BASKETBALL COACHW

EEKLY

Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy

Step Into the ShotDrill The ProPer Way To Take higher-% ShoTS

SucceSSful Set‘Wade’ createS

actIon to ISolate the BeSt Scorer

decreaSe In tImeoutS IS a Welcome change

What If a Player Overruled yOur Call?

ShOOtIng game emPhaSIzeS 3s & Pull-uP JumPerS

> Marcus Paige nailed a career-high 94 3-Pointers last

season

‘4-Spot drIll’MoveS ShooTerS inTo oPen WinDoWS

June 4, 2015Issue 88

$5.99

2

uses a timeout within 30 seconds of the scheduled media timeout, it simply becomes the media timeout.

But still, come on, do coaches really need 18 (now with the proposal, 16) stoppages in play? I know most of the readers here are operating under different rules at the high school and youth levels, but how many timeouts are enough?

It’s to the point that if you are watching a closely contested men’s college game, the final two minutes are going to take at least 10 if you’re lucky. Even my family has figured this out and my, “You can change the channel when this game is over,” argument has been rendered useless.

I don’t think today’s coaches need this many timeouts. With all the preparation being done, the hours spent in practice, the game scenarios scouted and the quick hitters (hopefully) embedded in your players’ brains, I’m not sure why a coach needs to call multiple timeouts in late-game situations.

Plus, it leads to second-guessing.

A few weeks ago the NCAA men’s basketball rules committee announced it was recommending several rules changes to the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight panel.

Gaining the most attention from this is changing the shot clock from 35 to 30 seconds. This is a big move considering the men have been playing with a 35-second clock since 1993. But, for me, the biggest potential change is the reduction in timeouts for each team from five to four.

Sure, pace of play and scoring have been decreasing, but if you want to discuss why the men’s game truly has been slowing down (I’m not prepared to claim the game is dead or “a joke”), it’s due to the constant stoppages in play.

Consider there are television timeouts at the first dead ball under 16, 12, eight and four minutes of play in each half, so coaches already are afforded those eight timeouts per game. Throw on the five additional timeouts for each team and you are looking at 18 stoppages in play.

I get it. The NCAA has to keep advertisers happy. The media timeouts aren’t going anywhere. And, I like the women’s rule in that if a coach

Timeout Decrease Is What The Game Needs

Basketball Coach Weekly Issue 88

Basketball Coach Weekly9325 SW Iowa DriveTualatin, OR 97062

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

ContributorsTaylor Jannsen, Loree Payne

IllustrationsMike Renwick

PicturesAction Images

DesignSam Esward

PublisherKevin Barrowkevin.barrow@greenstarmedia.net

Customer ServicesDuncan Heardduncanh@ basketballcoachweekly.com

Managing DirectorAndrew Griffiths

Contents

“Throw on the five additional timeouts for each team and you are looking at 18 stoppages in play …”

With 1.5 seconds remaining in Game 4 against the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland head coach David Blatt drew up a play in which the best player in the world, LeBron James, was to take the ball out of bounds. The final play call was not designed for him.

This did not sit well with James. So, he changed the play. He told Blatt to give him the ball and

have everyone get out of his way. He said there was no way he was taking it out of bounds.

It worked. The ball was inbounded to James, he hit an incredibly tough jumper from the corner, the Cavs won Game 4 and eventually the series.

Now, while you never are going to coach LeBron James, what if your superstar overruled your

late-game play call? What would you do? Has this or something similar ever happened to you? Does your superstar have a bit more leeway to change a play or are you the ultimate decision-maker?

Shoot me an email at michael.austin@basketballcoachweekly.com with your thoughts or stories on the topic. — Michael Austin

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

Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy

Step Into the ShotDrill The ProPer Way To Take higher-% ShoTS

SucceSSful Set‘Wade’ createS

actIon to ISolate the BeSt Scorer

decreaSe In tImeoutS IS a Welcome change

What If a Player Overruled yOur Call?

ShOOtIng game emPhaSIzeS 3s & Pull-uP JumPerS

> Marcus Paige nailed a career-high 94 3-Pointers last

season

‘4-Spot drIll’MoveS ShooTerS inTo oPen WinDoWS

June 4, 2015Issue 88

$5.99

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

Click here to read the full disclaimer.

