Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Is Georgia High School Basketball the Best in the Nation?
Is Georgia high school basketball the best in the nation? Check out the Rivals.com's 2010-2011 preseason rankings compiled by Senior Analyst Dallas Jackson and other Rivals.com high school site publishers, and then tell us what you think. |
Friday, October 15, 2010
What Separates You?
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Basketball Tryout Tips Cont'd.
We are less than two weeks away from basketball conditioning starting at the high school level in the Atlanta area. As this time draws near I thought I would elaborate on the previous tips Coach Langley gave you guys. As a high school coach myself I can tell you that I do look to make sure my potential players can do the things Coach Langley mentioned. The first question posed to our blog readers was if you are in good physical condition. One of the biggest mistakes that players can make is to show up at the conditioning sessions a week before tryouts, or even worse at tryouts, out of shape. As Coach mentioned, to play basketball you have to be in basketball shape. Working out for one week isn't going to get you to where you need to, or want to be, to perform at your best. As an athlete who played both football and basketball at the high school level I can tell you that being in good football shape, or other sport shape, does not mean that you are in good basketball shape. Along with line drills mentioned by Coach Langley here are some other drills to get you in good "basketball shape."
**As always please stretch out properly to avoid any sort of injury**
1.) Jump Rope Drills
30 seconds jumping on both feet
rest for 30 seconds
30 seconds jumping on your left foot only
rest for 30 seconds
30 seconds jumping on your right foot only
rest for 30 seconds
jogging jump rope the length of the court and back
As you start these drills just go for 30 seconds. Once your endurance builds increase the time to continue building your stamina.
2.) Speed/Agility Ladder Drills
Both feet in every square
Left foot in every square
Right foot in every square
Machine gun (left foot in 1st square, right foot in 2nd square, left foot in 3rd square)
Both feet skip a square
Left foot skip a square
Right foot skip a square
These are just a few examples of the numerous ladder drills you can do.
3.) Interval Track Running
Spring full speed on the straight-aways and then jog the corners of a quarter mile track. When first starting out do this for shorter distances, maybe only a few laps around the track, and as you build up your stamina increase the total distance you cover.
4.) Stadium stairs
For those athletes who have a football stadium with bleachers you can sprint up the stairs and jog down. Start at one end of the stadium and end at the other side.
5.) Traditional Suicides
Start on the baseline and sprint to the foul line. Once you reach the foul line sprint back to the baseline and then to the mid-court line. Mid-court line back to the baseline and finally spring from the baseline to the opposite baseline and then back again. Time yourself doing this the first time to see your "target time." In the future if you do not reach you "target time" institute some sort of penalty. Whether that is basketball push ups or more sprints thats up to you.
Since this may be the last post I am able to publish before your tryouts I wanted to give you a suggestion to think about going into your tryouts. During your tryouts show the coaches what you do best. If you are a good ball handler but only a decent shooter show your coaches how you can run an offense. How you are comfortable bringing the ball up the floor and distributing the ball to your team mates. Don't take a bunch of shots that you aren't comfortable with taking simply for the sake of shooting. Tryouts give you a very small window to show coaches what kind of players you are. If you want to improve your shot work on that in your driveway, during practice, or in the off season, but not during the day or so long try out period. You want to maximize your strengths in the eyes of your coaches and minimize any weaknesses that you may have in your game.
Good luck!
Coach Patrick Hughes
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Your Guide to Basketball Tryouts
Tryouts for rec league teams, church league teams, and middle and high school teams are right around the corner and we want to make sure that you're ready for anything your coach may throw at you during tryouts. Here are a couple of questions you need to ask yourself before tryouts to make sure you are ready.Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Today is officially the 1st day of fall and as we leave summer behind us each day brings us closer to basketball season. While most players that I have come across tell me that they want to become better players they have to put in the work to do so. The off season is the best way to transform yourself and your game. You will never reach your full potential if all you do is work out during the season during practice. The off season is where you'll really become a better player if you work at it. Each day that you aren't getting better, someone else is. That other person may be a classmate of yours that you're competing for a spot on the team with or a player on an opposing team.
