't mind the quick reversal from wing --‐ point--‐ wing, but hates the same reversal and the ball is passed to the corner? Why? This flattens the zone out, frequently exposes the 5 man, forces zone to bump, and opens up the top of the zone for a shot or penetration.

 

6) Cut and replace. I believe excessive cutting is easier to guard than a well timed cut and replace action. My point here is the players need to think "attack" instead of multiple cuts....give me a quality set (e.g. 1-3-1 versus 2-3 zone), big spacing, and quick, "full" reversals over a continuity attack any day....too much cutting numbs the player and does not allow him to really see and think about scoring!

 

7) Screening. I always say one quality screen is worth three poorly executed screens. The zone does not like to be screened, especially the weak side.

 

8) Set Plays. Always nice to know you have a package to use for a specific shot from a certain player. It is important to remember that offense is only move and countermove.

 

9) Dribble chase. A dribble at forces the zone to bump and this involves communication, which is exactly what defense does poorly in most cases.

 

10) 4 around 1 or 5 out. A big box set, get ball moving...NO CUTTING ....same with 5 out....show a 2-1-2 set with 5 at nail/free throw line and just pull him/her straight out, above 3 point line.....and get the ball moving...then go to your attack set.