Coach Ralph
Forum Replies Created
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A couple of things. If a parent(s) or player(s) wants to dictate practice, encourage them to get a team together once the season is over and run things their way. Until then, you’re the coach, and you will run practice your way. Sounds harsh, but that’s the way it has to be. Because time is at a premium, Rick has structured the R&R is a way where you can practice fundamentals in the context of the offense. Next season during the first day of practice, have everyone get in a traditional lay up line and shoot one lay up. Stop the action once everyone has shot, and announce that is the last offensive drill they will ever do at practice to drill fundamentals not in the context of the offense. Ever. Everything after that will kill two birds; sharpen their fundamentals and master the offense. Those that can do both will maximize their opportunity for playing time.
Read Line and Circle Move are the two actions that give players the most trouble, so be sensitive to that, and start working on those actions early and often. Rick details some scrimmage strategies you might use to stimulate Read Line execution. Change up your drills so the players have to think during a drill and not just “play the drill”. Randomize the defender stepping over the read line. Film the drill and heap heavy praise on the players that cut. You don’t have to publicly scorn those that don’t, keep it positive. Do you have any game footage where other players are cutting? Video review was a integral part of our practice and is a great way of illustrating what you are looking for. Once again, the focus should be on the positive. Playing time is the other way of managing this situation also. -
I’ll let others chime in here, but I never ran special plays for my best 3 point shooters. Maybe I should have, but there are enough opportunities naturally occurring that I didn’t think it was necessary.
If you want one drill that mimics a situation you will run into all the time, it’s a pernitrate and pitch drill ie..circle move. Make sure that your shooters know that when someone drives the lane, its showtime for them, and they cannot stand and watch. -
I’m not totally convinced one is needed. The player with the ball can literally do what he wants within the confines of the layers. Drill the layers. The players will not get all the layers at once, and that’s OK. There is more freedom with the R&R than with many other offenses. It will take some time for all players to get used to that, and once again, that’s OK. Different players will pick up different actions at a different rate. This is fine. I’ve had guys fall in love with the draft drive once they saw film of the opportunity. I’ve told players that the best way to curry favor with me was to learn the read line. Worked for some. One guy figured out the laker cut with a player in the SC against a zone meant he was going to get the ball back with a chance at a lay up. It was his dream move. I never had anything more than Ricks pyramid diagram, and we did fine with that.
I attended a clinic where Rick mentioned that basketball is a tournament sport, and everything did not have to be in place on the day of the first game. A light bulb went off for me and calmed me down. Build toward a continuing loop of progress so when the season ends and the tourney starts, you are ready to wage war with your full arsenal. -
This sounds like a zone question given you are talking about SC participation. If your major concern is being trapped, make sure the SC follows the ball. If they trap the corner, either the SC or the cutter will be open. Spacing is key, as you want to make sure the middle post defender cannot cover two people, which is why I have my SC run behind the basket.
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Coach Dan: The issue you describe is not a problem with the design of the R&R, its one of execution. Your job is to make sure they execute. There is no specific basketball strategy, whether offense, defense, OOB, press, press break, whatever, that works if your players don’t execute. One of the great advantages of the R&R is that it can absorb mistakes, better than other systems.
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There are numerous videos detailing what your “extra” players can do while the other 5 work on a drill. Fusion, 1 on 1 defensive and offensive drills, finishing drills, etc. The only thing they cannot do is stand around and wait and do nothing. It would be great if you had a an assistant coach or parent to help.
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Coach tygr:
I love the 4 out with permanent SC against any zone. Have the SC move back and forth between the spots on any action. I promise you they will get lost as the ball rotates and players flash to the logo. Make sure the SC moves BEHIND the basket. When the ball gets passed or dribbled into the logo, they should flash to an open spot in front of the basket. When the ball is on the wing, they should be ready for a pass for a quick flank ‘em move.
You can experiment with a 1 or 2 guard formation. Traditional zone attacks say you should go even against odd, and odd against even. I think you should throw that out the window, especially if you have a good PG that penetrates well. A drive and kick when help comes would be one of many good options to get the possession started against a 1-3-1, forcing the defense to hep and recover with the ball and players moving. The additional advantage of the 1 guard formation is that it will result in more corner coverage automatically. When the ball goes to the corner, you should have the SC ball side, someone cutting to the logo, and someone filling the wing. You will have the defense outnumbered and someone will be open.
The biggest challenge against a 1-3-1 is not your half court action IMO. The problem is teams like to surprise you and extend their defense and trap at half or 3/4 court when they are in the 1-3-1. Here is what happens. While your PG is bringing the ball up, the other four players run to their spots in the 4-out formation. When the top “chaser” in the 1-3-1 forces the PG to one side or the other, the trap is sprung. Because the other four offensive players are on their spots, this creates some horrible, long passing lanes where passes are easily picked off and returned for touchdowns. They are hanging your PG out to dry.
The solution? RUN YOUR OFFENSE, but make sure your players come back and position themselves appropriately EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT IN THE FRONT COURT. Please see the video “Press Break” on this topic. Pay special attention to the third chapter, “Player Positioning”, starting at the 16-minute mark. Watch Rick as he walks backward down the court.
I promise you, if several teams in your league run the 1-3-1, someone, if not all, will try and trap out of it. You need to be prepared. -
Coach Bill: What is your age group, practice opportunities, and competition level (school, travel, etc).
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Coach Bill: This question gets asked on occasion, but it is more theoretical in nature vs. real world. Why would the wing drive baseline right into a help defender? They are more likely to drive the paint, which will result in multiple easy passing options when help comes. If they insist on driving baseline and help comes, hit the corner as Hector suggests, or the driver jump stops, pivots, and hits one of the players circle moving on the perimeter.
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Teams that trap once the ball crosses half court present an interesting dilemma. One option is to bring your offensive set up towards half court too. For instance you are running a 5 out set. You should NOT have your other 4 players run to their normal spots. This hangs your PG out to dry as she is forced to make longer passes from just over half court that are going to get easily picked off by overplaying wing defenders and returned for a touchdown. You need to have your 4 other offensive players (two wings and two corners) in the same configuration but closer to half court. This way, your PG does not have to make longer passes, and the dribble at will be easier to execute. 1-3-1 trapping zones are famous for this strategy btw…
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Coach Steve:
1) A dribble at forces the cut and safely gets the ball to the wing. FYI…If the wings are being overplayed, this should open up a direct attack to the basket if your PG has the skills. -
Coach Kringlen: This sounds to me to be less a read line issue, but a player buy- in issue. Both of these issues require different approaches, but I’ll focus on the read line issue. My first question to you is what kind of player to player defense do you employ? IE..one pass away, is the defender in deny or in the gap?
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The visual clue you should use is when any part of a defenders body (more likely the arm) is between you and the player with the ball, you read line hook and look to the middle. If the cutter is not open, the filler will be. Key point is middle coverage.
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Done.
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Coach Bill: please provide your email and I will send you some notes I developed on running the R&R zone attack from my experience coaching middle school boys travel. Two practices a week, 8 week season. Simplicity is at a premium in this situation. I will tell you what to stress, what to watch out for, and what we struggled with due to ‘poor coaching’.