BASKETBALL COACHW

EEKLY

Place shooters in Position to

succeed

July 16, 2015Issue 93

$5.99

Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy

Set Play Fake Backdoor Pass, create oPPosite 3-Pointer

SET PLay draw deFense Ball-side, set UP Backside shooter

use Backside douBle screens

Set Up YoUr ShooterS

Revitalize the typical tip DRill

Build relationshiPs Before hitting the court

Get Your PlaYers WorkinG noW

It’S Not too Late!.

2

at the high-school level. “Recruiting players to fit the

Division III model can be tricky but it’s an awesome opportunity for players to get a great education while having the privilege to play a sport, or multiple sports, at this level,” she adds.

After digging deeper into the relationships she needed to form, Bunn says a good chunk of attention went toward learning what she can and cannot do.

“I am having to learn the rules and regulations very quickly and on the fly,” admits Bunn, who played Division I hoops at Oregon State where she led the then-Pac 10 in scoring in 2007. “It’s extremely important to ask questions and receive advice from the people who have been here and know the ins and outs of this level.”

This is a critical point, even for high school coaches moving to a new program but at the same level. Are you now in a state with a shot clock? Are you playing quarters or halves? How many players are permitted on your roster? When is the first official day of practice? These are just some of the rules and regulations with which you must become more familiar.

T his is a cruel business. Good coaches are fired all the time. In a win-right-now world, the hammer

falls much too quickly these days. On the flip side, this is a career path

where professional growth is achievable if all the pieces fall into place.

No matter how it happens, if you are reading this, you’ve probably changed coaching jobs in your career.

And, while you have confidence in your on-court knowledge, it’s how you handle personal relationships in the first few weeks that makes the difference between success and failure in your new position.

“This industry is all about the personal connections and the positive relationships you build with people,” says Casey Bunn, who recently was hired by Linfield College (McMinnville, Ore.) to head its women’s Division III program after serving three years as head girls coach at Tualatin High (Ore.). “The most important thing for me when I got hired was to reach out and get to know the people around me.

“Getting to know my players, incoming recruits and our administrative team, as well as admission and compliance representatives was my No. 1 priority.”

Bunn adds she also needed to shift her thinking to the types of players she wanted on her roster, as opposed to paring down from a tryout group like

Start With relationShipS

Basketball Coach Weekly Issue 94

Basketball Coach Weekly9325 SW Iowa DriveTualatin, OR 97062

Editor-in-chiefMichael Austinmichael.austin@basketballcoachweekly.com

ContributorsCasey Bunn, Scott Tucker, Bill Liley, Loree Payne

IllustrationsMike Renwick

PicturesAction Images

DesignAndy Shore

PublisherKevin Barrowkevin.barrow@greenstarmedia.net

Customer ServicesDuncan Heardduncanh@ basketballcoachweekly.com

Managing DirectorAndrew Griffiths

Contents

“The most important thing for me when I got hired was to reach out and get to know the people around me…”

Last year, Scott Tucker took over the girls basketball program at Canyon Crest Academy in southern California. The program was in rough shape and had posted an 0-25 mark two years prior to his arrival.

For a multitude of reasons (which I plan to cover in future issues), the team responded to Tucker’s personality, relationship-building and genuine care for the players. Last season, Tucker’s first

To subscribe to Basketball Coach Weekly please contact Duncan Heard at Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford GU5 0AB, UK.

You can contact Duncan via Skype at basketballcoachweekly or via email at duncanh@ basketballcoachweekly.com

BASKETBALL COACH

WEEKLY

Place shooters in Position to

succeed

July 16, 2015Issue 93

$5.99

Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy

Set Play Fake Backdoor Pass, create oPPosite 3-Pointer

SET PLay draw deFense Ball-side, set UP Backside shooter

use Backside douBle screens

Set Up YoUr ShooterS

Revitalize the typical tip DRill

Build relationshiPs Before hitting the court

Get Your PlaYers WorkinG noW

It’S Not too Late!.

(c) Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.

Click here to read the full disclaimer.

Michael Austin Editor-in-chief

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 94 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY

When entering a new situation (just like Shaka Smart at Texas), meet with your players first

in this issue...

