The 1-4 High alignment is one of the best ways to begin offense as it offers so many options, and works vs both man and zone defenses. Summer is almost over and coaches across the country are preparing for the start of the 19-20 basketball season. Coaches use this time to analyze, modify, and adjust…
Building Your Playbook: Add Sets With Consecutive Actions
Stringing together consecutive actions creates advantages by forcing the defense to make back-to-back quick decisions and communicate. During my second year as a college assistant coach, we had a Division I point guard transfer into our small program. His skill in the pick and roll was quickly apparent, not just to our staff, but also…
Playing With Offensive Freedom
Playing with offensive freedom – four keys to playing with more freedom and less complexity. There is a spectrum of coaches and we all fall somewhere along this spectrum. On one end is the rigid coach who calls every play and coaches every dribble. On the other end is the coach who basically rolls the…
Basketball Strategy: There’s No “Right” Way to Play or Coach
It’s all about preference – teams with various styles of play are succeeding in today’s game, as evidenced by recent champions. During the 2019 men’s NCAA Tournament, basketball coaches and fans across the world saw a collection of some of the best games in recent memory. Specifically, the Sweet Sixteen and Eight Eight featured teams with…
Coaching Tip: Be Consistent in Your Leadership and Messaging
No matter the talent level, wins or losses, it’s important for coaches to maintain a standard of leadership at all times. I was out of town on a college visit trip with my son last month. While we were there, he was telling me about how one of the top high school basketball teams in…
CSKA Moscow: EuroLeague Champions Breakdown – Early Offense
See what one of the most successful teams in Europe, CSKA Moscow, runs to take advantage early in possessions. Cementing it’s reputation as one of the top basketball clubs in Europe, CSKA Moscow won the EuroLeague Championship in dramatic fashion, surviving Final Four battles against Real Madrid and Anadolu Efes. This is the eight EuroLeague title in…
Video Playbook: Staggered Screens
Video Playbook: Staggered Screens – A look across the basketball landscape at options and actions stemming from the staggered down screen. The staggered down screen is a staple in many motion offenses across the basketball landscape. In this video playbook we will look at college, NBA and International teams using the staggered down screen. Staggered Screens:…
Turn Things Upside Down with Inverted Offense
Flip the traditional setup – Inverted Offense posts up a guard, running actions above to create huge advantages and tough covers. If you’ve ever had the privilege of attending the NABC Convention at the Final Four, you know the event is full of big-named presenters. This year was no different with coaches like John Beilein, Bruce…
Off-Season Improvement: Time to Get Better as a “Coach”
Make sure part of your off-season preparation is devoted to you becoming a better coach in general, not just a better coach in basketball. Normally, my posts here are often reposted from original blogs on my own site, Great Resources for Coaches site, and I’ve been grateful that FastModel Sports has allowed me to spread my…
Championship Mindset: Keys to Winning in the Postseason
Lessons on what it takes to win when it matters most – the postseason – from a coach with a track record of success. Every year, we prepare and plan to play on the last possible day in March. At Varina High School, where I spent six years building a program from the ground up, we made that an…