One of our goals for improvement this spring was to work on internalizing the skills learned and demonstrated at the workouts and see evidence of those skills in games. We see evidence of improvement in the workouts but tend to revert to earlier habits in games. This is not unusual. To that end we will summarize our agenda and comment on progress each week. The information can be used as a resource for players who want to review the basic principles, philosophies and skills. Middle school players will be expected to try the skills drilled in one on one and three on three competition. The high school players will have 30 – 35 games this summer and fall. Players are expected to demonstrate their understanding of the skills in those game situations. To be better players each player has to risk playing outside of their current level of comfort. If you play to your current level of comfort you play like you did before – there is no improvement. The focus this week was on fundamentals of fast break / transition game. This involves multiple fundamental skills. Specifically – • Elevating for the rebound, catching it and keeping it high (chinning). • Pivoting to the outside (towards the corner), away from the defense. • Executing an accurate outlet pass. • The outlet player positions herself with her back to the sideline, allowing her to use her peripheral vision to see the defense and avoid the turnover (charge, travel etc.) • Getting the ball to the middle of the court to create maximum spacing opportunities. • Sprinting to fill the three lanes on the way down court. • Filling the outside lanes, staying wide until the foul line extended then cutting at a 45° angle to the basket. • Finishing – making the shot! In a two on one transition we want the ball handler to dribble wide, not down the middle of the court. This makes it more difficult for the single defender to defend the two offensive players and sets up better passing angles for the ball handler. Defending the fast break / transition requires the defender with defensive balance responsibility to sprint back and defend the three point line (if the opponent’s skills include three point shooting) or defend the basket (if the threat of the three point shot is not a concern). Once in position the defender remains “open”, facing the opposite basket while the offense attacks. The defender avoids turning to the wing player until the last possible second. By jabbing or faking at the ball handler the defender may get the ball handler to pass early. If the ball handler passes the ball the defender, who is in the open position, can slide into the passing lane and intercept the pass, deflect the pass or delay the score until help defenders arrive. On Thursday the high school players worked on shooting off the dribble, and change of speed / change of direction ball handling. Middle school players completed shooting, dribbling, passing and speed and agility stations and our first three on three competitions. The three on three focuses on dribble drive play. Every player must make a dribble move before passing. Ball handlers attack the lane, trying to draw a help defender. Wing players rotate high to receive a pass from the ball handler when the help defender stops the dribble penetration. No picks / screen allowed at this point. We use the dribble drive structure to reinforce aggressive offensive play. We want all players to have the dribble skill confidence to attack the defense. There are lots of turnovers while players learn the dribble skills needed, begin to understand the space needed to execute offensive skills and learn to recognize the help defender and execute the pass to the open player. Considering that this was our first three on three competition for the middle school players the level of play was promising. Hope to see you at the gym. Bob Peterman