LiveDon’t DieBy the 3

BASKETBALL COACHW

EEKLY

Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy

Increase shootIng % WIth Well-DesIgneD set plays

‘Zorro’PLay

SLice a Zone DefenSe With

DiagonaLcutS

Program BuiLDing

Lead The NaTioN iN RebouNdiNg, NeveR RuN a RebouNdiNg dRiLL

RuN ShooTeR off a TRipLe ScReeN foR aN exTRa STep

BackSiDe DouBLe Screen StymieS DefenSe

June 18, 2015Issue 90

$5.99

< Klay Thompson thrives in

Golden state’s offensive

system

plan For ‘program nIght’ rIght noW

2

quarter scrimmage. Every team of both genders from fifth grade through varsity are asked to participate. Liley says he asks the coach from each squad to divide the team evenly — one set is on the Blue side while the other is on the Orange.

Start with fifth-grade girls facing fifth-grade girls, then work your way up to varsity boys facing off with each other. Keep a running score throughout the night, so it’s truly Orange vs. Blue.

“It’s crazy because every year the game comes down to the boys varsity on the floor and is decided by the last shot,” Liley says. “Then, all the players from the winning team get their picture taken and it’s up in the school all year.

“The young kids really, truly start to feel like they are part of the program after this night.”

Of course, a night of this magnitude takes a lot of time, effort and planning. Don’t expect to slap it together during the course of a week.

If this is your first time organizing something like this, start doing it now. Talk to your athletic director first to see if it’s feasible to have the gym for an entire night. Talk to parents now to plant

You’re still almost half a year away from next season, but that isn’t stopping you from stockpiling potential out-of-bounds plays, drawing up new drills or thinking through possible game situations.

So, are you doing the same for your program building?

Bill Liley is an 11-year high-school coaching veteran in the Seattle area who has been to two state title games while earning three conference coach of the year awards. His most recent job has been at Eastside Catholic, which had a proud football history … but had been barren in basketball for many years.

Liley says one of the keys to rebuilding his program and keeping it moving forward every year is the annual Orange & Blue Night hosted in the school’s gymnasium (the event usually took place during the Christmas break but can be used as a preseason momentum builder as well).

The team lays down carpeting and sets up tables at one end of the gym. Parents make buffet-style dishes and people pay money to get into the event. There is a raffle. There are shooting games to raise money.

And, probably the funnest part of all for the players is the all-night, one-

Start Planning Program Night

Basketball Coach Weekly Issue 90

Basketball Coach Weekly9325 SW Iowa DriveTualatin, OR 97062

Editor-in-chiefMichael Austinmichael.austin@basketballcoachweekly.com

ContributorsBill Liley, TJ Rosene, Ted Anderson

IllustrationsMike Renwick

PicturesAction Images

DesignSam Esward

PublisherKevin Barrowkevin.barrow@greenstarmedia.net

Customer ServicesDuncan Heardduncanh@ basketballcoachweekly.com

Managing DirectorAndrew Griffiths

Contents

“The young kids really, truly start to feel like they are part of the program after this night …”

T.J. Rosene, head men’s coach at Emmanuel College (Ga.) shared a fascinating fact at the PGC Clinic in Seattle a couple months back.

“A couple years ago we led the nation in rebounding and didn’t do one rebounding drill the entire year. We just had guys who could chase down the ball,

so we let them,” Rosene said. In fact, Rosene said his point guard

that year averaged 9.7 rebounds per game simply by going after the ball.

“I’d watch him in pick-up games and he’d chase the ball down. Then, I’d tell him to box out and I’d hurt his rebounding numbers by 50 percent.”

Remember this before you start

mindlessly adding drills to your practice plans. Get to know your team. Rosene says if he has a bunch of stout players who only rebound in their space, then he definitely uses box-out drills.

It’s just a matter of personnel and what places those specific players in a position to succeed. — Michael Austin

To subscribe to Basketball Coach Weekly please contact Duncan Heard at Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford GU5 0AB, UK.

You can contact Duncan via Skype at basketballcoachweekly or via email at duncanh@ basketballcoachweekly.com

LiveDon’t DieBy the 3

BASKETBALL COACH

WEEKLY

Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy

Increase shootIng % WIth Well-DesIgneD set plays

‘Zorro’PLay

SLice a Zone DefenSe With

DiagonaLcutS

Program BuiLDing

Lead The NaTioN iN RebouNdiNg, NeveR RuN a RebouNdiNg dRiLL

RuN ShooTeR off a TRipLe ScReeN foR aN exTRa STep

BackSiDe DouBLe Screen StymieS DefenSe

June 18, 2015Issue 90

$5.99

< Klay Thompson thrives in

Golden state’s offensive

system

plan For ‘program nIght’ rIght noW

(c) Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.

