COVID CLINIC NOTES (PART I)

During the past 6 months I have had the opportunity to attend 37 zoom clinics.  It has been an outstanding opportunity of growth for me -- learning and listening to coaches I greatly respect and many I had not gotten the opportunity to hear before.  Obviously 37 zoom clinics have created a mountain of notes and what I'm going to do over the next few days is to share a few quick hitters.

Alan Stein: "You truly know the culture of a program when the head coach is not around."

Buzz Williams: "The three questions I constantly ask of myself...

     What do I know?

     What do I not know?

     What do I need to know?"

Carm Maciariello: "You have to be able to have honest conversations with players. Helps to unify the locker room."

Chris Beard: "We don't want a program of entitlement.  Street dog mentality — hunt our own meals."

What Damon West learned from Mr. Rogers: “We can’t reach everyone but we can all reach someone.”

Dave Anderson: "Biggest concern about a crisis is not wasting it…don’t go through all this just to get back where we were…not 'what it did to us' but 'what it did for us.'”

Trevor Woodruff: “Win the Wait.”

Joshua Medcalf: "The most important thing to understand about success -- knowing there is no finish line."

Frank Martin: "If you don’t properly take care of issues off the court it will cost you your job."

Johnny Jones: “I’ve had more success giving a kid a pat on the back then pointing a finger in the face.”

Kevin Eastman: "Hard to become good at something if you have to keep starting over."

Really solid advice from Lin Dun on inbounds players: "Have plays that work against both man and zone."

Lue Yaklichh: "Good things to tell your team:

            I screwed up

            I believe in you

            I haven’t taught you well enough

            I don’t know yet."

EFFECTIVE USE OF TIMEOUTS

Great stuff from Steve Brennan on timeout execution:

You have 4 time-outs a game

Don’t waste your time-out by yelling. If you Call the time-out, the kids know something is wrong

Start each one with a positive statement. Research shows that the first think and the last thing that people say are the things that people remember most

Discuss no more than 3 items during any one time-out, and that may be too many. You must give the first 15 or 20 seconds to the kids anyway. Tell them this at the first of the year. They can get their water, towels, etc.

Develop a cue word to refocus attention. Mine was “Listen.” As soon as I said that the focus of the attention was on me.

Confer with assistant coaches before talking with the team. This is big with me because when I was an assistant coach, I was not part of time-outs. Even if you know exactly what you want to do, just from a psychological standpoint, you should do something with your assistant coaches. Give them some recognition. Utilize them.

Change defenses. Use a “Sequence-stay.”

Run a set play after a time-out. Get your best player into the flow. Set up a play.

Don’t use the entire time-out if you don’t need it.

If the opponent calls the time-out, wait until the referee gets you from the huddle.

Delegate an assistant coach to keep track of time-outs.

Carry strategy on 3x5 index cards. Put your out-of-bounds on cards.

OWNING THE TIMEOUT

When Coach Smith spoke, he expected your full attention. Anything less resulted in a reminder that not paying attention could affect the outcome of a game.

His behavior during time-outs in close games was a lifetime lesson.  Sure, he'd discuss the upcoming sequence of events and what would be required to make them successful, but he always started with a bigger picture. If we were down three points with a minute to play, he’d enter our huddle with a smile. “Isn’t this fun?”

Former UNC player Woody Coley from the book, "The Carolina Way"

BOB BOYD CLINIC NOTES (PART III)

Tough day a few days ago learning of the passing of Coach Bob Boyd who I had the privilege of working with for a year at LSU.  Years before, Coach Dale Brown sent me to the West Coast to spend a couple of days with Coach John Wooden and then on to Coach Boyd's house where we spent a day out by his pool with me peppering him with questions and soaking in his knowledge.  When I came back I told Coach Brown we had to get Coach Boyd to Baton Rouge for our fall Coaching Clinic which we did.  Over the next few days, I will share some of my notes from Coach Boyd that I got from both his home and our fall clinic:

Bringing the ball above the head is a common problem – not hard to guard.

Backline in 2-3 must understand where their overall territory is that they must cover.

On zone offense, a wing must know who’s defending him and take the ball away from where he came.

To cover the ball in the zone, backline must be active. If you play zone defense, break it down in drill form. Can work on both zone offense and zone defense in whole or part method at the same time. Zone defenders must constantly be aware of players in their area.

Time and score would dictate his pressing.

Doesn’t like gambling, all out denial unless behind late in the game (and must practice those type of situations in practice.)

:30 to play and behind by 3 or more we want to deny then foul – no more than 2 seconds be ran off.

