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Using interior screens to bust zone defenses
No matter where you turn, there’s someone talking about ways to beat a man-to-man defenses. Sit down with some coaches or attend a clinic, and if you’re talking about defense, the strategic emphasis is typically about ways to counter a man-to-man...
Modifying the read & react offense to fit your team
The read and react offense is one of the more popular offensive philosophies in basketball programs. It teaches players to play with principle rather than learn set plays. [caption id="attachment_12252" align="alignleft" width="286"] Photo: Anthony...
Learning the ‘Demon’ controlled motion offense
Installing a new offense is never easy. Motion offenses are increasingly popular, but what if you're concerned the players can’t make all the proper reads? Another concern for coaches is lack of a true post player. In that instance, how do you pick...
Phil Martelli’s warmup drills to prep players for practice
Our team starts every practice with a drill that serves as a great warmup routine. During warmup drills, time your players and give them a specific goal. Once your players meet the time and goal, have them move on to the next drill. [caption id="at...
5 quick hitters to shred zone defenses
Attacking zone defenses is nothing new to the world of basketball. Many coaches, myself included, have used continuity offenses, alternating fronts, attacking from the short corner, high-low attacks, screening and much more. During the last few years...
The ABCs of shot selection
One of a coach’s toughest jobs is teaching shot selection. To eliminate any confusion among our players, we clearly identify the four areas on the floor from where our shots should come. We define the acceptable shooting percentages for those shots...
Using fake handoffs to boost your offense
With dribble handoff action becoming more popular, offenses must do what they can to stay ahead of defenses that are trying to stop it. Since deception is so important, using fake handoffs can make real handoffs more unpredictable and successful. Th...
High-post zone offense breaks down defenses
As is the case with most high school programs, our team has very limited practice time to get ready to play. We need an offense that can be easily taught and practiced from the middle school levels up through our varsity team. Regardless of the zone...
The shuffle offense: An equal opportunity system
The shuffle offense is the type of system that features a great deal of continuity with excellent floor balance. It has a certain amount of structure while allowing for individual player creativity. When run properly, each player within the offense h...
The 11 sins of shooting
Keep these 11 tips in mind when teaching players about best practices for shooting. 1. Don’t have both hands on the ball at the moment of release. 2. Don’t shoot without having the index finger of your shooting hand on the center of the ball. ...