2016-2017 was a great year for my team and me. We set a school record for wins, finishing 23-4. We won a District Championship. It was a special season.

When the season ended, we had some questions. We lost our 6’9 Center, our 6’4 Forward, and a 1,000 point scorer on the perimeter.

We had two outstanding players returning. Beyond that, we didn’t have much experience. Our tallest player was 6’2.

What we did have was a bunch of small, quick guards. None of them had played meaningful varsity minutes. Most of them would not be especially effective in a half-court game.

This was during the “Press Virginia” craze. As I watched them play, I began to toy with the idea of embracing that philosophy. Not only that, I started paying close attention to a couple of high school coaches in the Cleveland area.

One was Bob Krizancic at Mentor High School. His teams were known for their pressing and pace of play. He used his system to win two state championships. I began to wonder if we should play the same way.

Would that allow us to capitalize on our speed and minimize the impact of our lack of size? Would it be a way to utilize our depth?

During the summer, we started to press every possession. We trapped everywhere - first pass, half court, the pass, the dribble. It didn’t matter; we were coming at you. As the summer progressed, I saw our players’ confidence grow.

That said, summer can be deceiving. I was interested to see how it would translate to the regular season.

Translate it did. We went 21-4. We forced 27 turnovers a game. Most impressively, we scored 91 PPG. We had 14 games with 100 or more points, including a school-record 116 in a game (with our starters sitting out the 4th quarter in many games).

Why did it work so well? There isn’t just one reason. However, towards the top of the list would be the clarity and aggressive mindset our press embraced. Our players didn’t have to think. They attacked.

While that may sound obvious, it’s not. Some presses rely on reads, rotations, triggers, and layers of if-then rules that constantly force players to think on the fly. When they work, they’re beautiful. When they don’t, they break down fast.

This is exactly why the 25 Press from Coach Bob Krizancic and The 7 Second Quick Strike System stands out.

The press is effective not because it is complicated, but because it is simple. It removes hesitation, eliminates overthinking, and creates an immediate advantage through automatic traps and easy rotations.

Coach Krizancic has used it to win 2 Ohio State Championships and over 700 games!

Let’s break down why that simplicity matters so much.

5 Reasons Simple>Complex When Pressing

1. No Waiting… Trap Immediately

In many presses, the trap only comes after the offense does a specific action:

• a pass into a specific area

• a dribble toward the sideline

• a pre-determined press trigger

• or a certain player catching the ball

The 25 Press doesn’t wait.

As soon as the ball is inbounded, the trap is already forming. Your two front players sprint into position instantly, taking all decision-making out of the equation.

Why does this matter?

• Players never have to ask, “Is this the moment we trap?”

• There’s no hesitation as they wait for a read.

• You dictate the action — the offense reacts to you, not the other way around.

Immediate trapping means immediate pressure—every single possession.

2. Fewer Reads = Faster Players

The more your players have to think, the slower they become.

The 25 Press intentionally keeps things simple:

• Trappers trap.

• The opposite guard rotates over.

• The middle player anticipates the next pass.

• The back player protects the rim and long throw.

That’s it.

By removing complex rotations and multi-layered reads, your players can play faster, with greater confidence, and far more aggressively. This is especially valuable with younger players or teams that don’t spend hours per week on film or scouting.

When players don’t have to process multiple reads and decisions, they can give you full-speed effort.

3. Built-In Defensive Rotations & Recovery

Simplicity doesn’t mean lack of structure.

The 25 Press gives you predictable rotations, and they’re straightforward enough that players pick them up quickly:

• If you are not trapping the ball, you are rotating toward the next pass.

• If the ball is thrown over you, you sprint to recover behind it (trying to backtap).

• If the trap gets beaten, you collapse and load to the ball.

Everything flows out of that initial automatic trap.

Because the trap happens immediately (every time), every defender knows where the next offensive option will likely be. Almost every team will have a ball side sideline, middle, and reversal option. While that’s a good press offense strategy, knowing that helps you position your players accordingly.

Finally, because you trap right away, you have more time and space to recover if the offense gets the ball out of the first trap. This is a huge benefit many coaches overlook.

A late trap gives you no time to recover. An immediate trap gives you lots of it.

4. A Trap Every Possession = Relentless Pressure

Some presses only occasionally create a trapping opportunity. That decreases the likelihood of forcing a turnover.

The 25 Press creates one every single time the ball is inbounded.

When your opponent knows they’ll be trapped on every possession:

• They tend to rush

• Their spacing suffers

• Their decision-making suffers

Even if you don’t force steals, you force the offense to work every possession — and that’s just as valuable over the course of a game.

By the time the 4th quarter rolls around, your opponent’s fatigue will turn the game in your favor.

There’s a psychological toll that comes with constant pressure. The 25 Press applies it from the opening whistle until the ball crosses half court.

5. Simple to Teach, Simple to Adjust

The 25 Press can be installed quickly because:

• Roles are clear

• Rotations are logical

• Trapping rules are consistent

• Players know exactly what they’re supposed to do

And if you want to adjust?

• Pull a player back - don’t deny the reversal to the inbounder, but drop the opposite guard to give you an extra player back.

• Show a trap, but fake it - doing this once in a while can create indecision

• Run and jump out of it - chase the pass out of the first trap and look to trap again

• Fall back into man or zone

The structure stays clean no matter what tweaks you add.

Final Thoughts: Simplicity Wins

Coaches sometimes feel pressure to run the most advanced system or the press with the most layers.

But the truth is this:

Simple playing rules often lead to better execution, higher effort, and more game-changing moments.

I wish I could tell you my team’s success was the result of some intricate, next-level system we ran. But the truth is, the best coaching I gave was to keep things simple.

The 25 Press embodies that idea.

• Trap immediately.

• Rotate simply.

• Pressure constantly.

• Recover effectively.

It’s not fancy, just effective!

If you want your team to play fast, aggressive, and confident, the 25 Press & The 7 Second Quick Strike System with Bob Krizancic is one of the most reliable ways to make it happen. Start running teams off the floor today!

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