Basketball Clinic Archives - Building a Winning Mindset

What is Fastbreak Basketball?

Guest blogger: Coach Johnny Pantusso

Fastbreak basketball is an exciting and popular way of playing the game of basketball. It is an up-tempo style of play characterized by a team quickly transitioning from offense to defense and vice versa.

The teams that excel in fastbreak basketball are able to capitalize on their opponent’s mistakes to create easy scoring opportunities. The primary objective of fastbreak basketball is to score as many points as quickly as possible.

How to Fastbreak…

Teams that fastbreak accomplish it by making good use of turnovers and missed shots. If a team can capitalize on their opponent’s mistakes, they can score points quickly. If a team can defend well and force their opponent to take longer shots, they can also score quickly by getting the ball down the court in a hurry.

One of the key components of fastbreak basketball is the ability to quickly transition from offense to defense and vice versa. This means that the players must be able to quickly react to the ball and make the necessary adjustments. If the players can make these adjustments quickly, they can create easy scoring opportunities and put their opponents on their heels.

The fastbreak also requires a team to be able to move the ball up the court quickly and accurately. This requires players to make good passes, set screens, and have good timing. A good fastbreak will be able to move the ball up the court quickly while still being able to make the correct passes and find open shots.

Teamwork…

In order for a team to be successful in fastbreak basketball, they must be able to play as a cohesive unit. This means that every player must be able to read the play and anticipate the movements of their teammates.

Good communication by players is also key. Players must be able to call out plays and let their teammates know where they will be on the court. Fastbreak basketball is an exciting and dynamic style of play that requires good communication, teamwork, and quick thinking. It can be a great way to score points quickly and efficiently. That is if the team can effectively transition from offense to defense and make good passes. When utilized properly, fastbreak basketball can make a team unstoppable.

Working the Pick & Roll

When you run a play, are you “going through the motions” of setting a pick in a certain location (because coach told you to)? Or do you know how to make a pick and roll really work?

Too often I see players who either don’t know they are not working the Pick & Roll correctly or they just don’t care. This is not a problem for just middle school players. The video below features some of the best players in the NBA along with one of the best coaches in the game and while the tips that are offered are important and helpful, the last example shows a glaring problem that happens at all levels of basketball (even with the NBA players in the video).

Did you see what was wrong with the last Pick and Roll in the video?

The player setting the pick let the defense get past him and he rolled too late. Once the player setting the pick makes contact with the ball handler’s defender, he should take control of the interaction, pivot around the ball handler’s defender and get the defender on his back.

Important note… The pivot by the player setting the pick should be in the direction of the ball so you can see where the ball is and what the ball handler is doing. Many players think they can make a quicker move by “slipping” towards the basket but they also loose sight of the ball handler when they do it. They are also giving up the positional advantage that they can get by pivoting around the ballhandler’s defender.

Check out this video that shows a number of ways to “Use a Pick”….

Mistakes by defense? Or great decisions by offense?

Can a Pick and Roll work every time? With every combination of offensive players and defensive players? Probably not but it can work most of the time if, as an offensive player, you understand the opportunities presented to you during a Pick and Roll and can take advantage of them.

If you want to be part of the Pick and Roll conversation, please comment below …

What was missed in this article? Do you have questions about how to work the Pick and Roll? What did you like about this article? Is there some aspect that you would like to see demonstrated on video? Any comments you have are greatly appreciated … just know that only the polite (non-spam) comments will be published on this page for all to see. Join the conversation!

Tai Chi for Sports

We just announced the first “Ancient Warrior Movement Protocol (TM)” workshop that will show you how to use Tai Chi for Sports performance improvement! It will be held at the Marlborough School on Sunday, June 17th (Father’s Day) from 5:30-6:30pm. Doors open at 5pm.

Click on the picture to the right to see the flyer with more information. You can signup for the event on the new CoachWheeler Facebook Page (be sure to “Like” the page when you visit too).

As a bit of a preview for the upcoming session, we found this Tai Chi for Sports Performance video on YouTube…

The video above is geared toward Soccer (not basketball) and is not the featured instructor for our upcoming Ancient Warrior Movement Protocol ™ session. The video does provide a couple of good ideas that will help prevent injuries while giving athletes a competitive advantage.

The Ancient Warrior Protocol training session will feature Linda Peck who is a certified Tai Chi instructor and 2nd degree black belt in the martial arts version of Tai Chi. She has worked with athletes ranging from football to tennis player and even runners.

Hope to see you at the Ancient Warrior training session ! It will be an interesting workout that will introduce beginners to the concept of Tai Chi for Sports. All are welcome. Sign up today!

Tai Chi for Basketball – TOP SECRET program coming

Coach Wheeler is working on a TOP SECRET new workout protocol that is like nothing you have ever seen or experienced. Coach is hoping to launch it, or at least do some initial tests of the movement protocols, this summer. Hint: The new workout will be related to and use some of the principles of Tai Chi. Speaking of which, did you know that there are different versions of Tai Chi including a martial art similar to aikido which teaches you how to use your opponent’s force against them? Imagine what that could do for your moves on the basketball court. Basketball is a “contact” game after all !