Michael Austin Editor-in-chief

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 88 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY

Fewer timeouts means fewer in-game distractions and more on-court action

In this issue...

3 StEP Into thE ShotYour players have the best chance

to knock down shots when they are stepping into the motion rather than falling away

4 ‘4-SPot DrIll’ tEStS tranSItIon ShootIng

Transition offense leads to shooters in open spaces, so work on catching and shooting on the move

5 DrIll tranSItIon 3-PoIntEr, Pull-uPS

Put a minute on the clock and have the shooter attempt to knock down as many 3-pointers and pull-up jumpers as possible

6 SuCCESSful SEt: ‘WaDE’Do more than simply toss the ball

to your best scorer — use a big-little screen to free the scorer and get him/her in open space

OverruledQuICK HITTer

A lot of that comes from fans and administrators, but more importantly from the coaches themselves. With a timeout (or two, or three) available as the game comes to a close, coaches are prone to use them even if players are prepared.

I’m happy the rule next year hopefully is going to change in men’s college basketball. It’s going to speed up the time of the game and, more importantly, allow coaches to trust their instincts a bit more rather than rely upon timeouts.

Players have a better chance of their outside shots going in if they are moving toward the hoop, rather than way from it — simple concept yet it’s harder to drive home

Marcus Paige has led North Carolina in scoring the last two seasons due to his shooting skills

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 88 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 3

Words by: Michael Austin

Drills by: Taylor Jannsen, Player Development Coach, Milwaukee, Wis., pmaxbasketball.com

This video package of Marcus Paige highlights in a late-season loss against eventual-national-

champion Duke is all you need to know about the player.

Paige is a talented ball handler, terrific passer and a fantastic shooter. He finished last season just one 3-pointer shy (94) of the most in a season for a University of North Carolina player. Plus, he takes good shots rather than a lot of bad 3s as indicated by his 39.5% shooting percentage from behind the arc last season.

Watch the highlight video again and see what makes Paige such a great shooter. In transition, he gets to open windows as the defense recovers and he’s always stepping into his long-range

shots. He’s not leaning or fading. He receives the pass, sets and moves his body toward the basket.

Even on his in-close attempts Paige keeps control of his body while going at the basket rather than fading away.

It seems like a simple enough concept but when you watch enough shooters (including your own), many tend to shift or move as the defense closes out. The best shooters are releasing the ball closer to the rim than where they started, not farther away.

Today’s two shooting games drill home the point of why it’s so important to step into the shot.

The first game moves the shooter around the floor and simulates the transition game by having him or her sprint back to the mid-court circle

before running into the next shooting opportunity. Catching on the move, setting and squaring into the shot are the focuses.

On page 5, the player runs toward the 3-point line, catches a pass and takes the shot as if in an open transition shooting window. Make it and sprint back to mid-court before trying another 3-pointer. Miss it and wait for a return pass, then take a dribble into a mid-range jumper, which is another type of shot available in the transition game.

Players need repetitions such as shown in these two drills to develop good habits. Focus on these movements every day at practice so when it comes game time you are not watching a bunch of people falling away from the hoop.

Step Into The Shot

Shooting DrillS

WHY USE ITShooters have a distinct advantage if they are moving into their shots rather than fading away. This drill focuses on players running toward the hoop, catching the ball and shooting in rhythm.

SET UPPlace a cone near mid-court. The four shaded areas are the places where the shooter eventually will shot. The first is at the nail. The second is on the right wing. The third is the left wing and the fourth is either for a floating in the lane or a layup.

HOW TO PLAYThe shooter starts at the cone and flashes to the nail with hands ready. The partner makes an on-target pass and the shooter catches and shoots in rhythm [1]. If the shot is made, then the shooter retreats to the cone again and runs into a catch-and-shoot repetition on the right wing [2]. If a shot is missed, then the shooter races to the cone and sprints back to the same area for another try. The shooter only advances to the next area if the shot is made [3].

TECHNIQUEThe shooter repeats the progression as many times as he or she can in one minute. Record the number of shots made.

