March madness: Master End of Game Situations

As we prepare for March Madness, I can’t help but to envision players, coaches and fans sitting in front of televisions across the country yelling out hypothetical End of Game philosophies while judging (or praising) others’ coaching strategies. So many games come down to one or two possessions during this time of year making the game both exhilarating and nerve-racking!

As a coach, you either live for these moments or you dread them.  As a player, you either hope to be the one with the ball in the final seconds or the one sitting on the bench after fouling out.  Being in close games shows the competitor who they are.  I believe, the difference lies in preparation.

Coaches and players alike must prep for the moment.  Let’s go over some coaching tips to help close out tight games.

How to Master End of Game Situations:

Practice Planning. To ensure that your team can execute the details of your scheme in game, work on these components in practice.

• Inbounding the ball cleanly

• Fouling effectively

• Forcing a jump ball without fouling

• Trapping to create steal opportunities

• Missing Free-Throws to allow for an offensive rebound putback

• Calling a Time-out BEFORE taking a dribble

• Pressing after a made shot or free-throw

• Executing man offenses versus zone

• Running an inbound play from the corner (without a timeout)

Time EVERYTHING. Know how long it takes to run sets, foul efficiently, force a jump ball and trap to create a turnover.  Even practice your timeouts!  Recognize how long it takes to communicate your plan to the team. Practicing communication helps gauge your team’s capacity to process information; clarifying what is most vital during each timeout.

Also, understanding your player personnel is incredibly important. Pinpoint who your clutch players are.  They may NOT be your best players. Determine who desires to have the ball in high pressure situations. Identify your cleanest screeners and best passers.

In-Game Strategizing. Nail down the particulars with the use of assistants, managers, etc. 

Situations you MUST know:

• Timeout Count of BOTH teams

• Foul Count. In addition, know both teams’ best and worst free-throw shooters.

• Possession Arrow: Who gains possession on the next jump ball

• Subbing patterns. Identify your reasons to sub. This could be foul trouble, line up efficiency or disturbance (ie: your opponent doesn’t have a timeout and wants to move quickly)

• Opponents’ ATO (after time-out) scheme, specifically from the previous timeout. Your scout prep should include their overall and most recent trends on both sides of the ball.

Practice makes…philosophy.  The more you practice end of game situations the clearer your philosophies become.  Teams change.  The game continues to evolve.  Tap into what works well for your team in THIS moment.

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” 

March will certainly have its magical “Hail Mary” moments.  The coach in me believes some of that magic is the result of hard work, discipline and preparation. 

Meet the moment.