One more thing…

Did you know that Tai Chi is often used in training for mixed martial arts (MMA) to “enhance…sensitivity and mental focusing skills.”? How about the fact that Tai Chi helps with the physical and emotional balance necessary for many sports? Or that Tai Chi increases leg strength and joint flexibility which improve balance? [source]

Stay Tuned! More info. coming soon!

While you are waiting…

Be sure to sign up for our email notification service so you will get an email when new articles and announcements are added to this blog. The signup process consists of two steps. First you input your email on this site and then you get a confirmation email from us. The second step is when you click on the confirmation link so you are officially on our email list. Of course you can unsubscribe at any time, but with all the great info on this blog you won’t want to.

One more “Tai Chi for Basketball Players” bonus…

Basketball star of the Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry, picks up Tai Chi while on tour in China… check out the video below.

If you have made it this far…

Coach Wheeler likes to reward his readers who make it to the bottom of an article, even a short one like this announcement… so here is an added bonus. The video below is super short and while most of the Tai Chi that is shown is not something that you would use directly on a basketball court during a game, it is still pretty cool. Enjoy!

Dave Hopla – Basketball Shooting Expert

Today I had the pleasure of hearing Dave Hopla, Basketball Shooting Expert, speak at the Pure Shot Basketball Camp in Jaffrey, NH. Special thanks to Dave & Nancy Springfield who run the camp and arranged the event. The event was also sponsored by Dennis Wright and if anyone has more background on the sponsor, please be sure to add it as a comment so we can all thank him as well.

One of the points that Dave Hopla made was that players who were serious about improving should be taking notes. I did not have my notebook with me but I wrote down everything I could remember soon after the event. There was a lot of great information and I’m hoping that by posting my notes, it will help reinforce some of the ideas presented by Dave AND anyone who can “fill in the blanks” will add a comment below so that we can all benefit as much as possible from Dave Hopla’s speech and amazing basketball shooting demonstration.

Here are my notes from the event (in no particular order)…

How Dave starts out…
– He warms up with rollers to get his muscles moving and loosened up. (He told me this prior to the speech when he was just warming up.)
– He goes through a “shooting progression” which involves shooting one handed from 3 spots (left, right & center) near the basket and then moving out. He then added his “guide hand” as he shot from further out.

Tips on your Basketball Shooting Technique:

(notice the alliteration or use of similar letters at the start of many words)
– Toe(s) toward Target
– Form an L with your Elbow
– Wrinkle at the Wrist
– Follow Thru – “put your hand in the basket”

“Words Matter” – Don’t call it a “foul shot”. Foul things stink.
“Only one shot matters… the one you are taking.”
[The past is over and the future isn’t here yet. – DW]
Mindset 1st ! Get your head right before anything. “Good is the enemy of Great. Feel GREAT!”
Visualize what you want to happen. [Track your progress.]
Catch the basketball with your EYES and your HANDS.
Get a journal and take notes! Players who write down the good ideas they hear become better.
Play “Beat The Pro”. It starts with a “free shot” and the pro scores with every miss.
Dave mentioned a handout called the “Maravich Practice Drills” that someone gave him when he was young which helped him improve as a player. Here is a link to a YouTube video with 10 “Maravich Drills“. I don’t know if these are the drills that Dave was referring to but I am sure they will help you improve.
Practice your basketball shooting EVERY DAY. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be dedicated.

I spoke with Dave after the event and he said that he has a website but did not mention it because he has not been active with it recently. He also has a book that comes with a DVD (Amazon link).

– Below is a YouTube video featuring an interview about basketball shooting with Dave Hopla.

I welcome your feedback in the comments and please feel free to say what you got out of the event. When it comes to basketball shooting, Dave Hopla is a highly skilled individual and, personally, I found it facinating to see what it looks like when someone makes 98% of the shots that he takes. (He had someone keep track during the event and that was the actual % he made! Amazing!)

2016 Basketball Camp Completed

The first Score More Basketball Camp by InviteOnlyBasketball.com was held last Saturday at Keene State College and for all those who attended, it went over very well. Campers came from as far away as Rhode Island and each camper got a great looking, reversible practice jersey to take home.

Highlights…

Parisi Speed School presented the first session and showed drills to improve agility and explosive movement. Ben from Parisi also tested each camper for their vertical leap while providing pointers along the way. Each camper got a “Speed Pass” for a free session of Parisi Speed School at the Summit facility in Marlborough, NH and there loads of other prizes from Parisi during their highly energetic and engaging session.

Keene State Associate Head Coach Tyler Hundley helped out with the second session focused on shooting. Coach Hundley scored over 1000 points in his high school career and gave the campers insights into what it takes to become a scorer. He also gave each camper specific feedback as they put up 100 shots on Keene State’s Shooting Machine (aka The GUN).

Keene State Men’s Head Basketball Coach Ryan Cain, who himself scored over 1800 points in his college career, stopped by and spoke to the campers as well.

