The best players bring mental and physical superiority to the court. Do you have an answer?
1. The defense is playing you very tough, with close guarding on and away from the ball. What offensive maneuvers are more likely to work under these circumstances versus a looser defense?
2. What is your “go to” and “counter” move? If you don’t know, then you don’t have one.
3. Ideally, if you are the right side of the basket and ‘catch’ into a “face up” move, which is the better pivot foot, and why?
4. Can you name at least four types of moves to get open from the wing?
5. Do you shoot through the “open window” or are you shooting with one eye?
6. Do you know how to “close out” properly on a shooter?
7. Can you explain our rules for defending the low post, and what our first defensive rule is regarding entry into the low post from above the foul line?
8. Critical areas to defend on the weak side (help side) include both the block and what else?
9. Can you explain AT LEAST 3 ways to defend the pick and roll and what we prefer?
10. Explain how we want you to defend the ‘flash cut’/front cut to the ball.
11. In 1956, the ‘lane’ was widened from 6 feet to 12 feet. Whose excellence led to that rule change?
12. Why is backspin on shots important and why does keeping proper shooting alinement (foot, shoulder, elbow, hand) make a difference? If your thumb on the shooting hand is spread too wide, how does that affect your shot?
13. At a minimum, explain how spacing/spreading the floor helps you in at least three ways?
14. How does defensive communication make a difference?
15. What is the primary/first goal of an inbounds play?
16. Do we encourage or discourage switching on cross-screens big-to-big and small-to-small?
17. When providing ‘help’, what happens when help comes UP versus ACROSS?
18. What does ‘hit and get’ mean defensively?
19. Against a three point shooting team, are there any rebounding implications?
20. What is the ‘worst’ thing you can do (after turning the ball over) offensively?
Coach Bob Knight says that the mental is to the physical in basketball is four to one (4-to-1)? The fastest way to improve is to understand and ‘see’ the game. If you don’t know an answer, ASK!
