Monday, November 8, 2010

Practice YOUR Game-like Situations!

Posted by Chris Langley | Monday, November 8, 2010 | Category: |

If you are a player who has trained with us in the past, or if you are a new player that is just beginning to train with us, you know that many of the drills that we use to develop ballhandling, perimeter moves, passing techniques, and shooting are drills that simulate game-like situations. Our goal is to force players to pay attention to proper technique, while having to think about a defender, speed, time, and the pressure that comes along with playing in an actual game. We want to make trainings as HARD as possible, so games are EASY!

So as you begin your seasons and you continue to work on your individual skills, Elite Hoops wants to remind you to work on the skills that you will be expected to use during your team games. After the first couple of days of practice, coaches will begin to assign positions to players and start to teach offensive plays. As you are assigned your position and as you find out your role in your team-offense, notice what the coach expects of you. Are you expected to be the primary ballhandler, set screens, get rebounds, or shoot?

Once you figure out what you are expected to do, then begin to work on that skill on your own! If you are expected to:

1) be the primary ballhandler; work on your dribbling skills with stationary ballhandling drills, full court ballhandling drills, cross-over drills (focusing on keeping the ball below the knee and changing speed and direction on your moves), and attacking the parts of the court you will most likely find yourself during your games. Also don't forget to work on your passing. Be able to make a bounce pass, chest pass, shovel pass with your right hand and left hand. The easiest way to work on passing is use a brick wall, cinder-block wall, or if you are luck enough to have a partner you can work on these drills, and go through all the types of passes you are expected make out of your team's offense.



2)set screens; work on your timing and position. Make sure you set a screen at a spot on the court and let the ballhandler or the cutter use your screen. Don't set a moving screen! Make sure you establish position on the court with your screen. If you run into players out of control, you will be called for committing a "moving screen" violation. Make sure that that the player that is using your screen is either coming of the screen shoulder to shoulder or shoulder to hip, so the defender can't slip through making the screen useless. Also as a screener you must be able to roll to the basket or pop out for a shot. Make sure that no matter what your coach wants you to do as a screener, you don't turn your head away from the ball because you must always be ready to catch the ball. So no matter what make sure that you always pivot in a way that makes sure that you see the ball.



3)get rebounds; work on your footwork and positioning. When the ball goes up, your hands need to go up, so you are ready for the basketball as it comes off as a missed shot. Also remember to BOX OUT! Get low, pivot in the proper direction according to which way the opposing player moves, put your back-side on the nearest opposing player and move them away from the missed shot. Once you have established better position than your opponent, then you can head towards the rebound! Rebounding is all about hustle and position. It doesn't matter how tall you are if you have your heart and mind set on getting a rebound!



4)Shoot; Know where your shots are going to come from out of your team's offense. If you are a guard know if you are expected to just catch and shoot, if you are expected to come off screens, or if you are someone who is supposed to drive to the basket. Wherever you are expected to shoot from in games, practice those shots!

If you are a post player make sure that you are working on shots around the basket (hook shots, drop steps, up and unders) or maybe you are also expected to play at the high post and shoot from the elbow. Your coach may expect you to shoot from other spots depending on your position and the offense that he or she runs.

No matter what just make sure that you are practicing shots that you will be shooting during games. (If you aren't going to shoot a 3 pointer or a half court shot during a game, don't practice those shots during the seasons. The off-season is the time to add moves to your game.) During the season, work on the stuff that helps your team!

If you practice on your own time and make your practices even harder than your games, you will make games much easier and you will experience great success!



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