3 DouBlE SCrEEn For 3Move defensive attention to the

ball side to set up a backside double screen for a shooter curling to the 3-point line

4 FakE BaCkDoor PaSS, CrEatE oPPoSItE 3

Flash your center high, send the wing backdoor and free the shooter with a backside double screen

5 Ball rEvErSal, thEn DouBlE SCrEEn For 3

Draw the defense to one side to set up the shooter on the opposite side coming off two screens

6 ‘tIP tranSItIon’ ForCES QuICk rEaCtIonS

Revitalize the basic Tip Drill by turning it into a transition drill where quick, smart decisions must be made

It’s Not too Late!QUICK HItteR

In addition, Bunn says pay attention to school-specific changes as well.

“It’s been a huge leap in terms of commitments and responsibilities … everything you expect at the college level in terms of planning and executing travel, budget, scheduling, off-season training, recruiting responsibilities, etc. Being organized and time efficient with your staff is key.”

as the head coach, the team went 13-13. Now, in his first summer with the Canyon

Crest girls, Tucker sees even more potential after the squad now that there is a focus and a desire.

“They played in a couple tournaments last summer. This offseason, however, we went through strength and conditioning sessions during the spring three days a week,” Tucker explains. “We are in the midst of our summer clinic and practice three

days a week.”The club team is playing in two

summer leagues. Tucker knows this isn’t ground-breaking

but there still is plenty of time between now and the start of your season to engage your players and get them working if they haven’t been to date. It’s great for team-building and confidence coming out of the summer. — Michael Austin

www.basketballcoachweekly.com� Issue�94 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 3

Man Plays

T he best set plays are the ones involving all five offensive players working in harmony. Too often, especially when

your players look to mimic their NBA idols, when man defenses stiffen, the standby call is a pick-and-roll. Or, even worse, a simple isolation.

In both of those examples, you have three, maybe four, players standing on one side of the court while the ball is on the other. No one moves. No one is in position to grab an offensive rebound. No one is engaged in the success of the offense except for the best player or two.

Bill Liley has been a successful high school boys coach in the Seattle area for more than a decade. He’s built programs from the bottom up and he knows what is takes to develop buy-

in from players. It’s not asking them to stand around while a couple people possess the ball all the time.

Liley provides two plays today, which I suggest you add to your playbook right now. They are for use against man defenses and create open weak-side 3-point shots. Plus, they require all five players to do something — screen, pass, post up, or catch and shoot.

My favorite part is both plays use backside double screens to free a shooter. Teams at all levels are using this idea to gain separation for shooters and it’s always a thing of beauty to see it happen.

The ball starts on one side of the floor, is reversed to draw defensive attention and ends up in your shooter’s hands on the opposite side.

In the first play, the ball enters to the high post with an initial option of a backdoor cutter going toward the hoop. After that action, the two players on the opposite side screen for the shooter, who curls to the wing as the ball handler steps out and delivers the pass.

The second play features ball reversal from one side to the other via two passes as the original passer diagonal-cuts to post up on the block. As the defense collapses on this player, the backside double screen frees the shooter for a top-of-the-key 3-pointer.

Run these two plays enough times and create an open outside shot, then watch the defense abandon the backdoor cut (in the first set) or the post-up (in the second set) and you have two more scoring opportunities.

< A bAckside double screen opens The opposiTe side for

shooTers

Double Screen For 3-PointerSWhen�man�defenses�clamp�down�on�your�players,�run�a�shooter�off�a�backside�double�screen�to�create�space�—�check�out�these�2�options�Words�by:�Michael austin Plays�by: Bill liley, former�head�boys�coach,�Eastside�Catholic�High�School,�Seattle,�Wash.

WHY USE ITAs our game continues moving outward, it benefits you to have more sets for 3-pointers in your playbook. This one uses dummy action on one side to set up an open 3-pointer on the other.

SET UPThe point has the ball on the right side. Your shooter is in the left corner with the center on the left block.

HOW TO PLAY5 screens for 2 who runs the baseline to the opposite side. 5 then flashes to the free-throw area. 1 passes to 5 [1]. On the catch by 5, 3 cuts backdoor. 5 passes to 3 if the defender is slow to react, which leads to an easy scoring opportunity [2]. If the defender runs with 3, 5 makes a fake pass to 3 to get defenders leaning in that direction. 4 and 1 then move low and set a double screen freeing 2. 2 comes high to the right wing. 5 dribbles out and passes to 2 for the open 3-pointer [3].

TECHNIQUE5 must sell the pass fake to 3 as it freezes the defense and allows for 1 and 4 to get in position and set the double screen. 5 dribbling out serves two purposes: 1) 5’s defender already is a step behind after the fake to 3, so this creates more space and 2) the screened defenders can’t recover into the passing lane.

