10 WAYS TO HELP MAKE A VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM Rick Kilpatrick, Head Coach, Acton-Boxborough Regional High School

1. Be Coachable! - Listen. Accept critique & instruction. Buy into what the coach is asking. Be someone the coach can trust, on & off the court. 2. Commit to Rebound - The most important statistic in high school basketball (other than the final score) is team rebounds. Do you commit to rebounding (mentally & physically)? And by the way, every coach LOVES guards that rebound...so don't stand & watch! 3. Get to the Rim - Complete players need to get to the rim! Players should master simple 1-2 dribble moves from 20 feet and in, going right or left (rip & go and up-fake & go). And remember, when your defender is up on you close, this is the best & easiest time to rip & go by him. Attack the shoulder! 4. Run the Floor! - One of the best ways to get noticed during tryouts is to be the first player down the floor on offense AND defense. Don't be a fake hustle guy (reaches or goes for steals in the back court) or the guy who jobs back on defense and points to the "my guy". Sprint the floor in BOTH directions! Good team defense begins with transition defense. 5. Shoot it with Less Time & Space - There are a lot of good shooters, but far less who effectively get their shots off with little time & space. Get low and do your work before you receive the pass. 6. Talk! - Be the player who never stops talking! Call screens. Call "shot", "help"," trailer". Communication in team basketball is crucial. 7. Be a team DEFENSIVE player - Roughly 80% of the time you are on defense your man does not have the ball. Do you know where the ball is? You can be a good defender if you always know where the ball is. Effective team defense is about 5 vs 1; not guys playing 1-on-1. Also, BE WILLING TO TAKE THE CHARGE! Every coach loves players who take a charge. 8. Be a team OFFENSIVE player - What do you do without the ball (again, 80% of the time you will not have it)? Do you set screens? (the screener often ends up being the open player) Do you cut? Space properly? Rebound? Don't define yourself solely by shots or points. Learn to play without the ball!..and if you do, you'll immediately separate yourself from a lot of other players. 9. Play to Your Strengths - Know what you're good at and show it! Show what you bring to the table..but don't take anything off the table. If you're not a strong shooter and you take 20 shots, that's not helping your TEAM. No player is perfect or complete at all things. In games, know what you're good at and focus on those things. 10. Be a Good Teammate - Be positive. Encourage others. Play selfless. Do anything for the team & your coach. If you're on the "bubble" for making the team and you're a good teammate, you have a better chance of making it. If you're on the bubble and selfish or have a poor attitude, you're more likely to get cut.

Destroyers vs Easy Company

We are playing in the 8th grade boys division of the Mass Premier Spring League.  This was week 2, 5/3/15.  Easy Company defeats Framingham Destroyers (48 - 40)

1 of 5
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fsh4erkftkpmff0/MAH00351.MP4?dl=0

2 of 5
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bnlnk8t1cogm0x6/MAH00352.MP4?dl=0

3 of 5
https://www.dropbox.com/s/12gaw0swga0eqg7/MAH00353.MP4?dl=0

4 of 5
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uhh7j7eqfk76jzu/MAH00354.MP4?dl=0

5 of 5
https://www.dropbox.com/s/aclmb9hdh2pv0pq/MAH00355.MP4?dl=0


We played two games back to back last week winning one.

Framingham Destroyers defeats Dighton Rehobeth Team #1 (47 - 42)

Dighton Rehobeth Team #2 defeats Framingham Destroyers (46 - 27)

Here is the May 3 report card:

Reb

2s Taken

2s Made

%

3s Taken

3s Made

%

FS Taken

FS Made

%

Shot Eff

Fix

Did Well

Goals for Week

Hannah K

0

1

0

0

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Rebounding SEE the BALL

Cutting

2 rebounds 1 shot per shift

Jazlynn

1

3

0

0%

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Shot 3s Drive!

Great tenacious Defense

1 rebound 2 shots per shift

Zaria

1

3

0

0%

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Rebounding

Defense

1 rebound 1 shot per shift

Chloe

2

1

0

0%

2

1

50%

x

x

x

50%

Go after ball until you win.

Shooting

3 rebounds 1 shot per shift

Jomi

2

0

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Defense

Keep Eyes on ball.

1 rebound 1 shot per shift

Hannah

4

6

2

33%

x

x

x

x

x

x

33%

Brush it off! Shoot! Drive! Make them foul you.

Excellent HELP Defender!

1 rebounds 3 shots per shift

Katie

2

6

2

33%

10

3

30%

x

x

x

41%

HIGHER Release

Great Shooting!

4 rebounds

Nilijah

1

4

0

0%

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Close out to the Ball. Know YOUR job on Defense.

Queen of Jump Balls! Constant Energy.

1 rebound 1 shot per shift

Tayja

12

26

9

35%

1

0

0%

1

0

0%

33%

HIGHER release DRIVE

Good Defense

10 drives

Brooke

2

2

0

0%

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Make them foul you.

