Back British Basketball!
Posted by Coach Harris in Team GB on 22/06/2010
It’s been dead around here for a while as I’m currently working on a new site with a different angle from this one, that site drops soon. However in the meantime…..Sam Neter from the excellent UK Basketball coverage website Hoopsfix has unveiled his latest venture. Back British Basketball is a new website aimed at getting the home nations behind Team-GB’s bid for Olympic glory in 2012. Check out Sam’s press release below, it’s going to be huge….
Basketball is one of the few sports in the Olympics where the home nation doesn’t get an automatic qualification. FIBA President Bob Elphinston in April 2010 announced that in order for Team GB to secure a place in the Olympics they would need to qualify for Eurobasket 2011, a campaign that begins with their scheduled games this coming August.
The campaign which includes online, some experiential marketing, merchandise and advertising will be seeded out across social media sites including Facebook and Twitter. The site will prompt people to show their support through purchasing branded T-Shirts, downloading banners, twibbons, website badges, desktop wallpapers and other merchandise. Fans will be able to submit photos, videos and comments fuelling the content on the site.
Sam Neter, Editor: Hoopsfix www.hoopsfix.com
‘The fact that Team GB has met and exceeded every goal FIBA has set out for them so far; yet they still don’t have a guaranteed place in 2012 is outrageous particularly given the fact that the UK is the host nation. As a committed fan I intend to drive this campaign and do everything in my power to get the nation on board and increase Team GB’s following ensuring their every chance of success in August’
Notes:
The Great Britain basketball team were formed on December 1st, 2005 when the home nation’s respective governing bodies England Basketball, Basketball Scotland and Basketball Wales joined forces to field a competitive team for international competition after London secured the 2012 Olympics. In their first competitive campaign they got promoted from Division B to Division A allowing them to compete for a place at the European Championships (Eurobasket). They qualified for Eurobasket 2009 on their first attempt, but went 0-3 without their star player Luol Deng, pushing world champions Spain to the brink of defeat.
Contact: Sam Neter, Sam@hoopsfix.com 07841591550
Lebron doesn’t know the rules
Posted by Coach Harris in NBA, Refereeing/Rules on 23/04/2010
Disclaimer: I am not a particular fan of Lebron James. Undoubtedly he is a great player, some things he does I agree with, others I don’t. That said….
Lebron James was called for an offensive foul last night after barging into Luol Deng on a drive. It was a good defensive play from Deng but James wasn’t happy in the postgame interview.
I saw him backpedaling. Me as a driver, I’m watching the defender’s feet. I’m seeing if he’s stationed or is still moving. To me, I felt like he was still backpedaling, and as soon as I saw him backpedaling, that’s when I decided to take off. They called a charge. I haven’t seen the replay, but I know exactly what I’ve seen on the court with the defender right in front of me.
-Lebron James
The rules aren’t really on Lebron’s side here though. The actual NBA rule clarification on contact is:
A player may continue to move after gaining a guarding position in the path of an opponent provided he is not moving directly or obliquely toward his opponent when contact occurs.
So…Lebron is applying an incorrect understanding of the rules when he plays the game, and expecting calls to go a certain way, which they don’t. However, Lebron’s biggest mistake here is that he can’t let it go. By elucidating his case in the postgame interview he’s actually displaying his ignorance of the rules, as well as his inability to lose gracefully.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Lebron has thrown his toys out of the pram about a late-game call and been, well, wrong. Exhibit B: The Crab Dribble.
OK so some people will be saying ‘so what?’ but in the wake of David Stern’s warning to players and coaches about criticising referees, it seems sensible that you at least know the rules before criticising those enforcing them.
Entry Passes
Posted by Coach Harris in Coaches Fraternity, Coaching, UEA on 11/04/2010
A player looks for the entry pass
In lower level basketball a dominant post player can lead a team to success almost on their own. Many teams have taller players, but combine that height with a talent for playing the position (strength, footwork, finishing) and that player can dominate an entire league. Two of the teams I’ve recently worked with have had such a player, and yet we only posted average results for the season.
