How to develop basic Tactical Skills

Posted by Eitel in For Coaches, For Players | 0 comments

Basketball is a fun sport to play, however, you have to play smart. When you are on the court you have to have the tactics it takes to play. This means that you have to be on top of the game and you have to anticipate what the person on the other team is going to do so you can outsmart them when they go for this maneuver.

The first thing you need to do when you learn to develop your basic tactical skills is you first must learn how to make decisions. Teach your players and yourself how to guard or do as defined by the position you play. Always analyze as you play and look at what is going on around you. Go through the options that you are given at hand. A number of drills can be performed to see how the team would react then discuss where they might have went wrong or could have done better.

Guarding a taller Player

Posted by Eitel in For Players | 0 comments

Guarding a taller player is not always an easy task. This is typically not something most basketball players enjoy doing. Sometimes the team has players who have fouled out or simply no one tall enough to handle those tall players on the boards or anywhere else on the court.

I was once ordered to guard a taller player and as I stood there in disbelief with the full knowledge that I could not competently take on the taller player, my coach informed me that when we were in under the boards, to step on the taller players pivot foot. Is this ethical? No, it is not which is why I want to share some tips for short people guarding taller players.

Guarding a quicker Player

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The game of basketball is full of mismatches not only in the player’s height, but also in the physical attributes of the players. Every basketball team boosts of a couple of players who are quick on their feet and quick to pass the ball around. There are also tall players who are aggressive, and strong however cannot be termed as quick as the shorter players. It is therefore imperative to take care of this aspect of the game, since quick feet and quick passes can change the entire course of the game.

The answer is having a good defense strategy that can stop quick players. It also maintains the consistency of the team and keeps your team included in an interesting game. With a great defense team you will not only learn how to tackle a quick player but you will also help your team win the game.

To Pass or to Shoot, that is the Question

Posted by Eitel in For Players | 0 comments

A lot of players go through many stages of development as they hone their skills on the court. One of the earliest problems that they encounter is the old to pass, or to shoot issue. There simply is no easy answer to this question. Every situation on the court differs, and cannot be remedied by any simple answer.

As a player, part of your development is instinct based. Part of it is skill driven. You will learn over time that together skill and instinct will blend to become a well oiled playing machine, but until you’ve had years of practice in both the mental and physical aspects of the game, you will make mistakes. The best players learn from their mistakes and simply move on. While no one is perfect, and no one can ever make the perfect call 100% of the time, eventually you as a player will realize you will make mistakes.

Passing can come down to a few factors, and these factors, and while to some people it comes easy, others it doesn’t. You will have to get to know your team, and know your teammates strengths and weaknesses. In learning and knowing these things, you will be able to better evaluate on the fly if a pass would be best, if a shot is possible, or if holding onto the ball for a few more moments is smarter.

One thing that players need to beware of is their patterns. If an opposing coach or player is paying enough attention, they may be able to learn and watch for your tendencies in certain situations, and respond accordingly. Sometimes if you find yourself unsure of what is the best response, the best response is just going with your gut, and if your gut is a bit predictable, than just throw a pass around. Make sure it can be a good pass, don’t just go throwing the ball randomly around, and costing your team the ball. Just be spontaneous on occasion and keep the opposition guessing. The moment that you become predictable and easy to read is the very moment that you can end up handing the opposing team the win without even realizing you are doing it.

One way to work with your team on spur of the moment passing drills is to meet after practice or outside of practice with 2 or 3 other players and just work on your passing. Just getting out there and working on something this simple will go a long way in helping the in game aspects just come to you by instinct. When you have to second guess yourself and think about what to do, you end up costing yourself a precious few seconds that can allow the other team to get the upper hand.

Once you spend enough time on the court, you will learn when it is best to pass, when it is best to attempt a shot, and when it is just best to do something spur of the moment to throw the other team off!

Photo credit: battlecreekcvb

Maximizing the Benefits of Time-Outs

Posted by Eitel in For Coaches | 0 comments

Fans and players alike occasionally misunderstand the importance of a time-out. It can make or break your game. A poorly timed time-out can derail a good drive, or it can provide that break you need to turn the tables around in your favour. The timing isn’t the only crucial element of the time-out, the actual use of the time is absolutely crucial. You get a small amount of time and you cannot afford to waste it period. It is up to the coach to set the tempo and purpose right off the bat and get done what needs to be done.

Things that are as simple as using the time-out to refresh your players by getting them a quick moment to grab a breath and a drink of water. While they are doing this, the coach could go over some plays, and relay some potential trends observed in the opposition. This could give the team just the right amount of edge and allow them to finish off the game for the win.

It can also be used to allow the coach a moment to bang heads with his players, a coach doesn’t always have to have every answer, and a player might have noticed something and would need to relay the information to the coach.

It is the responsibility of both player and coach to ensure that only the necessary information is relayed and that chatter is cut out entirely, there is plenty of time after the game to socialize with your friends. The time-out is serious, and needs to be treated as such. The pace will be set depending on the condition of the game, if your team is winning; the time out might be either an attempt to “ice” the other team’s defence, or to give your team a quick breather.

“Icing” a defence is a common use of a time-out. The time-out is taken to break-up a defence’s hot streak and cause it to sit around for a short time and cool down. This can work both positively and negatively. It has grown in popularity over the years and recently has become a widely used tactic.

Players need to go into the huddle with a singular mindset. The team as a whole needs to go into the time-out as a whole, and come out showing a united front. While this has been said before, and will be said again, it cannot be said enough. Teamwork is absolutely crucial, on and off the court. If player’s went into a time-out all thinking for themselves and speaking their own takes on every single aspect of the game, then your time-out would be spent arguing, and completely wasted.

If the coach highlights the positives of the game so far, a few improvements, and discusses a quick game plan that maximizes the team’s winning potential, then you are set. Players should just simply take the time to listen, and get a quick breather in!

Photo credit: Dave Shearn