Great Defense.

1 rebound 1 shot per shift

Emma

1

1

0

0%

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Rebounding

Defense

1 rebound 1 shot per shift

Paige

4

4

0

0%

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Use good form! Don't just fling the ball towards the goal and hope it goes in!

Great Defense

1 rebound 1 shot per shift

Jen

2

0

x

x

0

x

x

0

x

x

x

Shoot!

Good job marking Man

2 rebounds 1 shot per shift

TEAM

34

57

13

23%

13

4

31%

1

0

0%

40%

STOP BALL. TALK! Finish cuts.

GREAT job sharing Ball.

Everyone taking a shot.

 The formula for Shot Efficiency is

SE% = (Points/2) / [FGA + (0.44 * FTA)]
FGA = Total Field Goal Attempts including 2 point shots and 3 point attempts
FTA = Free Throw Attempts

Spring Home Workout

You will do these for the next 8 weeks adding reps or moving up levels of difficult as you get stronger. We will add speed, agility, conditioning and balance exercises in the summer. 

You will do a different set of exercises each day alternating between upper body / core day and leg day. EVERYDAY you will shoot with out a ball. At least three days a week you will do a 5 minute stationary dribbling routine. 

If you do legs and then  have to skip a day because of school, illness or other activities, do upper body / core next. 

NEVER go more than 3 days in a row with out a work out. Take one rest day each week. You can do your ball-less shooting and dribbling on rest days. 

Days 1, 3, 5 Leg day

50 shots with out ball

Concentrate on PERFECT form. Hold your release every time. Visualize yourself swishing a 3 each time. Hear in your mind the net's sound. See in your mind the ball going through the net.

Foot fire  

3 sets of 50

Keep butt low, knees bent, hands wide, palms up, fast choppy steps. Force yourself to get 50 with out stopping. This is about being mentally tough. Don't QUIT!

http://youtu.be/Ll-RQ8nKE9M

Defensive sides 

3 steps left 3 steps right

3 sets of 30 seconds 

Keep butt low, knees bent, hands wide, palms up, fast choppy steps

http://youtu.be/dL0Tg3gsGPU

Defensive Stances 

30 seconds 3 sets (The goal is to build to a minute.)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ufz30f01ziu0r4s/2015-04-08%2004.12.12.png?dl=0

Notice that the palms are UP.

Air Squats  

3 sets of 10

http://youtu.be/R0vJBTrzLac

Reach Lunges 

3 times with 5 reaches each leg

http://youtu.be/mAuBuHXR9Xs

Days 2, 4, 6 Upper body/ Core day

50 shots with out ball

Perfect form!

Ball Situps 

10 alternating 

10 legs together

Keep legs and shoulders up the entire time

https://www.dropbox.com/s/edvberqk85p9b0u/2015-03-24%2013.51.45.mp4?dl=0

PGC-Core Challenge (skip the explosion exercises! We will add them once school is out and we can get outside or in the gym.)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/w5szdq68oqegxfo/30day_PGCCore.mp4?dl=0

Ball shuffle 3 sets of 10

Ball bridge 3 sets of 10

Bicycles 3 sets of 10

Back bridge 3 sets of 10

Side bridge 3 sets of 10

Push up pyramid 

http://youtu.be/_m11wH3CUes

Start with 

1 push up rest in plank at top for count of 3

2 push ups rest in plank at top for count of 3

3 push ups rest in plank at top for count of 3

2 push ups rest in plank at top for count of 3

1 push up rest in plank at top for count of 3

When you can do this easily, add a second set

When you can do a second set easily, go up to 5. The goal, over time, is two sets of 10.

Chair Dips 

3 sets of 10

http://youtu.be/0326dy_-CzM

Day 7 REST DAY

Stationary Dribbling

Three times a week

Get outside or in the basement or in the garage or in the living room if your parents allow it. 

Spend 5 minutes on ball handling doing this Ballhandling routine:

http://youtu.be/y9co2GbNZCY

How good do you want to be?

Coach Robin

Odds of Getting D-1 College Basketball Scholarship

This is a video about what it takes to play college basketball.

Most D1 athletes have been training hard on more than one sport since they were on 4th grade. 

Keep working on your skills, (dribbling, shooting, etc), keep improving your athleticism, keep watching plenty of ball and you'll get there.

If you want to play college basketball,  you must start today.

You  must focus 4 things:

1. Faith - When people have faith in themselves, they have a tendency of working harder.

2. Grades - No coach will be interested in you if you do not have the grades and the SAT / ACT scores to get into their college.
 
3. Family - The family in to which you are born must make sacrifices to support your dream. The family you choice such as your team mates and friends need to support your dream without distracting you.
 
