Sins of the Recreational Basketball Player (3rd in a Series)

When playing pick-up basketball, do not play zone. It is a sin. There. You have been warned. To protect yourself and who you are as a basketball player, you must not play or agree to play zone.

Playing Zone in a Pick-up Game is a bad idea, sinfully bad, because – simply put – players do not know how to play zone, either offensively or defensively. You walk onto an outdoor court somewhere, 7 players, 8, 9 are shooting around. It is getting a little hot out, a couple of the heavier, hairier dudes take their shirts off and fling them against the fence. A guy on a bike with headphones on is pedaling by. Harry, who is friends with the bike guy, shouts once, and then a second time a little louder, and, there you have it, the guy on the bike becomes Mr. #10. You have got a game. FTs are taken, sides are made. 5 drift off together one way, 5 another way. Someone in your group says, “let’s play 2-3″. STOP! You cannot flinch. You cannot waver. You must face the devil head-on. You say, “we are not playing zone”. Shirtless says, “why not”? You know that the reason, the only reason pick-up game basketball players play zone is because they are tired or lazy or they have simply lost their way in life. You could tell the guy that he knows nothing about taking away the lane, the slides, the bumps, the communication, the pressure on the ball and fronting the post. You could tell him about keeping your hands up and staying in a stance and that playing zone is every bit as taxing as man-to-man. Rather you say, “Zone? I mean why not just go play a round of golf instead?”

When playing pick-up and zones are suggested, I’ve always been able to talk everyone out of it. But what if you couldn’t? (You may not possess my power of persuasion.) What if the other 4 wanted to play zone? Well, you could just play man-to-man yourself, chase your guy around while your teammates were zoning their little hearts away. They’d probably never even notice.

Playing zones without knowledge of how to play zones (both offensively and defensively) is like wading around in the shallow end of the pool. The real game of zones, however, is in the deep end. My suggestion: don’t get in over your head. It’s a sin to drown in your own malaise.

Sins of the Recreational Basketball Player (2nd in a series)

Sins, of course, carry different weight, come in many shades, stain the basketball soul, sometimes more, sometimes less, permanently. The first sin we identified was Not Running the Floor; the gravity of that sin cannot be overstated. You might as well excuse yourself for a bathroom break, secretly locate and turn on the sprinkler system and send everyone home. Who are you kidding: you don’t want to be there and are just spoiling the game for everyone anyway.

Our second sin, Not Getting the Ball Inbounds Quickly When the Other Team Scores, is related. It has to do with running; it has to with effort; it has to do with the sublime consciousness of outthinking and outdoing and surprising the opposition. (The opposition is, of course, both the other team and the sedentary you.)

Here’s what happens in recreational basketball games: one team scores and the team that was scored upon walks the ball out of bounds and slowly, mutely, listlessly, defeatedly, looks for someone to throw the ball to. But this dullness turns out to be problematic in itself because the scored upon team, your team, is walking up-court, collective heads down, watching the other team celebrate. This is a sin. This is an affront to the collective basketball soul. This is what is wrong with humanity. Somehow basketball became football in the sense that after a score, it seems to be a virtual time-out. I mean, let’s sub and line the ball up and kickoff and then, but only then, try to bring the ball up-court and score. (I like football but get it off my basketball court!)

Like I said in the first post, I’ve played a lot of pick-up basketball and it has always been for me that when the other team scores, I am in a rage. Enraged. And I cannot wait to avenge what just happened. What to do? Take it out and get it in and up-court as fast as possible, preferably, hopefully, while the other team is still gloating, feeling unjustifiably good about themselves. When the ball drops through the net, it’s like the starter’s gun has gone off and you are up and out of the blocks. Their guard is down, is it not? Wipe that smile off their faces. Is there not great satisfaction in that? What happens when you run the ball out and scream for someone to throw it into and sprint up court is your teammates see what is happening and they join the race that you have begun. They run with you. They sense the passion, the possibility, the transcendent nature of basketball as a fast-paced, non-stop game. They scored on you; okay, that’s not a sin. But not trying to answer right away, that sits heavy on the soul.