The shooting / scoring session included loads of shooting drills at various distances and against different challenges (defense, competition). In total, each camper must have put up over 500 shots!

Scoring Moves were also discussed including the 29 Signature Moves of some of the best NBA players. Here is the link to Coach Wheeler’s blog where he presents the list of moves along with a video showing clips of the moves. 29 Signature Basketball Moves

The final session, after a number of shooting contests, 3-on-3 and 1-on-1 contests, focused on the mental aspects of competition. Coach Dave Wheeler ran the campers through a “scorer’s meditation” which focused on the skill of mindfulness. Obviously one meditation won’t give you complete control of your mind, but it was a good introduction to a skill that will allow you to disregard distractions while being present for key experiences so you can perform at your best. The concept of visualization was also presented, combined with the relaxation process of meditation, as a way to improve your shooting while also resting your body.

The camp ended with awards based on the contest results and, as an added bonus, all campers got to meet Croix Sather, a friend of Coach Wheeler’s who had stopped by to help with the videotaping of the event. Croix is a keynote speaker and author who ran across the United States, from San Diego to New York City, doing 100 marathons in 100 days. He also spoke 100 times, mostly to at-risk groups, as he ran across the country. Each camper also got a copy of Croix’s book, “Dream Big, Act Big”.

Overall it was a great day with lots of great information, challenging drills and so much more. Keene State College is an excellent location for the camp and everyone involved was incredibly supportive. We are looking forward to doing it again next year !

What could have been better?

Attendance was lower than we would have liked but everyone involved got some great value out of the camp. The lower numbers also allowed us to give more attention to each camper and give everyone a chance to use KSC’s GUN. (Rated as one of the highlights by the campers.)

Marketing will need to be expanded and when we schedule the Fall Camp in 2017, we should be able to market via events throughout the Spring/Summer/Fall leading up to the November event. With the video of Coach Wheeler’s “Mindset” session, we may even be able to get speaking opportunities at other camps or events in 2017.

Expanded middle & high school connections and a longer, multi-point marketing program with the schools around Keene would also have helped. Coach Wheeler had a few connections but more will be developed through the 2016-17 basketball season.

Scheduling would also have been better if we were at least one weekend later. After picking Nov.5th (based on availability of the facility at Keene State), Coach Wheeler learned that there was one more AAU tournament on that weekend. Since AAU players are a prime audience for InviteOnlyBasketball.com, it would have been better to have the camp later, perhaps the second or even third weekend of the month.

Looking forward to next year’s
pre-season basketball Camp…

There will definitely be another camp next year. If you or someone you know would like to be part of it, be sure to apply for an invitation over at www.InviteOnlyBasketball.com. This way you will get “into our system” and we will be sure to let you know as more information about the next camp becomes available. Hope to see you at a basketball camp soon !

What’s your “Signature Move”?

What is your signature move on the basketball court? Do you even have one? Or are you still learning the game and could benefit from adding a few more moves?

The YouTube video at the bottom of this article is about 45 minutes long but you will want to set aside time to watch it. The video contains one of the best discussions on Basketball moves that I have come across in a long time. It also features video of the “Signature Moves” of a long list of NBA All Stars and NBA Hall of Famers. The moves they talk about and show include ones for all positions… “Guard Moves”, “Big Man Moves” as well as some “Unstoppable Moves”. Don’t you want to see these moves? Sure you do!

The video also contains a couple of the drills that helped the players develop the ball handling skills, footwork and physical abilities necessary to make their moves legendary. If you are serious about improving your

basketball game, this video is one that you will want to watch.

29 Signature NBA Moves — Click the image above to download a PDF of the list.

Here is a downloadable PDF of the list of basketball moves that they talk about in the Youtube video…

One quick thought before you watch the video and start planning your own “signature move”…

Do you notice that there aren’t a lot of repeat names on this list? And the ones that are repeated are simply variations on the same move?

This is because you don’t need all these moves to become a great basketball player. In fact, if you try to focus on more than one move at a time you may end up not being good enough with any of them. The best advice is to see which ones fit into your game and the position you want to play… and focus on just ONE move until you have mastered it. This means that you can use it successfully in a game against real competition. Some of these moves are relatively simple while others require more athletic ability or ball handling skills. Start where you want and build your game one move at a time.

Now, let’s watch this video…

And if you want more help with your moves… apply for an invitation to an upcoming basketball camp over at www.InviteOnlyBasketball.com.

Score More 2016 Basketball Clinic scheduled

The new date for the basketball scoring clinic has been finalized…

The Score More Basketball clinic / one day camp that was originally scheduled for July will be held at Keene State College’s Spaulding gymnasium on Saturday November 5th from 11-4pm.

ADDED BONUS…
Camp participants will also have the opportunity to stick around and watch the Keene State Owls Men’s Basketball team practice starting at 4:30pm.

This camp is produced by InviteOnlyBasketball.com. If you are interested in being invited to this camp, be sure to apply for an invitation at this link.