Category: Offense »
‘Umbrella’ press breaker protects against defensive storm
“Umbrella” is an effective press breaker that’s designed to get the ball into the hands of your best ball handlers. The offense is set up so that you have a player in the middle (a “safety” positioned behind the press), and a player positio...
Drills and plays to win in the game’s final seconds
The final seconds of a tightly contested game show the character and preparedness of your team. Typically, chaos ensues and a player fires up a shot from a spot on the floor that has little chance at success. Many times, it almost seems like coaches ...
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...