Sins of the Recreational Ball Player (1st in a series)

I’ve played a lot of pickup ball. And I’ve watched a lot of recreational level players play in the Never Too Late Basketball clinics and camps over the past twenty years. I like to think of myself as a tolerant person, one who can accept a mistake or an occasional lapse in judgment (though I’m guessing there are those who might disagree). Still, there are certain transgressions that occur on a regular basis on a basketball court during recreational level play that I simply cannot abide. To me they are sins (Definition: an immoral act against the divine laws of basketball). I’m quite certain the basketball gods (don’t ask me to prove the existence of the basketball gods because if you ask me to prove the existence of the basketball gods then you are saying you have not ever played or paid attention to the game) are on my side. Here’s sin number one:

Not Running the Floor
Basketball is a running game. James Naismith said that. And if he didn’t, he should have. If you play the game, please run the floor. It’s one of the things that you must do to keep your basketball soul pure. I mean, why are you out there? Partly, one would assume, to get in better shape (or stay in shape or some shape thing). Then run the floor. Not running the floor doesn’t help you get better wind or build muscle or do anything. Too tired? Sub out.

What does “running the floor” mean? A teammate steals the ball, chased by a defender, you run hard to trail the play. Ever see anyone miss a layup? Pros miss layups. You are not playing with pros. Your teammate misses, you put it back. Teammate is relieved; you can strut. Opponent steals the ball (or gets ahead); you run the floor. Ever see the other team miss a layup? You don’t run and they miss? They rebound and score. They miss? You rebound and turn up court, marking you as someone who knows how to play the game.

Run the floor to turn a 2-on-2 into a 3-on-2 for your team. All you have to do is outrun the defender who is loping along next to you. Usually a matter of 3 or 4 hard sprinting strides. Sprint to turn their 2-on-1 into a 2-on-2. What you’ve done there is a numerical windfall; you’ve busted them up. They’re not scoring now.

And what happens when you run, run hard, to turn a 2-on-2 into a 3-on-2 but the defender next to you sprints, too? Well, too bad, in a way, but good, too, because now you’ve got competition, motivation – a game!. And suddenly, through some simple effort and respect for the game, it becomes a game that’s worth playing. And you, a basketball soul worth saving.

Why LeBron Disappeared in The Finals

This is just head-shaking, hard-to-imagine, just as LeBron James reversing the ball to Mario Chalmers – rookie Mario Chalmers! – twice in the last minute with the game on the line in Game Six of The NBA Finals as if it were plutonium or on fire or just something he wanted absolutely nothing to do with was unfathomable. I saw it on Henry Abbott’s excellent espn blog True Hoop (who saw it on deadspin who got it from Sports Illustrated).

The guy is just used to disappearing.

The article in True Hoops.

Cincinnati versus Xavier brawl; “Disrespect”

Whenever I hear an athlete say the word “disrespect”, as in “he disrespected me”, I think two things: 1) the speaker does not respect himself enough not to care what someone who is obviously a moron is saying about him and 2) whatever the situation is, it probably isn’t going to turn out well for anyone involved. And so it was with yesterdays Cincinnati versus Xavier game-turned-into-brawl.

Of course the media plays a role in inflaming passions, goading players to regretful, violent responses (“This one is truly a backyard brawl.“). But the media would follow the lead of those who administer the games. Schools, athletic departments and conferences, team owners and presidents (in the pros), and coaches can punish, threaten, and suspend players for behavior but isn’t something else required? Some communication, education, mentoring that teaches that responding to the “disrespect” provocation can be and should be beneath one’s dignity? Sport is about competition and achieving potential; the greatest potential in this case, the winner in the contest of respect and disrespect, is the player who separates himself from the taunt and focuses on and plays the game. To respond to the taunt is to betray yourself as maybe believing the taunter. Would Bird, Magic, Jordan have cried about disrespect? No, they’d just drop forty on them and hold a press conference afterward and say he knew his rival didn’t mean it.

