Basketball

[no-look]

Dicky V said something in a post that got me to thinking. He said the game was evolving and I believe that to be true. My question is is the game getting away from some of the fundamentals? Will what worked twenty years ago work today? Most all teams press now days. Turnovers are more common because of it. Do you not worry about how many you have as long as you have fewer than the other team?.... The mid range jumper is on life support......pure shooters are far and few between....do you change as the game changes or do you make the game change for you?

[EagleAG03]

Go watch the state tournament in Austin and you will still see alot of those things you are talking about still in play at certain schools.  Ponder to me is a great example of what your talking about.  They rarely press, play great help defense, are not the most athletic team, handle the ball extremely well, shoot the ball well from everywhere on the court.  It's fun to watch them take on teams like New Waverly and see all the 6'2 kids on one side of the court and all the 5'10 kids on the other.  New Waverly hands down was the most athletic team, not even close, but Ponder won because they were fundamental and played their game.

I think you see that style of play from the 1A's & 2A's (who don't play football) and 5A's because they have program's and can teach their kids year round.  Alot of the 3A's and 4A's (with exceptions obviously) are playing with alot of multi-sport kids and those coaches just don't have the time from the first practice of the season until it's over to teach those fundamentals.  They have to win with what they have and with what they can do.  If they spend all their time on teaching that stuff then the next thing they know they are already into district and may not be ready.

[BLUEDOVE3]

Dicky V said something in a post that got me to thinking. He said the game was evolving and I believe that to be true. My question is is the game getting away from some of the fundamentals? Will what worked twenty years ago work today? Most all teams press now days. Turnovers are more common because of it. Do you not worry about how many you have as long as you have fewer than the other team?.... The mid range jumper is on life support......pure shooters are far and few between....do you change as the game changes or do you make the game change for you?

I think a lot of coaches and players  know nothing about the pure basic fundamentals of basketball. For example, I see so many kids rebound and turn back inside looking for a guard. I see guards dribbling the ball down the court against a press dribbling straight up....and not low over the ball. Turnovers are more common now because the players aren't being told the first  basic fundamental thing to break  a press. And that is to remain calm. As far as the mid range jumper, the first thing a kid will want to do is go to the half court line and practice on their 3's...sheez The players are faster, but a good mid range jumper is still cool to have. Oh yeah, these kids can't shoot in a crowd anymore.

[no-look]

Do teams take on the strengths and weakness of the coach?......Do you have to be a good shooter to teach a kid how to shoot?...........a lot of head bb coaches dont have the help they need in good assistants.

[whsalum]

Teams definitely take on the strengths and weaknesses of their coach.I think it definitely helps to have a good shooter teaching the fundamentals.Then it is pure dedication that makes a pure shooter.The 2 things that never change in the game of basketball if you're going to be successful are discipline and fundamentals.You teach those 2 in that order and the game will never out grow you.It's no coincidence that the really good programs always have those ingredients.

[24 over par]

Teams definitely take on the strengths and weaknesses of their coach.I think it definitely helps to have a good shooter teaching the fundamentals.Then it is pure dedication that makes a pure shooter.The 2 things that never change in the game of basketball if you're going to be successful are discipline and fundamentals.You teach those 2 in that order and the game will never out grow you.It's no coincidence that the really good programs always have those ingredients.

i agree completely

[shorttexas1]

Every kid wants to shoot a layups or dunk or three....  The kids fundamentals are down because of their interest.  All these kids see different coaches all the way up to high school and their game is all lover the place.  I think athletic ability has robbed the game of fundamental play... But honestly which would you rather?

[BLUEDOVE3]

Every kid wants to shoot a layups or dunk or three....  The kids fundamentals are down because of their interest.  All these kids see different coaches all the way up to high school and their game is all lover the place.  I think athletic ability has robbed the game of fundamental play... But honestly which would you rather?

Too much And-1 television. I finally found some tape on Isaiah Thomas and my kids seem to enjoy it.

[Guest nostradamus]

And 1 and Universal Off-Season.......the demise of any struggling 3A program

[no-look]

And 1 and Universal Off-Season.......the demise of any struggling 3A program

nos, what do you have against UOS except for the fact that it rapes a basketball program?....lol

[BLUEDOVE3]

Plus, football is an easier sport to play than basketball

[LavoniaFontenot]

Plus, football is an easier sport to play than basketball

Yes u r right . I m agree with u that football is easier to play than basketball. Though both are interesting one but football is my favourite one.

[JackFan]

A team will go the direction that the coach chooses to take it.  They won't be bad shooters because the coach didn't know how to shoot.  They won't be great passers because the coach knew how to pass.

The majority of my basketball players spend very little time in the gym with supervised instruction.  The ones that do are not athletic and have to rely on fundamentals to be competitive.  At a program with 35 kids (9-12), only 7 do not play football.  That means that 80% of my basketball players spend the fall on the football field, the winter in the gym, and the spring doing a universal off-season and working football drills and techniques at least two days a week.  During the summer, there is a weight program and 7-on-7.  If kids do play basketball, they can't do it under a HS coach's supervision.  My players will actually work basketball skills 3 days a week for roughly 2 months of the year.