On inbounds defense –

            - Scouting is important

            - Give an obvious show (be big, take room, bump em)

            - Team don’t practice enough and when they do, they don’t do with game       

               like intensity. (can’t run inbounds plays against Indiana)

Knight spent the entire fall (2-hour, 3 man) practice period teaching screening. No one in the nation screens better than Indiana yet Knight thinks they do it poorly. What should that tell the rest of us about our screening.

Without game-like intensity in practice you can’t be effective in a game. Game-like intensity comes from coaching leadership.

Good defensive players must be “suspicious” (constantly anticipating.) Mike Singletary of the Chicago Bears. Stance-ready-suspicious. Important on inbounds defense especially.

Kids know when their parents are serious or not, caring or not, prepared or not, so you know they can read coaches.

Your basketball facility (floor, offices, locker room, etc.) is your classroom. Do you have a “good learning environment.” Important to make kids “receptive” to learning.

Good teachers don’t try to trick their students.

Bounce pass (lead low) vs. retreating defender.

Talent sometimes resents loss of identity that sometimes comes with motion offense.

Performance must be a Projection of Practice.

The true test of a coach is to coach effectively through resistance.

Ran flex with Post Exchange (he called it “high-low passing game”.) Liked to split the low post in motion with a screen.

When running flex, used a variety of entries to disguise it.

Doesn’t want symmetrical look in PE (1-3-1).

If he came back to coach today he would

            - Make it simpler

            - Be emphatic about rebounding

 

Can’t change performance until you change attitude.

Before the 3-point arc, he wanted his team to shoot 55% from the floor. He wanted his identity to come from field goal shooting percentage.

If you run motion, you need to stay away from junior college players and have four year players in your program.

Important in zone offense to “stretch” the defense with spacing and backside players. He wanted to dunk against a zone. Bring the ball into the paint before an outside shot. Must breakdown zone offense (perimeter & post). Likes loop to elbow screen vs. zone defense. Rover against odd front zone. Must attack the backside of zone defense.

Does not think it is necessary to have more than one alignment of motion to be effective. Regular or High Low. Likes possibilities of triangle.

Against defense that switches, besides slipping, have your cutter make a tight curl (will open up a screener that widens out on the perimeter. Must find “daylight” before slip.

 

COACHES HALF-TIME ORGANIZATION

Do you have a system of organization for how you handle pre-game, halftime, and post game situations?  Here is a great list from Coach Mike Dunlap on how he handles halftime game analysis:

COACHES EVALUATION
We are looking at our pattern of play
1. Offense
    Positive: 3 things
    Negative: 3 things
2. Defense
    Positive: 3 things
    Negative: 3 things

EVALUATION OF HALFTIME STATS
1. Offensive Categories
     Shooting Percentage/Shot Chart
     Assist to Turnovers
     Rebounding
2. Defensive Categories
     Defensive Chart
     Rebounding

ADJUSTMENTS
It is important that adjustments are clear and concise so there isn't any confusion and they will be able to remember the adjustments
1. Offense: 3 things
2. Defense: 3 things

DO YOU HAVE A COMEBACK PLAN?

Some philosophical things to consider in the off-season is how you want your team to play in certain situations.  Here's a great list from Fran Fraschilla on how you play from a deficit.

 

Players need to know how to effectively comeback late in the game:
 

1) Stop clock as much as possible
 

2) Must offensive rebound - send 4 and sometimes 5 to the offensive glass because normally other team is not pushing hard when they are up late

 

3) Who do you foul and HOW do you foul?

 

4) What is your foul signal from the sideline?

 

5) What is your goal in fouling – steals, jumpballs, foul

 

6) Time Out organization (where to sit and make sure subs are sitting/standing next to who they might replace so they know what they are doing when someone fouls out

 

7) Do you have a comeback “platoon”

 

8) Do you have a hurry up offense or quick hitter set for threes/layups

 

9) Teach team how to do a “running timout” – For example when there is a dead ball foul have team sprint to coach for quick 15 second “timeout” on the floor

 

10) “We didn’t lose – we just ran out of time

 

Teach, demonstrate and tell your players that they have 1 dribble per second in late game scenarios. That way if there is 4 seconds on the clock a player doesn’t have to look up – they know they have time for 4 forward dribbles before the buzzer

  

END OF GAME CHECKLIST

Each day I get an email from Brian Williams and "The Coaching Toolbox" -- rarely do I not get something that helps me coach my team better.  If you aren't signed up, you are missing out.  Click here and place your email to get daily coaching nugget.  Brian's website is also one of the best resources out there for coaches.  Please go here and take some time to visit and learn.

