MATCH-UP DEFENSIVE THOUGHTS FROM JOE CIAMPI

During the SEC Tournament I ran into Joe Ciampi and had the honor of chatting with him a few minutes.  I've known Joe for a long time and have always respected his ability to teach the game of basketball -- especially on the defensive end.  Very few if any could teach the match-up zone as well as Joe.  Here are just a few notes I took from him when he came to speak to our staff at LSU shortly after he retired:

Players don’t understand how hard they’re playing…you have to place demands on them.

Realize that as a coach, you are a teacher.

My experience at West Point made me a better coach, a better teacher…taught me how to demand more of individuals and of myself.

Every drill should have 2/3 of the following:
-Have a winner and a loser
-Make it time related
-Make it goal related
-Make it peer related

Before every game I will write three defensive things on the blackboard:

#1 Ball Pressure
-we want the shot pressured, the dribble pressured, and the pass pressured

#2 Take Away The Inside
-take away the inside with our arms first
-take away the dribble with our body

#3 Rebound
-rebound the blocks (especially the weakside block)