Harvard Men’s Basketball (Top 25) Offers a Lesson

Adam Pritchard, longtime boys’ basketball coach at Belmont HS, Belmont MA (a school with a strong basketball tradition) is also a longtime Never Too Late Basketball coach, at our Weekly Practice Programs in Boston and our Weekend Basketball Camps. He offers this observation and assessment of the game between Harvard and Seattle University (no slouch of a team) from last Sunday, December 4, 2011:

Harvard Men’s Hoops Cracks Top 25

Belmont Basketball Enthusiasts,

Sunday, our BHS Basketball Players were guests of the Harvard Men’s Basketball Team’s home game with Seattle University. As we enter our 2011-2012 season, I share some of our coaching reflections of this great experience. We were glad that so many of our players, along with their families, were able to participate and be included in this opportunity. We BHS Coaches love basketball and really love when we see it played in a great way.

I am sharing with you a list of observations of both teams and the ways in which we hope to learn from their play:

It’s great to see a school get behind its team.
The positive energy from students, staff, alumni, and fans brought an excitement and enthusiasm for everyone there to enjoy.

Team play is the way.
They share the ball, they play unselfishly, and they play disciplined. They huddle at every point and they celebrate each others successes instead of their own. They exemplify the adage…TEAM- Together Everybody Achieves More.

Practice the way you play.
I had the opportunity to watch Harvard practice on October 30th (before the season began). Their practice contained every element of what showed up in the game we watched. The game was an extension of practice and they practice great!

Defense Wins Games.
Both teams defenses were superb. Great on the ball pressure. Consistent off ball and weak side help. Constant communication. Effort and attitude without looking for an unsporting edge. Very admirable.

Bring it from the bench.
Each team received significant bench contributions. This has a powerful impact on team performance and shows how players can develop incredibly positive roles at any position within a team structure. (note: Harvard scored 46 of 80 pts off the bench)

Be Enthusiastic.
Both teams clapped, cheered, stood up from the bench, smiled at times, and made it fun. After all…it’s a game.

Play with Respect.
Harvard and Seattle played respectfully. They players respected themselves, the coaches, the officials, the opponent, the fans, and the game. No inappropriate language, no unnecessary distractions. Just great competition. It is why teams and schools strive to have great sportsmanship… it creates a great event for everyone there.

Play with Heart…Leave it on the Floor.
The effort and hustle was undeniable. Both teams should look back with pride on their performances.”

“Balance”

Balance isn’t a word that gets used much by coaches, players, or commentators, but it is a crucial concept in an individual’s development and performance. To be blunt: you can never be “off-balance” when playing basketball. In other words, you need to always be “on-balance”. What does that mean? Well, simply put, it means that you never feel like you are about to fall down or feel uncomfortable or physically compromised. If you are off-balance, you will rush, make bad decisions, commit turnovers (giving the ball to the other team, and what could be worse than that?), probably even get injured more often. All the precepts of good individual basketball point to and aid good balance: staying low (keeping a good, low center of gravity) by bending your knees (and isn’t that what defines an athlete? bending the knees? Think about shortstops, defensive backs in football, golfers swinging a golf club; even chess players bend their knees!); feet spread comfortably wide; playing under control; good, effective pivoting (toes/feet always pointing in the same direction as your chest). The best athletes are the athletes who can do the most outrageous movements – and because of core strength – still stay on balance. Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls is the latest and best example of a basketball player who can accelerate and change speeds and change direction while maintaining perfect and devastating-to-the-opposition body control. Race cars go fast; their chassis keep them going where they intend to go. Someone gave Derrick Rose a really good chassis because that guy can go wherever he wants, whenever he wants. And with attention to balance and developing your core strength, you can add a dimension to your game that will never let you down.

Breaking Into Gyms (to play ball)

Everyone must have a favorite story of when they broke into a gym to play. I did it hundreds of times. Let us know your best story!