Here is an example of what you can expect -- got this one today.  It is an "End of the Game Coaching Checklist" -- and it speaks to the organization of NBA coaches.  This list was assembled by former long-time NBA assistant coach Gordon Chieas.  I had the opportunity to listen to Coach Chieas speak this summer at Coaching U Live and he is a passionate teacher of the game. Here is his "End of Game Checklist" provided by Brian and The Coaching Toolbox:

OFFENSIVE QUESTIONS/CONCEPTS

◄Best offensive team when our team is losing.

◄Best foul shooting team when our team is winning.

◄Best ball handling team when protecting a lead.

◄Best three point shooting team when our team needs a “Three.”

◄Best individual match-up to score a basket/create a foul.

◄Which opposing player is in deep foul trouble, and our offense can go directly at him?

◄Who is our best inbound passer? Who is our 2nd best inbound passer?

◄What side of the floor, when inbounding from the sideline do we prefer?

◄Know/Understand with how much time left on the game clock, and the score is tied, when should the offensive player take the shot?

◄Know/Understand  that the defense is going to switch-out of any screening action regardless of size The sceener should look for a slip move as he starts setting the screen. The passer has to be ready to “Read and Pass.”

◄Know/Understand that when the opponent has a foul to give and our team has used our last time out, the Head Coach, during that time out, has to give our team two offensive plays to execute.

DEFENSIVE QUESTIONS/CONCEPTS

 

◄Best defensive team when our team needs one defensive stop (under 7 seconds on game clock)?

 

◄Best defensive team to contain dribble penetration

 

◄Best rebounding team when the opponent goes big?

 

◄Best “Comeback” Defensive Team by trapping/presses creating havoc defensively?

 

◄Best zone defensive team to take away the opposition set offensive plays?

 

◄Be ready to match-up small to defend the opponent’s 4 or 5 man who can make three point shots,

 

◄Know and understand the concept of staying home on 3-point shooters on dribble penetration.

 

◄Know and understand how to foul on the catch before the shooter goes into his shooting motion

 

◄Be ready to sub out a key offensive scoring player who has four fouls and ‘sub In” a “designated fouler.” Teach the designated fouler that he is making a positive contribution towards winning. We are not trying to embarrass him.

 

◄Know/Understand that when the score is even or our team Is up one or two, we will early double team or create a running trap situation against the “star perimeter player” in the scoring area. Philosophically we are not going to let the star perimeter player beat us with a basket or create a foul. We are going to make him pass the bail to a lesser offensive threat. Also,as an alternative, we could play a zone defense on the last possession against the star player.

 

END OF GAME CHECKLIST

 

◄Know the score of the game and the time left on the shot clock and game clock.

 

◄Know the timeout situation for both teams

 

◄The Head Coach will tell the players the team foul penalty situation from both an offensive and defensive standpoint. The players will always know if we have a foul to give.

 

◄Know/Understand when to call timeout by a Player who is not involved with the ball when his teammate is in a bad disadvantage.

 

◄Who are the worst foul shooters in the game?

 

◄Who are the worst foul shooters not in the game in case of an injury situation. and the opposing team can choose the new shooter?

 

COACH MEYER DICTAPHONE NOTES: SEGMENT #7

BOB McKILLOP: INBOUNDS OFFENSIVE GUIDELINESS

A. Get to your spots quickly before the person taking the ball OOB gets to the ball

          1. Lets the coach see if it is zone or man.

B. The person taking the ball OOB needs to take their time getting to the ball.

C. Signals – Head, Hips, Knee, Shoulders

D. Use signals and words to distract the other team.

E. The play will begin when the ball is handed to the person taking it OOB. Not on the slap

F. Everyone set up with your hands on your knees

          1. Does not allow the defense to get into you.

          2. Gives appearance of being tired ( Actor)

          3. Gets you low to begin the play

          4. Eye contact is better then any play (See)   G. Attack the Attacker. Do not let the defense rest.

          1. No set up

          2. No numbers called for plays

          3. Keep the defense moving. Do not let them entrench themselves.

H. If you see that the person you want to pass it to is denied, dribble at them and they should back cut.

I. A hard cut is equal to a good screen

J. Rules for offense

          1. Catch and see

          2. Finish your cut

          3. Help someone out

WHAT IS YOUR "END OF GAME" PLAN?