Most common people are satisfied with mediocrity or the status quo. If you want to be truly great you need to work at it every opportunity that you have. Improve your game and get 1% better every day. Greatness is uncommon so its not often experienced by the common man. I hope that each and everyone of you are working hard and getting 1% better each and every day.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Elite Hoops Hall of Famer Ready for WNBA Superstar Status
If you missed out on the Atlanta Dream's run through the WNBA playoffs, you not only missed out on some exciting basketball, but you missed out on the making of a WNBA superstar. In just two short seasons, Atlanta Dream forward and Elite Hoops Hall of Famer, Angel McCoughtry has gone from rookie to WNBA playoffs and Finals record-holder. To read more about Angel's success in the WNBA check out Frank Della Femina's article on WNBA.com.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
FIBA World Championships

Good afternoon from the Elite Hoops Offices,
For those out of the loop when it comes to international basketball the US is currently in the quarter finals of the FIBA World Championships. The FIBA (which stands for International Basketball Federation) World Championships is similar to the World Cup except its for basketball rather than soccer. The FIBA World Championships is an international basketball event held every four years. The event is organized by FIBA and features competition between men's national basketball teams from countries around the world and is currently going on in Turkey.
The FIBA World Championship is contested between 24 teams from the five FIBA regions of the world. During the preliminary rounds of the FIBA World Championship, teams are divided into four groups of six, and play a round-robin schedule with the other teams in their group. The top four teams from each group based on win-loss record advance to the round of 16, where the tournament moves into single-elimination mode. A consolation bracket is held for teams that lose in the quarterfinals to determine exact finishes from first through eighth place.
When it comes to qualifying for the FIBA Championships there are a few ways in which a country can get in. First the host nation and the defending Olympic champion qualify for the FIBA World Championship automatically. Other teams have to play their way into the tournament via regional qualifying tournaments. In 2010, FIBA handed out automatic bids to the top six finishers at the FIBA Europe tournament, the top four finishers at the FIBA Americas Championship, the top three finishers at the FIBA Africa Championship, the top three at the FIBA Asia Championship and the top two at FIBA Oceania. In addition, FIBA handed out four wild-card berths. To be eligible for a wild-card berth, a team must have competed at its regional tournament and paid a wild-card fee.
European basketball differs from the typical NBA game most Americans are used to watching. The game consists of four 10-minute quarters rather than the 12-minute quarters that the NBA uses. The court is actually 3½ feet shorter and six inches narrower than an NBA court. The paint is a trapezoid shape, rather than the rectangle of the NBA, and the 3-point line is between 18 and 39 inches closer to the basket, depending on where the shot is attempted, click here to see a depiction of the court during a recent USA international game. Instead of the six fouls an NBA player is permitted a player in a FIBA competition is disqualified after five fouls. Also teams are allowed to play a full zone defense in FIBA games.
While most Americans put a lot of weight into the Summer Olympics and winning the gold medal there with our Redeem Team internationally more weight is placed on winning the FIBA World Championships. Coincidentally enough the US has not won FIBA gold since 1994. The United Stats crushed Angola and will play Russia on Thursday looking to advance to the semi-finals. While familiar faces from the past Olympic squad like Lebron, Kobe, Carmelo, and D-Wade are gone this US squad is still a talented one. Below you can view the current US roster for the FIBA Championship squad:
So if you can tune to ESPN tomorrow, Thursday September 9th, at 11am to watch the USA face off against Russia in an international version of the Elite 8. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Atlanta Dream Surprise in WNBA Playoffs

After, the surprising first round upset of the Washington Mystics, the #1 team in the WNBA's Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Dream look to take down the New York Liberty after taking game 1 of the best of 3 series.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Training vs. Working Out
Monday, August 30, 2010
With the start of the basketball season about six weeks ago for most high school players, I wanted to bring out one of my favorite items from John Wooden, legendary Head Coach of UCLA. This list of "Eight Suggestions for Succeeding" has been in many of his books and many of his interviews. In fact, he could be found mentioning one, if not all of these in almost every practice and interview he conducted. All of the players that have played for him know these by heart.
preparing to fail.