Some have mention about coaching styles and how it affects the team.  I would love to have fundamental players that can run an intricate offense, play great half-court defense, and shoot from anywhere on the floor.  But because of those factors mentioned above, our offense is based on attacking the rim or shooting the 3-point shot.  Our players don't shoot enough to consistently knock down a midrange jumpshot.  In our entire program, I only have 3 that I would trust to shoot a midrange jumper.  We press because we need to create as many easy scoring opportunities as possible.  If you lined us up against another team and made us shoot jump shots, we would lose.  Same thing for free throws.  We press and trap in the half-court to create easy scoring opportunities.  If I ever get a job at another place that is more basketball friendly, I'll adapt to give those kids the best opportunity to win.

And about Ponder, they're not just a bunch of 5'10 stiffs that aren't athletic.  They've got some size (two 6'5 posts, and some 6'1 and 6'2 guards) and are athletic.  They win because they can play a different style based on what hurts their opponent.  Against Santa Rosa in the semifinals, they controlled the tempo and ran them out of the gym.  Against New Waverly, they controlled the tempo by making it a half-court game.

[no-look]

JackFan, I wish we had that freshman. He will be a force next year....I thought you guys did a good job considering that you didn't get your players till almost district. If I remember right most all your district loses were by a very narrow margin.....that kind of program limits what a bb coach can do.....

[JackFan]

Thanks for the kind words.  We did lose some close district games, but that's the nature of the beast.  We were young, and hopefully we learned come valuable lessons this past season.  I know that I learned some.  We're certainly hoping that the freshman develops, and we could potentially have two really good years here.  The only problem is that word potential.

[no-look]

How will the fb team look next year. Maybe you can get your players a little sooner....lol

[BLUEDOVE3]

And 1 and Universal Off-Season.......the demise of any struggling 3A program

So HJ doesn't have a "Universal Off-Season?"

[Guest nostradamus]

No we don't......if a kid is a straight basketballer or basketball and a spring sport then they are in the gym from the start of school and once football is over all of the basketball players come to the gym (varsity has their own ath. period and 9th has their own ath. period).  We do what we want with our kids and are not told we have to lift or anything.  WE run our program........it is not run for us by our AD.  Straight basketballers report to the basketball coach all year long AND we have two coaches in basketball off-season all year long as well......9th and varsity periods.

[AggiesAreWe]

No we don't......if a kid is a straight basketballer or basketball and a spring sport then they are in the gym from the start of school and once football is over all of the basketball players come to the gym (varsity has their own ath. period and 9th has their own ath. period).  We do what we want with our kids and are not told we have to lift or anything.  WE run our program........it is not run for us by our AD.  Straight basketballers report to the basketball coach all year long AND we have two coaches in basketball off-season all year long as well......9th and varsity periods.

That's the way it should be. I know when I was in school, Silsbee did it that way and I believe they still do. No universal.

[BLUEDOVE3]

No we don't......if a kid is a straight basketballer or basketball and a spring sport then they are in the gym from the start of school and once football is over all of the basketball players come to the gym (varsity has their own ath. period and 9th has their own ath. period).  We do what we want with our kids and are not told we have to lift or anything.  WE run our program........it is not run for us by our AD.  Straight basketballers report to the basketball coach all year long AND we have two coaches in basketball off-season all year long as well......9th and varsity periods.

Really! Hmm? I like that kind of program and dedication.Hmm?Do I have any relatives in HJ district? Hmm?

[Guest nostradamus]

The ONLY downfall I THINK (not sure) they have over there is that there is no 9th grade athletic period for basketball.......not sure though.....which was the same thing I had in Jasper and it kills your younger kids........they go through off-season lifting last period of the day and then have to play a game at 5 PM......like I said.....not sure it is that way in Silsbee....thought I had heard that.......but I fought that battle in Jasper for two full years.

[BLUEDOVE3]

The ONLY downfall I THINK (not sure) they have over there is that there is no 9th grade athletic period for basketball.......not sure though.....which was the same thing I had in Jasper and it kills your younger kids........they go through off-season lifting last period of the day and then have to play a game at 5 PM......like I said.....not sure it is that way in Silsbee....thought I had heard that.......but I fought that battle in Jasper for two full years.

Sounds like the middle schoolers @ HF. They lift and then go play basketball.

[team first]

Makes sense to me..Basketball players that just do basketball, the basketball coaches are at the school to do what is best for them...If a kid comes from football, and plays basketball, during basketball season he then reports to the basketball period and the basketball coaches because this is his choice, " To play basketball". Wow this is a great idea...The kid then can become the best that he can be at whatever sport he chooses..Universal off-season has different meanings and underlying messages...It's okay to step back and do whats right for the kid...In the end, it usually ends up benefiting everybody involved..Kids and programs!

[no-look]

No we don't......if a kid is a straight basketballer or basketball and a spring sport then they are in the gym from the start of school and once football is over all of the basketball players come to the gym (varsity has their own ath. period and 9th has their own ath. period).  We do what we want with our kids and are not told we have to lift or anything.  WE run our program........it is not run for us by our AD.  Straight basketballers report to the basketball coach all year long AND we have two coaches in basketball off-season all year long as well......9th and varsity periods.

Thats what it takes to have a successful program year in and year out. We have made a lot of progress in that area and should start paying off soon (I hope). .......I feel for good bb coaches that are limited to what they can do by someone else calling the shots.

[Master T]

For Silsbee, all kids that doesn't play fall sports and only basketball or baseball are in that varsity class. For example, lets take me as a basketball player. I don't play football but I play basketball and I'm a freshman, I will be in varsity basketball class at Silsbee all because there is no freshman basketball class.