When we looked at the box scores, our big guys were getting baskets so it wasn’t immediately obvious that this was where our problems were coming from. However, during our games I started to observe that most of their scores were coming from second chance opportunities and from fast breaks (they both excelled at running as part of a break). The problem became clear, we just couldn’t get them the ball in the half-court. They were getting in good position to receive the ball, but our guards didn’t make the pass, or made a poor entry pass.
The Street Stops Here
Posted by Coach Harris in Other on 09/04/2010
I know this came out a couple of weeks ago but I only just found it sitting in my drafts list and thought it was still worthy of a mention. ‘The Street Stops Here’ is a documentary about St. Anthony’s HS in New Jersey. More specifically, about the basketball program led by legendary coach Bob Hurley. I haven’t seen the film (although am getting hold of a copy from America, review once it arrives) but it seems from clips and articles I’ve read about Hurley it sounds like it’s going to be a great watch.
Late Passers
Posted by Coach Harris in Coaching on 06/04/2010
Stockton never missed a pass
A while ago I was reading an article by Kevin Eastman about the need to eliminate ‘late passers’ from your team. Immediately this struck a chord with me as I had identified the problem he spoke about but never really defined it in such clear terms in my thinking. Passing is a key skill that all players (regardless of position) must have a solid grasp of. However this post is not about passing as such. It’s about the mentality of those players that are on the floor running your offense.
Coach Eastman uses the term ‘late passer’ to describe a player who does not hit a shooter as soon as they become free. This is a point that we must emphasise during drills to make sure it is embedded in the mindset of our team. Too often shooting drills are treated as a catch-and-shoot drill by players. Coaches must make sure players know they are a pass-catch-and-shoot drill. Without a great pass into the shooter’s ‘shot-pocket’ (the area just above his hip on his strong side where he would usually begin his shooting motion) the chances of the shot being released in time with a crisp motion are decreased. As the level of competition increases, the demand on the quality of the pass also increases.
It is easy to see why Eastman has identified this as a key aspect in his coaching role. He is constantly working with arguably the greatest catch-and-shoot player in the history of the NBA in Ray Allen. The Boston coaching staff compiles huge amounts of information on the mechanics of Allen’s shot and his particular quirks that can be honed further and further to improve his already legendary jumpshooting ability.
At the level I am working at this area is less important because defenses are slower at chasing around screens and closing out shooters. However I include in my definition of ‘late passers’ another problem which I think is vitally important to eradicate at lower level basketball and is even possibly inspired by the greatness of many of today’s premier passers.
Maintaining Defensive Focus
Posted by Coach Harris in Coaching, UEA on 29/03/2010
I was coaching a game a few weeks ago and our opponents (the best team in the league) hit several threes in a row on us. I couldn’t remember the last time that had happened to us and watching the next possession it was easy to see why.
The key weakness was that our low post player wasn’t rotating up to the shooter when the ball was swung quickly around the top. We’d never experienced this before because we had been so used to not having to rotate in the proper way in other games, that our players had simply gotten out of the habit of doing it.
This is a WPSimpleViewerGallery
Playing against teams that couldn’t stretch our defense or move the ball quickly had made us lazy. We thought it was fine to sit on the low block and wait for the inevitable drive into the middle where we could swarm the ball, or the badly missed three-point attempt where we could easily secure the rebound and get out on the break.
It takes a special desire to keep playing defense the right way, even when it seems unnecessary. Playing lazy for several games creates a deadly complacency in your team. You might win those games by large margins because of the quality of opponent, but how many coaches will be aware of the harm their team is secretly inflicting on itself?
This is more likely to be a problem for University teams who often play in BUCS and/or National League and also a local league. In every game, regardless of the level of opponent, we must hold our players accountable for everything. We must demand hustle and effort on every play. We should strive to emulate those great coaches who coach a game where they are up 40 the same as if they were down 40, demanding everything from their team.
