Monday, February 16, 2009

CHASING THE BALL vs. DENYING THE PASS

Watching the boys in the championship game against Emmanuel on Saturday, reminded me of one of the major mistakes teams often make when they are behind late in a game.  

Emmanuel was trying to waste time off the clock by spreading out and playing "keep-away."  They made multiple passes back and forth while our boys scrambled to follow the ball trying to get either a steal or a foul.

If you want to play good defense at the end of a game, you have to make it very difficult -- ideally impossible -- for your man to receive the ball.  The objective isn’t to chase the ball from reciever to receiver as the boys were doing.  Instead, you have to realize that your objective is to prevent the passes in the first place by covering the receivers so well that making the pass isn’t even an option.  

Good players know their job is to prevent perimeter passes in spite of screens and other diversions.  When a team is behind near the end, it takes extra-effot to get the ball back. Don’t chase the ball around the floor, instead, stick to your man and don't allow her to be an option to the passer.  Shut the passing lane down and we will get the ball back.

4:13

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