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Author: Scott Ginn

08 Mar

Posted at 15:29h in Coaching the Read & React by
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In yesterday's post, we mentioned the simplicity of the Escape Hatch for a dribble penetrator who can't make it all the way to the rim or just doesn't like what he sees. Today, let's take it one step further. What if that ball handler (1 in this case) drove right, bounced off to the Escape Hatch, then immediately crossed over and attacked again - this time to the left? What would that do to the defense? Let's take a look at it. Bounce Off Escape Attack Frame 1
With 1 driving right, every other offensive player Circle Moves to the right. This forces every defensive player to rotate as well. Most likely, x2 has helped on the drive and now must recover to his man in the corner.

28 Feb

Posted at 14:04h in Archive, Drills and Practice by
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Since the Read & React promotes spacing, player movement, and ball movement, some suggest that a team can't rebound well amidst the constant shuffling. Of course, we disagree. But, due to all that movement, sometimes rebounding responsibilities can get lost in the continual mix of players.
Here's a drill that can clarify those rebounding responsibilities for you and your team. Rick explains this drill completely in the audio portion below, but I thought a diagram or four might be helpful. And, for more audio from PGC Basketball's interview with Rick, you can check out this post and this one. 3:15 - Rick Torbett on Rebounding Responsibility The best part of this rebounding component is you can attach it to the end of any 5 player drill. That way you can work on whatever actions you need to while still getting in your rebounding work. In this instance, we used a simple 5 player Circle Movement Drill. Basketball Rebounding Drill Frame 1
Start with any player driving North-South to the goal. This forces the other players to Circle Move one spot. Here, 1 drives North-South right causing Circle Movement right.

23 Feb

Posted at 14:30h in Coaching the Read & React by
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We get a lot of questions about zones. For coaches that have been used to running separate man and zone offenses, it is sometimes difficult to make the mental transition that the Read & React Offense can be used for both. Sure, there are certain layers that work better against zones and there are a few tweaks that will help a great deal. Let's examine one of those tweaks - the Hook & Look as it dovetails into Pass & Cut. Against a zone, adjust your Pass & Cut layer like this: when you pass (instead of cutting in a straight line to the basket), you should hook into a seam of the zone and stay in that seam for one pass before filling out. Holding for one pass is important: often the zone may maintain good defensive position on your initial cut, but lose track of you when an extra pass makes them shift. In the following clips, you'll see how a 13U Travel Team from South Windsor, CT uses this simple tweak to attack zones, many times getting lay-ups. Yes, lay-ups against a zone are possible.

09 Feb

Posted at 17:22h in Podcasts by
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Useful tips learned over the phone? Impossible? Not according to PGC Basketball. They are conducting a series of Coaching Clinic Telephone Calls hoping to get valuable tips into the hands of coaches just like you. And, other than the fact that no one uses the word telephone anymore, I think it's working quite well, especially since Rick was their first guest. If you missed it, you can listen to the first part of that call here. Today we're moving deeper into the call. In this first 4 minute clip, Rick discusses a question we get all the time. "With set plays, I can control shot selection since there are specific scoring options for specific plays. If the Read & React Offense gives players freedom (to a point), how do you control shot selection?" The answer is partially what you would expect. Control it through role identification and communication - just like you would in a motion offense or a continuity offense. But, there are ways to control shot selection within the Read & React using indirect techniques. Rick explains how. 3:50 - Rick Torbett on Shot Selection Three principles make up successful offense: good spacing, good player movement, and good ball movement. Great offenses have all three of those principles. Good offenses have two. And, ok offenses have one. This is important to remember in any offensive system, but the Read & React is specifically designed to force you into all three.

03 Feb

Posted at 21:10h in Archive, Drills and Practice by
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Here's a drill that Randi Peterson developed and shared at last year's Beyond the Basics Clinic in Cedar Rapids (her team is currently 18-2 and ranked #23 nationally, by the way). If you're interested, you can watch full Coe College Women's games here. Coach Peterson has a knack of integrating the Read & React Offense into as many facets of her practice as possible in fun, imaginative ways. This particular drill is designed to train Post Moves, Post Cuts, Perimeter Shots, Post Feeds, and several other key aspects of the Post and Perimeter game. All of that work in a single drill - that's how you make the most out of practice time! There are two things that I want you to notice specifically. First, with only slight variations, this drill's framework can be used to work on specific post moves, specific post feeds, and specific post cuts. It's all about what you teach and what your team needs to work on. Second, Randi doesn't dictate the rotations; she lets the players figure it out. Not only does this save her office time because she doesn't have to conceptualize the perfect drill complete with perfect rotations, it also forces her players to be proactive and empowers them to make decisions. Just like they have to make in game situations.

29 Jan

Posted at 22:59h in Coaching the Read & React by
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I was recently at a Shorter University women's game watching them dismantle their opponent. This is their first year with the offense, but I noticed one action (or sequence of actions) that they went back to time and again with success.

And, I think you might be able to find a place for it - especially if you do anything in the 4 OUT. 4 OUT Weak-Side Lob Frame 1
Here's the whole concept in one frame. 4 (who was their best offensive player) has the ball and the post is on the weak-side. 4 passes to 1, then basket cuts. Instead of trying to hit the cutter right away, 1 lobs over the top into the shaded area.


I'm not exaggerating when I say that this was good for a lay-up two or three times (at the college level, no less) and when it wasn't, their best player still caught the pass cleanly and then got to work her skills on the low block. Not once did this pass get tipped or thrown out of bounce (of course, your mileage may very on that one, I guess).
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