Fake Backdoor Pass, create oPPosite 3Flash your center to the free-throw area and send a wing backdoor to draw attention, then hit your shooter on the opposite side coming off a double screen

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 94 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 4

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

MAN PLAYS

1 After setting the initial screen, 5 flashes hard to the free-throw area with hands ready for an entry pass 2 2 runs the baseline off the screen,

then waits as the dummy action on the left side unfolds

3 3 cuts backdoor as soon as 5 catches the pass — if the defender doesn’t react, then

5 passes to 3 for the layup

5 5 dribbles out to create a better passing lane to get the ball to 2 on the right4 2 curls off the double screen,

catches and shoots in rhythm before the defense recovers

WHY USE ITNow is the time to bulk up your playbook with new looks. This is a fantastic set that gets your players and the ball moving, the defense on its heels and an open 3-pointer as the result.

SET UPWith the point guard at the top, the other four players are positioned close to the hoop in two stacks. Your shooter, 2, is on the opposite low block to start.

HOW TO PLAY3 pops to the wing. 1 passes to 3. 4 comes high and sets a backscreen for 1. 3 looks over the top for 1. 2 runs the baseline to the ball-side corner [1]. 4 moves higher and ball reversal begins with 3 passing to 4, then 4 passing to 1, who has popped to the wing. After the pass, 3 runs off a backscreen set by 5. Look for 3 coming across the lane [2]. 3 posts up. 5 and 4 run toward the corner and set a double screen for 2. 2 curls high, receives a pass from 1 and shoots the 3-pointer [3].

TECHNIQUEBe sure 1 gives a good look and possibly a fake pass to the post to draw the defense as the opposite-side double screen is executed for 2. After a couple of times running this play, the defense softens on 3, which provides you with an interior option.

Ball ReveRsal, Then DouBle scReen FoR 3Run a lot of action with backscreens, ball reversal and eventually a double screen on the weak side to free your shooter coming toward the top for an open shot

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 94 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 5

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

MAN PLAYS

1 The shooter, 2, runs the baseline and waits in the corner for the other action to move through the set 2 3 looks over the top for 1 coming off

this screen — run this play enough and 1 will be open on this basket cut

3 Ball reversal is critical for moving the defense and setting up the double screen in the left corner

4 2 runs hard off the double screen, catches the ball

and shoots in rhythm

5 1 looks hard at 3 and gives a pass fake to draw defensive attention

WHY USE ITTransition offense and defense happens in a flash, so simulate the game-like speed of a fast break with a drill in which players must react quickly and smartly.

SET UPPlayers are divided into two teams — in this example one in white and one in blue. Players alternate in a line facing the hoop. In this instance, Blue is scoring at the opposite end, so the whistle will blow when in a Blue player’s hands, but no one knows who that will be.

HOW TO PLAYPlayers start doing the regular tip drill in which the player with the ball catches it and tosses it off the backboard before touching the ground, then sprints to the back of the line [1]. On your whistle, the player with the ball becomes the ball handler. If it’s a guard, they dribble quickly up the floor. If it’s a forward, that player looks to make an outlet pass. As soon as the whistle blows, the offense has 10 seconds to score [2]. Play 5-on-5 until either Blue scores or White forces a turnover or grabs a rebound [3].

TECHNIQUEOnce the possession is complete, start the tip drill again at that end of the floor with the White team on offense on the whistle heading the other way. Play to a certain number of made baskets to determine the winner.

‘Tip TransiTion’ Forces Quick reacTionsPlayers don’t know when they need to switch from a tip drill into a transition setting … but as soon as they hear the whistle, the offense has the green light to score at the other endLoree Payne, head women’s coach, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Wash.

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 94 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 6

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

TransiTion DriLL

1 The Blue team is scoring at the opposite end, so when the tip drill is here, those players know one of them ends up with the ball on the whistle

2 On the whistle the White team hustles back into transition defense with players finding their responsibilities and defending 3 If the Blue player who has the ball is a guard,

then he or she pushes the ball up the floor (if a forward then an outlet pass to a guard is made)

4 The ball handler knows the offense only has 10 seconds to score so must dribble fast and look up the floor for a potential pass5 After a made basket or the defense gets a stop,

start the tip drill at this end with the White team knowing one of their players will end up

with the ball on the whistle