Nice article.

One question, regarding:

"Another important thing to do is to educate the passers when the post players may be open and what cues to look for."

What are some of the cues?

We're having a horrible time getting the ball into the post, partly because our post players don't seal properly but also because our wing players only look for each other.

In regards to players passing to the post, we have a rule, which i call the Tim Duncan rule, that if you can not see both shoulders or numbers on the jersey dont pass it, this forces the post to really work hard on sealing his defender. We then go over our sets and make the rule that the post must touch it twice before it goes up. See if that helps.

Great tips, Coach Horn. I've done the exact same thing before in regards to your post rule. Don Kelbick helped me tweak the rule, so players wouldn't pass up wide open lay ups.

"An outside shot doesn't go up until the post touches twice." Or how ever many touches you want it to be.

Something we always have our post players or anyone who sets a screen for that matter is "show hands." this helps our players know that our post or whoever is ready for a pass. Often times we find our kids wide open down low after setting a down screen or a back screen just by showing hands because the defense forgets that the player setting the screen is also a threat.

Joe,

We ran something called a re post also.. a little different than yours.... as the ball side post player leaves many times the defender will jump to the help line... we had our post player come back hard and re post / sit on him.

Another one we called INVERT... put our smallest guard below the block.... (this works really well vs switching Ds) we had our post player on the wing.. he would go down and set the screen and back pivot sealing the defender... he was always open.

Hope this gives all of you some food for thought.
One I used from a coach in Hawaii... on the flex cut from the corner... corner player makes his cut and instead of getting a screen from the post, he "bumps" the defensive post player and the offensive post player follows him into the paint.

Hey!
I am a basketball player and I play positions 4 and 5. I find this very useful, and I totally agree how the guards must look inside to pass and how also bigs must seal and position well inorder to get the ball.

However, we now have a new coach who doesn't say anyhing to the gurads when they don't pass inside! and we are killed inside! I'm really confused on how to tell the coach to tell the gurads to pass inside!! as we've been telling the gurads to pass inside but they do not listen and always have excuses! am not saying that bigs should finish the play every time we're on offense but its good to have the option!

I dont know if you have any tips or advice on that ..

Thank alot

Lubna...

ASK for the ball.. NO, yell it out, GIVE ME THE BALL... we told that to our players and that seemed to help. You might not get the ball every time but IF they give it to you once in awhile and YOU can FINISH... or get fouled... they might see the advantage...
You can talk to them on the side and let them know that IF you get double teamed to relocate and you will get it back to them for an open shot.
Just a few thoughts - hope this helps.

Many times as a "new" coach we for some reason think we know it all, so its difficult for players to appoarch us. I think ya need to appoarch it, as a sly dog so to speak. Try asking the coach if there is something more that you can do, as you dont seem to be getting involved in the offense. This way no one is pointing fingers, and between you and him during the conversation the true answer may come about.

Great advice, coaches!

Lubna, another approach would be to talk to the guards and explain it logically to them. If you get more touches and scores, the defense will collapse. What happens when the defense collapses, the guards will get wide-open shots when you kick out to them. Most importantly, this will be good basketball and you will win more games. Coaches want winners, not stat fillers.

very nice and usefull information for all the coaches and players

Another way to get your post players the ball in the post is to have a guard screen the post defender.
1. Have your post start anywhere about 10-15 feet from the basket.
2. Guard moves quickly and sets a solid screen on post defender.
3. For a moment your post should be open or defended by a guard on a switch.
4. Setting solid, legal screens are critical and must be taught to your guards.
5. Timing is also important. Practice-Practice-Practice. Then practice it some more.

Three passes into the post definitely open up an uncontested situation,again it depends,college level players have very less patience specially in India.

what age range would you say this pertains to? I am a first time coach to 6th grade girls (11) and am having a hard time following this. Is it too advanced or am I too far behind?!?

Amy,

It could apply to almost any age group (although for real young kids you would not get into this much detail and might not even spend time on it).

I don't think these are real advanced concepts, but you just need to do what is comfortable to you. Everyone has to start somewhere. Start with the basic fundamentals, then keep learning and growing as a coach. Eventually with experience, this will seem simple.