No One is Bigger than the Team
Posted by Coach Harris in Coaching, NBA, The Game on 24/03/2010
“No one is bigger than the team. You’re going to be on time, you’re going play hard, you’re going to know your job and you’re going to know when to pass and shoot. If you can’t do those four things you’re not getting time here and we don’t care who you are.”
-Hubie Brown
This quote is one my all-time favourite basketball quotes, possibly my number one. It really harks back to a time of no-nonsense coaching by the likes of Brown and Bobby Knight. Very few of these coaches still around in the NBA. Jerry Sloan and Gregg Popovich are still doing their own thing in Utah and San Antonio, but mainly coaches are too afraid to upset their powerful stars. More on this later.
This kind of attitude needs to be instilled in your team from day one. We need to eliminate selfish behaviour and get everyone on (and around) the team to buy into these concepts. It only takes one guy, one dissenting voice to create tension in the team and jeopardise your chances of success.
I like this quote for two main reasons. Read the rest of this entry »
Universities are (Mostly) Doing It Wrong
Posted by Coach Harris in The Game, UEA on 21/03/2010
Yesterday Leeds Carnegie broadcast their two (Men/Women) EBL Division One games live online through their website. The game was streamed by students from the Leeds Met University’s Film and Production degree course. Apart from some frenetic cutting to a variety of different angles as people were trying to follow the action (a half-court panning camera with some cutaways would have been much better), I was very impressed with the standard of production and delivery.
It got me thinking back to a discussion I’d had several times with our Men’s Head Coach about the way different departments within universities could help each other out and get some real community going between the various disciplines. Most Universities are not elite sporting institutions. Leeds, Sheffield, Loughborough, Manchester, Worcester are exceptional places that have placed a level of emphasis on sporting achievement and have the budget to attract great players and coaches and invest in services and ‘luxuries’ that others can’t.
Foot (and Game) on the Line
Posted by Coach Harris in Coaching, NBA on 21/03/2010
I was watching the Lakers @ Orlando game the other day and it was a great game. Kobe butting heads with Matt Barnes and both teams just going a good job of executing. All in all, a great advert for NBA basketball from two of the top teams this season. However, the Lakers lost the game (in my opinion) because of a fundamental mistake committed by Bryant with just under a minute remaining.
Kobe gets the ball and makes a dribble move towards the basket before pulling a step-back move to shoot the three. Nothing but net, however Kobe’s right foot was squarely on the three-point line as he took off for the shot.
Goodbye Eddie
Posted by Coach Harris in NBA on 25/02/2010
As the trade deadline came to a close a week ago, Boston shipped a veteran shooter Eddie House and two young bench players to New York in exchange for Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry.
I’ve liked House since 2005, his lone season with D’Antoni’s run and gun outfit in Phoenix. If you’ve read Jack McCullum’s book ‘Seven Seconds or Less’ then you’ll know why. House comes across a thoroughly likable guy, team orientated and friendly to everyone despite being a bench player. What stands out about House, apart from his always positive demeanor, is his ridiculously quick release on those trademark threes. He’s a short guy at 6’1, so needs to be able to hoist those bombs up over oncoming defenders, but even so, he must have the quickest release in the league. He was never going to be famous for his defense but he was, like Leon Powe (who the Celtics let go earlier in the season), one of the ‘good guys’ and I’ll be sorry to see him go.
Great job by the Boston organization to give him a huge reception on his return with New York a couple of nights ago. Something they didn’t have to do but just adds to the classy reputation of the most successful franchise in basketball. House spoke to reporters after the game and said:
That was a class move by the organization. It was great. It just shows how much they appreciate me and I really appreciate them and all the opportunities they gave me.
Below is the video that the Celtics played on their Jumbotron as House prepared to enter the game for the first time.
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