Here’s one of mine:

When I was a kid, 10 to 17 years old, we lived about a 1/2 mile from Siena College, just outside Albany, NY. On Sunday mornings, starting around 6th or 7th grade, my brother Ed (2 years ahead of me in school) and I would walk (ostensibly) to church. We’d announce, “going to church”, open a window, throw out a ball, walk out the back door, circle around to where the ball was and off we’d go. Starting around this time, Gibbons Hall, Siena’s old gym (replete with bowling lanes in the basement) was our new place of worship. Mea culpa, mea culpa. (“In hoops we trust.”) Down the hill we’d dribble, over Fiddler’s Lane, across the parking lot to the backdoor at Gibbons Hall. That door was always open; the school laundry facilities were in there, some bowling balls, nothing that could be jeopardized by leaving it open. The moment of truth, however, came when we climbed the two flights of stairs to the gym door. Was it open? Usually yes; tragically, sometimes no. After a couple of Sunday mornings spent ballhandling an hour away (maxi culpa) in the parking lot, I got an idea. Next to the upstairs locked and bedeviling gym door was a flight of stairs that led to a balcony window “high above courtside“. Down below, at one end of the court was a stage (not unusual back in the day – I remember freshmen team games at Fordham at both LIU and Columbia that had stages, too). The Gibbons Hall stage had curtains, floor to gym ceiling, dark, velour. The curtains were within arms’ length reach of the balcony window. Out the window and over to the curtain would go little brother, me, shimmying down the fabric, soft-landing onto the stage and hustling over to the door where brother Ed would be pounding the ball on the floor, getting himself ready for our next, well-deserved game of one-on-one. (Sorry, Ed, but I was already kicking your butt!)

Rebounding Someone Else’s Practice Free Throws

Here’s a tip I’ve given many times to kids I’ve worked with to improve their passing and court vision. (And when it comes to basketball, we’re all kids, aren’t we?) Okay, you’ve got a ball and you’ve got a friend, and you, ball and friend have found a hoop. You decide you are each going to shoot some free throws. (Me? I like the number 100.) Your friend goes first. You stand in front of the rim with your back to the shooter. As the ball comes through the net (oh, by the way, this works best when practicing with someone who makes the vast majority of her or his free throws) and then bounces, you take it and flip it over your shoulder to the shooter, on a bounce, without looking, imagining, seeing in your mind’s eye, the ball finding the shooter’s hands, waist high, shooting side. Turn and see where it really went, if it went where you wanted it to go. (If you missed your target – badly – and your friend is standing there with a “what the . . . look”, it is important for a whole slew of reasons I won’t get into here that you run to the other end of the court and retrieve the ball.) Next shot, same thing, but you make the no-look pass with a different delivery, maybe bounced between your legs, backwards, of course. Every pass off every shot means a new and different delivery. After a while, a short while, you’ll become good at it. So good that crowds will form – in rows three deep circling the court – to watch your passing magic. All you need is a friend, a ball and a hoop to get you there. Good luck.

A Perfectly Missed Free Throw

A team that is shooting a free throw while losing a game by two points with just a couple or a few seconds left in the game will usually try to miss intentionally, hoping to get the rebound and score. The one-point free throw, obviously, wouldn’t do much good. Unfortunately, these attempts at a miss usually don’t result in a secured rebound by the offensive team either. The most often used technique is to shoot the ball hard – line drive style – at the rim. The problem with this is it’s a very unnatural basketball motion: I mean when do you line drive anything in basketball, especially from the FT line? When I was an assistant at Harvard and I’d shoot free throws with the players (which was often), one thing I used to tell them was that i was going to miss and where the rebound would land. I”d say, “miss right, one-step outside the 2nd marker”. Occasionally (I’d like to think often) I’d get the ball to go to exactly the spot. But it takes practice, and practicing that is actually great for your free throw shooting and great for your shooting in general. It helps you focus and gives you a great sense of control. It’s precision shooting but if you have a great free throw shooter, that shooter should be able to tell you where the miss will go (especially if they, like me, had practiced it). Try it!