Lee Miller
Elite Hoops Basketball
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Malcolm Brogdon Chooses Virginia
Elite Hoops trainee and Greater Atlanta Christian senior, Malcolm Brogdon verbally committed to the Virginia Cavaliers on Monday. When Brogdon first started training with Elite Hoops, he was being recruited by mid majors. In one short year, Brogdon went from being a mid major, 2 star player into an ACC bound player and candidate for Mr. Georgia Basketball for one reason. Work ethic. To see Malcolm in one of his Elite Hoops training sessions click HERE.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Semi-Finals of WNBA Playoffs for Elite Hoops Hall of Famer
On Wednesday, the 4th place Atlanta Dream and Elite Hoops Hall of Famer, Angel McCoughtry, head into the WNBA playoffs against the number 1 team in the Eastern Conference the Washington Mystics. This should be a tough match-up for the Dream, as the Mystics have won 3 out of the 4 regular season meetings.
Ned Dishman, of NBA.com says,"It’s hard to predict which team will come out on top by the end of this series. Will the Mystics carry the momentum of a six-game win streak into the first round and get the best of Atlanta? Or will the Dream’s high-flying offense be too much for the Mystics to handle?It may be a No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup on paper, but this one is capable of going either way."
Elite Hoops wishes Angel and the Atlanta Dream good luck in their first round playoff series!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Hard Work Brings Prosperity
Awaking to the sounds of school buses running and kids yelling this morning we can say that school has officially started in Atlanta. With the start of school many of Elite Hoops 1,200 campers this summer are trading in basketballs and the hardwood for books and homework. As you leave to start your classes remember one of our favorite quotes from this past summer camp season, "Hard work brings prosperity."
Each and everyone of us coaches here at Elite Hoops was delighted that you attended camp this summer but don't be satisfied and leave it at that. Many of you will have try outs for your teams in the upcoming months. Its important that that you continue practicing the drills you learned this summer at camp so that your hard work will pay off come try out time. Do you remember the drills you learned for individual improvement throughout your camp week? Here's a reminder just in case your memory faded a bit while you were at the pool after camp.
Monday: Mikan & power lay ups
Tuesday: Figure 8 no dribble, figure 8 dribble, flip-flop, front back bounce, & front back catch
Wednesday: Diagonal key lay ups & diagonal key jumpers
Thursday: Hot shot
If you want some video tips and pointers just click here and head over to our YouTube site and brush up. Try and fit in some basketball and practice your drills a few times a week to keep sharp and remember, hard work brings prosperity.
Monday, August 16, 2010
2010 NIKE Basketball Camp Season Concludes
Eleven weeks, 14 cities and 20 camps later we can officially say that the 2010 NIKE/Elite Hoops Basketball Camp season has come to a close. This was the longest, largest and most widespread camp season to date for Elite Hoops and it would not have been possible without our two other Camp Directors: Chris Langley and Patrick Hughes. These two coaches have worked their tails off over the past 11 weeks to help make sure that our camps ran smoothly, efficiently and without hiccups. Dealing with 1200 campers, 2400 parents and multiple gym locations is no easy task. However, both Chris and Patrick made it seem that way.
Langley directed our Georgia camps in Peachtree City, Cumming, and Roswell where he oversaw 300+ campers and 36 coaches. Langley's hard work and dedication hasn't gone unnoticed by other members of the basketball community. In fact, Langley was named Co-Director of the 2010 JJ Hickson Skills Academy here in Atlanta. Langley has been a vital member of Elite Hoops, setting up many of our Fall Skills Training programs for 2010, so make sure to check out one of his events.
Hughes directed our Florida camps in Parkland, Weston and Boca Raton. There, he oversaw 6 first year camps and a bunch of new staff coaches in the sunshine state. Hughes laid a solid foundation with the south Florida players and parents which will allow us to grow next summer. Check out what one of the parents said about one of our camps directed by Hughes HERE. After his six weeks in south Florida, Hughes traveled up to Charlotte for our final camp of the season. There, we figured out that he had been in a hotel for 49 of the past 51 days! Talk about commitment to excellence.
Thanks again to these dedicated and talented coaches. Without them, Elite Hoops wouldn't be so 'elite.'









