HoopClinics

by Coach Ken Sartini

Most coaches, myself included hated turnovers.. so, how do we decide to play the game?  Run, run, run, or walk it up the floor?  OR, do we use a combination of the two?  The answer? It depends on the talent.

IF you have the right kind of players you can press and get some points off the turnovers by pushing it up the floor when you have the numbers.  But be warned, your team may see an increase in turnovers and that’s OK as long as the end result is positive. If the turnovers are more than the points scored, you need to slow it down.

I had one EXCELLENT Sophomore team who went 19-2 (lost two game by four points total – two coaching errors of course  )  Our strength was pressing and we were especially good at having one guard spinning the dribbler just over half court and the other guard coming from behind setting a trap — then we had a  small forward who would rotate up anticipating the pass and  making the steal for a lay-up … heck, he knew how to get easy points…. he was our leading scorer.  We played great half court defense…. but our “bigs” got lazy A LOT!!

SO, one day,  I reversed their roles in a practice… made the big men play D at half court and told the guards to let their men have the ball.  They got the idea real quick… they begged me to stop the drill.     They understood how hard the guards were working and neither the guards or I appreciated them allowing their man to be an easy outlet from that pressure.  Here is a comment from one of the players from that team, we e mail each other every day.

“Twenty-five years later I still think about that day from time to time. No coach that I had played under had done anything like it, reversing the roles to see how the guards play the game. I remember one big man looking at me after Coach Sartini stopped the drill and saying “You guys run too much!” No words could describe what the guards did up front, that short experience was the teacher.” Andy M
We ran a primary break with that group and they were good at filling the lanes… not a lot of turnovers even though we handled the ball more than if we were walking it up just because we scored more points.

The following year I had a bigger and slower group, we zoned pressed more and we ran a secondary break.. we pushed the ball up the floor and filled our lanes well.  We didn’t cause a lot of turnovers but we did control what the other team wanted to do. While we had a few more turnovers the number was certainly acceptable.  Our Varsity coach hated turnovers ( as we all do ) but I felt that we got a lot more than we gave.  I had this team again when I became the Varsity coach… we ran the same secondary with some very good results.

IF we played teams that were far superior to us, meaning they were a lot quicker, we would control the tempo a lot more.  Later in my career I had less talent, smart kids who could  handle the ball well, read the defense and react properly.  Oh yeah, and we could really shoot the three…. so if they sagged we nailed it.. if they overplayed… we went backdoor.  We were a nightmare to play because we dictated how the game was going to be played.  I had several coaches come up to us after the game and compliment us on how we controlled the tempo… in THEIR house, win or lose.   We seldom ran but IF they saw the opportunity we would.  These teams brought the ball up under control and got into the offense quickly.

You have to decide what type of team you have for the current year and play to their strengths… some coaches want to force their philosophy on their players regardless of their abilities … and that’s ok IF you have the players to fit what you want to do… other than that.. you have to adjust.

So, sit back and evaluate your players and decide what is best for THEM.  Then build your system around them.   JMO

Basketball Coaching