Playing Undersized

Good advice Mac. Ben, don't forget, the game is fast, so as a player you make what you think is the right decision... whats that old saying.... "Sometimes you eat the Bear and sometimes the Bear eats you." :-) As long as you are playing as hard as you can (and I know you do) things will get better.

How ya doin Mac?

ok thanks

Well Ken: I'm still trying to get over your BEAR analogy, lol. But other than that my friend, I'm still licking my wounds over my latest folly and trying to regroup for next year. Mac

I needed a G rated one Mac LOL Next time I will give you better advice. :-)

Good luck Ben.... hope this all works out for you.

Check these videos out Ben -


YouTube - Mr Crossover - Tim Hardaway Mix


YouTube - NBA Top 10: Ankle Breakers of 07-08 season(HQ)

YouTube - Ricky Rubio sick pass...best play ever

YouTube - Ultimate Ricky Rubio AMAZING MIX 2009

Ben,

Don't forget to work on this part of your game - the mid range jump shot as described here.

"No Man's Land" between the lane and the three accounts for 50% of the offensive floor space! Under the old FIBA rules (which change this summer, with the longer 3-point shot), eliminating the 4' along the baseline and extending the 3-point area out one meter (though most use only about half that, as they are up on the line when they shoot the three), I plotted out 44 square meters in the "No Man's Land" and the same 44 square meters in the 3" lane and that one meter beyond the 3-point line. How can you (coach or player) give up 50% of your offensive floor space? To me, this is unthinkable. But it happens, everywhere.


When you are working with just 50% of the offensive area, well, you have to work longer to produce a good shot. But the pickup dribble and the jump shot would help alleviate that pressure. It would also speed up the game. I used to have a drill to promote the pickup 2-point jumper: 5-on-5, no shots either from three or in the lane. Oh, my God! Guys had to work like crazy! But, you know what? They improved and we'd get those shots in the games. I told them, "The jumper is the can-opener. Hit a few of those and the threes will come and the lane will open up." But I am howling into the wind on this one.

This came from a coaching friend in Italy.

Coach Sar, You seem to be up on the FIBA game quite well, I have heard rumors that they will eliminate the trapezoid key this year do you have any knowledge on that. Mac

Mac, It's just that I get Dan Peterson's blog everyday, I got this information from him.... I agree with him and I think it will help Ben's game a lot, which is why I passed it on to him. I haven't heard anything about the Trapezoid yet.

Ben,

A friend of mine posted part of one of my games... we played the #8 team in the state and beat them handlily........ look at the point guard... he is a senior there... he was 4'10 as a freshman.... maybe 5'8 as a senior... he could handle the ball, he could take it to the basket... and he could really shoot the three.. not to mention good from the free throw line.

Take a look at this - http://www.ihigh.com/school5105/video_886380.html

He didn't apply himself academically, that was his big problem..... hes doing fine right now, married with 3 kids. Here is what he said about our team -

· I think the way we practiced…ALWAYS HARD…. Made us have that same mentality in games, very important!

To be honest, everything we did in practice had a direct correlation to our games, we had no wasted time.

Let me know what you think of his game and the way we played.

Try this Link Ben..... its on his school site so forget about the name

: http://www.ihigh.com/school5105/video_886382.html