Click here to read the full disclaimer.

Michael Austin Editor-in-chief

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 90 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY

Have all players from all levels of your program scrimmage at a program night

In this issue...

3 CrEatE BEttEr 3-PoInt Shot oPPortunItIES

Teams are shooting more 3s than ever, run proper sets to increase the scoring potential of this lower-percentage shot

4 trIPlE SCrEEn SEtS uP oPPoSItE-SIDE JuMPEr

The Warriors ran this set featuring three screens to free Klay Thompson in its clinching game against Houston

5 BaCkSIDE DouBlE SCrEEn CrEatES

oPEn ShotA great counter to the previous page’s play, Golden State also ran this set freeing Klay Thompson for a 3-pointer

6 ‘Zorro’ ZaPS ZonESUse multiple diagonal cuts and

dribbling away from the baseline to pull a zone away from the hoop

Lead NatioN, Never ruN a driLLQuiCK Hitter

the seed later when you ask them to contribute a dish or tables or anything else you may need.

Once the early logistics are in place, then create excitement by talking to players throughout the program by attending their practices and discussing.

“You need events that bring people together and give players recognition,” Liley says. Start thinking and planning them right now before the chaos of the season takes control down the road.

The game continues moving toward the 3-point line, so develop well-run sets to increase the scoring potential of this lower-percentage shot

The Warriors make it look easy but watch Klay Thompson move around the court to see how Golden State gets so many open 3-point chances

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 90 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 3

Words by: Michael AustinIt’s clear basketball has been and

continues to move further away from the hoop and closer to the 3-point

line.Last week I dedicated the Sideline

Stories column to a pair of coaches who say their offensive philosophy is following this trend, especially in light of how the NBA game has become much more about layups and 3-pointers.

The best team at driving, spacing, shooting and scoring this past NBA season were the Golden State Warriors, who currently are battling Cleveland in the NBA Finals.

Expounding on his ideas from last week, Wilsonville High (Ore.) girls coach Justin Duke (author of Basketball Coach Weekly’s “46 Winning Warm-Ups”) says as players practice 3-pointers much more on their own, coaches seem more apt to make this weapon a larger part of their

offense. Sure, the extra point on a make helps, but Duke sees a bigger picture.

“It spaces the floor better for your offense and creates driving lanes that might not be there if you don’t have a 3-point threat,” he says. “I like taking the shot early in games so the defense comes out a little bit farther to defend us. It takes a real disciplined defensive team to sit back and allow teams to shoot the 3, even if it’s at a low percentage.”

Duke adds that as the spacing expands, so too do the passing lanes to the post and the chance to track down loose balls.

“Post entries become easier and there is the old adage of long shots equal long rebounds, which gives us a better opportunity to get another possession in our offense,” Duke remarks.

You see this a lot with Golden State as well, especially when you have a versatile worker such as Draymond Green

patrolling the floor (see drills to work on versatility in last week’s Basketball Coach Weekly). When Steph Curry or Klay Thompson do miss, the ball becomes a 50/50 chance to start a fresh possession.

And while Pat Coons, the head boys coach at Westview High (Beaverton, Ore.) for the last 21 years, admits to using the 3-point shot more in his offense now, he does caution teams relying upon it too much.

“Our postseason is not a series of games (like in the NBA),” Coons warns. “In high school playoffs, one bad shooting game can knock you out. The best teams have a combo of going inside when needed but score consistently from outside.”

With all of that in mind, check out these two 3-point sets from Golden State, which were run in the clinching Game 5 against Houston.

Create Better 3-Point Shot Opportunities

Golden State 3-Point SetS

WHY USE ITIf one screen is good and two are great, then what are three? When you’re looking to get a shooter going, do all you can to give him or her a step on defenders and get a clean look at the hoop.

SET UPYour shooter starts with the ball (in this set, it’s Klay Thompson). Players are at opposite elbows, the point guard is on the ball-side block and a forward is in the opposite corner.

HOW TO PLAYThe point guard (1) runs high off a screen from 3. 2 dribbles into the set and passes to 1 at the top. 4 moves closer to the lane [1]. After making the pass, 2 moves low and runs off a screen from 3, then from 4. 5 shifts low to set up the third screen [2]. 2 now comes off the third screen (set by 5) and flashes to the wing. 1 passes to 2 for the open shot as 3 circles into the lane for an offensive-rebounding opportunity [3].