‘4-Spot Drill’ Tests Transition ShootingTransition offense leads to shooters in open spaces across the floor, get them used to moving into their shots from inside and outside the 3-point line

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2 The second shot after the one at the free-throw line is on the right wing

If this shot is missed, the player sprints to the cone and back to this same spot for

another attempt

Once the shot on the right wing is made, then the shooter races to the cone and progresses to the left wing — the final shot is in the lane (floater or layup)

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

Partner-Shooting DrillS

The shooter starts at mid-court and runs hard to the selected spots with hands ready to catch the on-target

pass in stride

Always return to the cone after every shot, whether it is a make or a miss, so the shooter continues to get reps running into the pass

WHY USE ITToday’s game is all about spacing and knocking down open jumpers in transition. This drill builds that skill so you have more deadly shooters at your disposal come game time.

SET UPThe partner starts with a ball under the hoop. The shooter starts near mid-court on one side of the floor (stay on this side of the floor for the full minute of the drill).

HOW TO PLAYThe shooter runs hard toward the 3-point line with ready hands. The partner delivers an on-target pass [1]. Take the shot. Make it and race back toward mid-court, then into another transition 3-pointer. Miss it (as shown in the diagram) and wait for the rebounder to secure the ball and pass back. [2]. The shooter now takes a one-dribble pull-up jumper inside the 3-point line. Make or miss the pull-up and the shooter runs to mid-court and back to the top of the key in anticipation of another pass for a 3-point attempt [3].

TECHNIQUEAward two points for every made 3-pointer and one point for a pull-up jumper. The goal is to score 17 points in one minute.

Drill Transition 3-Pointers, Pull-Up JumpersThe shooter has 1 minute to score 17+ points with 3-pointers netting the most and pull-up jumpers still helping the tally

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 88 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 5

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2 Miss the shot and remain in place, then the partner gathers the rebound and fires

a pass back to the shooter

Make or miss the pull-up, the next progression is to sprint to mid-court, then back toward the 3-point line for

another transition shot

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

Partner-Shooting DrillS

Make the shot and earn two points, then race back toward mid-court and come toward the ball for another 3-point attempt

On the catch after a miss, the shooter takes one dribble to the right and shoots the pull-up jumper

Run hard toward the 3-point line and into an on-target pass from the partner simulating finding an open shooting window in transition

WHY USE ITIt’s a simple idea but a big-little diagonal screen forces the defense into a decision and whichever way they go, you have an opportunity to score.

SET UPRun from a box set, place your best scorer (in this case, 2) low with a forward or center located diagonally across at the opposite-side elbow.

HOW TO PLAY1 passes to the high post on 2’s side (in this case, 4). 1 clears out. 3 runs off 2’s low screen to clear out as well [1]. The key to the play is a diagonal down screen set by 5 for 2. The first option is to pass to 2 but if the defense switches, you potentially have a post player deep in the set with a guard on his or her back [2]. 1 and 4 set a stagger screen on the opposite side for 3, which primarily is dummy action to occupy the defense. 2 attacks in a 1-on-1 situation on the right side [3].

TECHNIQUEIf you have a talented scorer at the 4 position simply switch 4 and 5, and 2 and 3 at the start so 4 is low and 3 is at the right elbow. Now the screen is a little-on-big, which still creates mismatches.

‘Wade’ Play Action Sets Up Best ScorerRather than tossing the ball to your best scorer and clearing out, use a big-little screen to free the player and decoy action to keep the defense occupied

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 88 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 6

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2 The key to the play is this big-little screen — if the defense switches then you have a pair of mismatches and if they don’t, then

you have your best scorer with the ball and a step advantage

2 has the ball in a 1-on-1 clear-out situation in which he/she attacks the

rim or pulls up for a jumper

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

SucceSSful Set

Have 3 circle around a stagger screen to draw defensive attention toward the top and away from the main action

Place your best scorer on the left block — in this case a guard is your best scorer, so a post player (5) is positioned diagonally across the box

Have 1 and 3 clear to this side as you want to create space for 2 on the opposite side

By Loree Payne, head women’s coach, Puget

Sound University, Tacoma, Wash.