4. Basketball - I don't recommend playing only one sport. College coaches prefer athletes. You do not become an athlete by playing just one sport. You must, however, work on the details of basketball year round, especially your jump shot. If you can shoot, you will play somewhere.
 
 

Fail Harder Now. Succeed Easier Later.

Destroyer Team Standards

Destroyer Team Standards

1.) Grades before ball.

2.) We are a Family. Family FIRST.

3.) WE RUN the race track both ways every transition.

4.) Wreaking HAVOC! Creating Chaos! Hustling HARD! Stopping the ball, every time.

5.) If I pass, I cut with energy all the way to the basket EVERY TIME.

6.) NEXT PLAY! NBA (Next Best Action.) Mistakes are part of the game. Brush it off and hustle.

7.) If I am open, I will shoot it. If A team mate is open, I will pass it.

8.) Power Position, Peak (at rim) and POOP (Pivot out of pressure.)

9.) Dribble with a purpose (Advance the ball, set up the pass or the hand off, drive to basket, request a pick.)

10.) If it ain't fun, we are done.

A Christmas Miracle

Despite having only won 1 out of 3 games, we are ranked in the middle of top 25 of Metrowest 8th grade girls teams.

Teams are ranked based upon the outcomes of games, the game location -- home/road/neutral -- and the quality of opponents. Only D1 and D2 teams are ranked above us at the moment and some of each are ranked below us.

To see us ranked in the top 25 while it lasts got to
http://www.metrowestbball.com/

and select the "Top 25" tab.

I do have a plan to get us back on track. We are changing our press a little bit by adding trapping,  working on shooting every practice, working on ball security every practice, will be more anal about getting offensive rebounds and will stress drive to the basket more.
Based on statistical analyses, the four most important keys for team success in basketball:

    Shoot a high field goal percentage.
    Do not commit turnovers.
    Get offensive rebounds.
    Get to the foul line frequently.

Teams that consistently win basketball games do at least three of these things well. If a team doesn't shoot well, it better do the other three things very well. Obviously, these keys could also be stated from the defensive perspective, i.e., prevent easy baskets, cause turnovers, do not give up offensive rebounds, do not foul, etc. At our level of basketball, offensive skills are more rare than defensive skills. We have played against two very good defensive teams. I am not ready to give up on teaching our players to play man to man the right way because that is what they will need to be able to do in high school and beyond.

Offensive rebounding can make up for a poor shooting percentage, particularly as shots off of offensive rebounds generally are more likely to result in scores than initial field goal attempts. (This also emphasizes how important it is for the defense to box out). If missed shots result in defensive rebounds by us, then we have potential fast breaks. Defensive rebounds are to a large extent the result of good defense making the offense shoot a low field goal percentage. As our defense gets better, we will get more and more of them.

Turnovers are important because a team cannot even shoot, never mind score, if it turns over the ball during a possession. We want to force turnovers with out fouling.

It is more important for teams to get to the foul line frequently than it is for them to hit a high percentage of their foul shots. Perhaps, this is because lots of foul shots means the other team's starters are in foul trouble. So getting fouled and shooting lots of foul shots is a key to success.

Good offensive teams have both inside and outside scoring. A team does not have to have a great point guard or a great center to score efficiently. However, it does have to pass well. Most offensively successful teams have a high percentage of assists on their scores. Assists lead to higher quality shots, a higher shooting percentage and better team chemistry.

Underdogs, like us, should adopt a "risky" strategy. A risky strategy is one that changes the dynamics of how the game would normally go. Examples of risky strategies  that we do are pressing, attempting many three point shots, slowing down the pace of the game (which we do sometimes), sending guards to the boards to rebound as well as releasing the guards on defense for a potential fast break, fronting the post, and playing oversized or undersized lineups. At some point in the season you will see up playing a zone as a surprise late in the game.  The slow down strategy works by reducing the number of possessions each team has. This reduces the better team's advantages and makes the outcome more variable. Similarly, the other risky strategies make results more variable in different ways.

On offense  we want players to:

    Shoot a high field goal percentage or help teammates shoot a high percentage through assists and playmaking.
    Avoid turnovers.
    Get offensive rebounds.
    Draw fouls.

At the defensive end, the player should:

    Make offensive players take low percentage shots.
    Cause turnovers.
    Box out and prevent offensive rebounds.
    Avoid fouls.

Team chemistry is very important. Chemistry has two parts: having a team that has well-balanced skills and having players who are willing to contribute to the team's good balance. If a team already has several good shooters, it may need more ball-handling and defensive skills, otherwise, it will have too many turnovers and give up too many points. On the other hand, if a team dribbles and defends well, but cannot put the ball in the basket, it need shooters. Our team is lacking defense and ball handling. The second part of chemistry, players with good attitude, is MOST important but very difficult to quantify. Let's just say that one knows it when one sees it. For some of our player it is a work in progress.

Merry Christmas.

Robin