PAY ATTENTION TO THE BASICS, HUSTLE and THINK!

 

            “Never mistake activity for achievement”  --  John Wooden

 

DEFENSE:       Zone - - Your zone shifts, but stay in your zone!  Guards – jump to the ball - strong pressure out front will make your man’s pass difficult

Man - - Stay on top of your man; if he can’t be passed to he can’t score!

Always keep the ball in sight!

                        Back-pedal unless you have to chase a man down the floor

Pressure on the ball coming down the floor slows the offense set-up and may force a turnover

Force your opponent to play to his weakness

Watch for individuals’ tendencies - - for instance - -

If they don’t shoot from outside, play for the pass or dribble

If they hit from outside, tighten your defense on the shooter

                                    If they dribble better right-handed, overplay that side

                                    If they shoot right-handed, overplay that side slightly

If they bounce the ball once before shooting, you have a good chance to block the shot

                        Keep between the ball and the basket!  Defend with your feet!

                                    Don’t let your man turn the corner on you!

                                    Slide, don’t turn to defend --  don’t jump - keep your balance

                                    Feet apart, knees bent – ready to move in any direction

                                    Arms extended, one hand at the ball, the other opposite

                        Use side, back-court and end lines as an extra defender

                        Force your man to pick up his dribble

                                    Then get up on top of him; make his pass difficult

                                    Look for possible double-team; steal the ball

                                    Don’t let the dribbler split your double-team

                        Rebound!

                                    Know where your man is and block out

Screen out the shooter; he knows where the rebound will go, especially on long shots (long rebounds)

Back your man under the backboard; away from the basket

Look for quick outlet pass - or dribble out immediately; don’t hold the ball and get tied up for a jump ball

Talk to each other - especially in zone defense

                        Call out switches - or fight through  --  Switch when called!

                        Help out if someone loses his man -- no easy baskets allowed

Make their offense commit first if possible; frequently you can guard two players on a fast break

                        Anticipate passes - watch the passing lanes and steal the ball

                        Watch the clocks! - - defense and offense!

OFFENSE:      Move the ball quickly down the court; put pressure on their defense

                                    Passes are best - spot the open man

Keep your head up and look down court for the fast break

Always know where the ball is when running down court

Follow your teammate’s breakaway for a possible rebound  

In a two on one break, keep your spacing

In three on two, keep spacing, ball comes down the middle

Dribble hard - don’t allow the defense to set up

Avoid traps - don’t dribble into the corner with no way out

Keep out of “coffin corner” (just over mid-court, by sideline)

Keep the floor balanced!

                        Move to open areas so you can be passed to

                        Move the ball against a zone defense

                        Move the man against a man to man defense

Set picks - - pick and roll

                        Use picks set for you

                        Pass and cut to the basket – you should get a return pass

                        Keep your dribble going until you are ready to pass or shoot!

                        If you are double-teamed, someone near you HAS to be open

                        Make passes crisp!  Rapid, accurate passes beat the defense

                        Look for bounce passes, again, crisp - and waist high!

                        Look away or fake on passes - don’t telegraph your pass

                        Pass to your teammate’s dribble or shooting hand

                        Pass to where your teammate is moving – judge his speed

                        Keep the ball moving toward the basket; reset when necessary

                        If open, stay there, if not, keep moving until you are

                        Rub your defender off another defensive player to get open

                        If your teammate with the ball is in trouble, get free for a pass!

                        Step to meet a pass - don’t just stand still and get it intercepted

                        Play to your strengths - - for instance - -

                                    If good outside shot - set up outside

                                    If strong rebounder, box out and look for rebounds

                                    If driving, use your best moves – don’t take bad shots

Spin off close guarding, opposite their pressure, but close to defender so he can’t slide to block you

                        Rebound!

                                    Anticipate where the ball will be, depending on the shot

                                    Block out your man

                                    Keep the ball high – don’t bring it down to shoot

                                    Keep the ball moving - don’t get tied up for a jump ball

                        Always be thinking at least one move ahead!

                        Get in the habit of thinking - - - then it will become automatic

 

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          BB Basics-3.htm                       1/08/01