I have been re-reading some stuff given to me some time ago from Mike Neighbors, now an assistant at the University of Washington for Kevin McGuff.  I came across a great passout from Mike and Kevin on End of Game Situations and thought I'd pass it on.  Do you have a strategy for End of Game Situations?  How much thought have you gave it?  The thing I respect about Mike and Kevin is that they are detailed in their approach to all phases of the game -- which lead to great success at Xavier and now as they rebuild the program at the University of Washington.  Here are their thoughts on EOGs:

Why is END OF GAME SITUATIONS even a topic for a clinic when we all as coaches know that the first possession after tip-off, or the third possession after the 8:00 media, or the 43rd possession of the game all have the same point value potential?

It’s because everything gets magnified at the END OF THE GAME. Pressure seems greater. Emotions run higher. Coaches have to talk louder in timeouts because everyone in the crowd has stopped text messaging and is now laser locked onto the action. Referee’s huddle and make sure they are all on the same page. The number of in game distractions increase.

It as become evident to me that the teams who are BEST at EOG’s are teams that throughout the course of the game have treated every single possession with the same respect as the very last ones. These teams appear to be oblivious to any of the mentioned distraction and repeatedly execute game winning situations when the pressure is the greatest. They display a composure that others don’t. Their coach has a control that others don’t. Their players demeanor is consistent. They are in character. As a result THEY WIN more than they LOSE!!

Once you establish that approach it is still imperative that you have a plan for implementing and executing. That is where we come up with the D.I.E.

        D- Develop your philosophy
        I- Implement you strategy
        E- Execute your tactics

DEVELOP YOUR PHILOSOPHY:

You can attend clinics, buy books, look on-line, or steal from others but to be successful your EOG Philosophy has to be YOURS!!! My grandpa always said “You can’t sell what’s not yours” and he was right. If you don’t believe in it, your players won’t and you’ll LOSE more than you’ll WIN. So utilize all the resources you can to think through as many situations as possible then MAKE THEM YOURS!!!

SOME PHILOSOPHY THINGS TO CONSIDER:

Are you going to foul on the floor ahead by three points? Does it depend on the time left? Is that time 8 seconds? Is that time 5 seconds?

Are you going to get the ball in your best players hands or use that player as a decoy for option #2? Do you work in practice as if your first option has fouled out already?

Are you going to take a quick two point shot then foul if down three with a certain amount of time?

Are you going to miss a FT on purpose with a lead to force opponent who is out of time outs to rebound and hit a last second shot?

Are you going to run plays that your players already know or draw something up? Are you going to run a “dork” play?

Are you a go with the stats coach? Are you a go with your gut coach? Are you depends-on-the-situation coach?

Are you going to switch all screens? Stay on and play 1-on-1 defense? Trap a ball screen? Change defenses out of the time-out? Show a defense play another defense?

Are you going to put a big player on the inbounds passer or play centerfield?

And the countless other situations that we encounter at the end of game.

IMPLEMENT YOUR STRATEGY

Now that you have your philosophy, you must implement the strategy with your players and your team. This is where you determine which players on your rosters can perform certain skills… who can throw it the length of the floor, who can catch that pass, who can dribble from end-line to endline in five seconds, who can create their own shot, who can throw a lob pass at the rim, who can simply inbound the ball safely.

This is how you are going to teach the skills necessary to be successful when pressure and distractions are at their highest level… will you devote time in practice to these situations, will you turn on the PA system to simulate crowd noise, will you stop practice in the most stressful moment and work on an EOG.

This is the plays the you are going to call or the defenses you are going to play to win games in the last few minutes… beg, borrow, steal from the best, find ones that have worked

Some great EOG things I’ve stolen from various coaches:

Throwing tryouts… A coach stood at one end of the court and let players try to throw balls to hit them. Whoever could, was their long throw-in girl.

Set the shot clock to various times and see who can go score 1-0, 1-1, 2-0, 3-0 etc.

Team worked on saving the ball to their own basket and keeping the ball in play as the clock ran down

Keep away in working on not allowing a team to foul ball handler

Dribbling the ball to various spots on the court to call timeouts

Loose ball scramble to work on creating held ball situations and NOT creating held ball situations

EXECTUE YOUR TACTICS

Now that you have a philosophy and a strategy, it is time to EXECUTE your tactics to win the game.

Your very first thought should be that HOW you say what you are going to say is just as (if not more so) important as WHAT you say!!! Your demeanor and your tone will be directly reflective of how your team will perform.

Are you talking to them in the same manner?

Are you on the same spot on the floor as you normally are for timeouts?

Are you using a wipe board or not?

Are your assistants scrambling and frantic in your ear?

Are the subs in their ’normal’ huddle mode? (if it’s not how you successfully practiced it, then don’t expect them to perform in the game)

Do you have a method for knowing the number of fouls on each team, who has the possession arrow, have you pointed out in the various arena’s where the game/shot clocks are located?

Do YOU know the situation?