TECHNIQUEIf the defense tries to cheat and jump the wing, 2 can get behind the defense and either go to the corner or stay in the short corner. Run this play once or twice, then fake it having the shooter reverse direction in the lane and finishing on the left wing.

Triple Screen Sets Up Opposite-Side Jumper

Trailing by 3 early in the 2nd quarter against Houston in Game 5, the Warriors ran this set for Klay Thompson, who sprinted off 3 screens for an open look

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 90 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 4

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1

2 5 moves low to make the final screen and spring 2 to come free

— this third screen work well, especially against good man-

defense teams

Catch the pass on the run, set and take

the shot before the defense recovers

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

Golden State 3-Point SetS

The point guard uses a screen from 3 to come high and handle the ball — it’s always good to get the ball into your best passer’s hands if possible

The shooter dribbles into the set and passes across to the point guard coming high before moving low

2 runs hard off the shoulder off each screener to gain a marked advantage while heading to the opposite wing

WHY USE ITAfter running from the left to the right side coming off three screens, now the defense is looking for the same when your shooter moves low. Use two backside screens to fool the defense and set up an open left-side jumper.

SET UPThe shooter (Klay Thompson, again) starts with the ball. Place a pair of players near the ball-side elbow, a player at the top of the set and a guard on the opposite wing.

HOW TO PLAY3 curls around a screen from 4 to come high. 2 passes to 3, then flares to the left wing [1]. 4 now steps out and screens for 2. 2 fakes high, moves low and runs off 4’s screen toward the left block. 5 shifts low on the right side, which makes the defense think 2 could be running through the lane [2]. As 2 starts to come through the lane as if he or she is coming right, 4 moves low and 1 scampers across and low toward the left baseline. 2 stops and runs off the double screen. 3 dribbles into the set and passes to 2 for the open shot [3].

TECHNIQUE2 sells this play by appearing to run through the lane as in the previous play but stops on a dime, and shifts back to the left side.

Backside Double Screen Creates Open ShotThe Warriors extended the lead over the Rockets from 3 to 6 after this perfect set for Klay Thompson, which is a great counter to the previous triple-screen play

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 90 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 5

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2 At this point, 2’s momentum still looks to be carrying him

or her to the right side, which, combined with 5 moving low,

confuses the defense

This double screen from 4 and 1 buys plenty of time for

2 to get in position for the pass and shoot

2 stops hard in the lane and sprints back to the left side as the defense scrambles to recover

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

Golden State 3-Point SetS

3 uses 4’s screen to come high and catch the ball — land with a jump stop so both feet are available for pivoting if necessary

2 fakes high then moves low off the screen setting up the defender and gaining an advantage

WHY USE ITZones fall apart when facing constant ball and player movement, which this play does.

SET UPThe point guard has the ball on the right wing. The other two guards (2 and 3) are in opposite corners. Place a forward at the top and your center in the middle of the lane.

HOW TO PLAY1 passes to 2 and 2 passes back to 1 to shift the defense. 1 then passes to 4. 4 continues ball reversal with a pass to 3, who comes high out of the left corner [1]. 5 had moved to the right block but shifts to the left when the ball moves left. 2 curls behind the zone to the left corner. 3 passes to 2. 4 makes a diagonal cut behind 5 toward the right block [2]. 3 diagonally cuts to the opposite corner for spacing. 1 comes toward the ball as 2 dribbles away from the corner. If the bottom-of-the-zone player goes with 2, then 4 sneaks behind to the ball-side short corner in a perfect scoring position [3].

TECHNIQUEStart with players sprinting to their secondary-break spots and know the ball must get to the baseline twice to keep the defense moving.

‘Zorro’ Zaps Zone DefensesSlice a zone defense with multiple diagonal cuts, which leads to dribbling away from the baseline and a player flashing behind the defense to the short corner

www.basketballcoachweekly.com Issue 90 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 6

3

1

2

Initiate the action with a pass toward the corner, then back

to the point guard to shift the defense a bit

4 sneaks behind the defense, catches the pass and either

knocks down the short jumper or attacks the rim

2 dribbles out of the corner and wants to pull the bottom defender away from the baseline to create space for 4

Player movement Ball movement Dribble Shot

SucceSSful Set

3 comes high for spacing purposes and to get in a better position to catch the ball-reversal pass

5 flashes across the lane in a post-up position when the ball moves to the left side of the court — this could be an initial scoring option

Play by: By Ted Anderson, head girls

coach, Andale High School, Kan.