We all have them; a dry erase board and a marker. As coaches we are predisposed to mix our knowledge of the X's and O's of basketball with an inept need to be an artist. Late game situations often include our teams huddling around the dry erase board for the game winning or win preventing strategy for which we have not prepared our teams for, but rather expect students of the game to understand our abstract brick road of X's and O's we offer up in close games. I sat out to find a solution to this problem. After studying my group of kids I found that only 1 of 11 players can recite back the information I shared with them during a timeout and none of them could draw a diagram similar to the one I had worked so hard to produce.
Well how do we do it then? How do we put players in positions to break pressure defenses in late game situations without practicing our terrible impersonation of Picasso? Believe it or not the answer is simple: preparation. Coach Wooden was famous for his approach to the game and no other element has been studied any more then Wooden's ability to prepare his team for all situations. In preparing for late game pressure situations there are elements every team should understand.
1. The goal of any offense should be to get the ball in the middle and score or draw a foul.
2. The dribble is dread. You can't dribble through a good press.
3. Keep the defense guessing and moving.
4. We should thank 1930's Purdue coach "Piggy" Lambert and star player "Stretch" Murphy for our understanding of the importance of getting the ball in the middle as quickly as possible and become a threat to pass, shot, or drive.
5. Patience is a virtue. Take what the defense gives you.
Having a firm grasp of these elements not only eliminates needless picture drawing but also prepares your team for any short of pressure situation they will see during a game
407 Pages of Basketball X's and O's
Well how do we do it then? How do we put players in positions to break pressure defenses in late game situations without practicing our terrible impersonation of Picasso? Believe it or not the answer is simple: preparation. Coach Wooden was famous for his approach to the game and no other element has been studied any more then Wooden's ability to prepare his team for all situations. In preparing for late game pressure situations there are elements every team should understand.
1. The goal of any offense should be to get the ball in the middle and score or draw a foul.
2. The dribble is dread. You can't dribble through a good press.
3. Keep the defense guessing and moving.
4. We should thank 1930's Purdue coach "Piggy" Lambert and star player "Stretch" Murphy for our understanding of the importance of getting the ball in the middle as quickly as possible and become a threat to pass, shot, or drive.
5. Patience is a virtue. Take what the defense gives you.
Having a firm grasp of these elements not only eliminates needless picture drawing but also prepares your team for any short of pressure situation they will see during a game
407 Pages of Basketball X's and O's