BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 4 NEW BATTLE FOR POSITION NEW RULES = NEW DRILLS THE BEST PRACTICE DRILLS EVERY WEEK! NFHS RULES

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1 BASKETBALL COACH June 19, 2014 Issue 39 $5.99 LEARN THE BEST WAY TO AVOID PICKING UP TOUCH FOULS WEEKLY COACHING THE 4 NEW NFHS RULES BATTLE FOR POSITION GAIN A FREE-THROW REBOUNDING ADVANTAGE THE INTENTIONAL- FOUL RULE HAS BEEN TWEAKED < PREPARE FOR INTENTIONAL-FOUL UPDATE BY DRILLING PLAYERS BODY CONTROL NEW RULES = NEW DRILLS DESIGNED TO GET TO YOUR PLAYERS UP TO SPEED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THE BEST PRACTICE DRILLS EVERY WEEK! PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED TO WEAR LEG TIGHTS WITH SOME CONDITIONS

2 THE INTENTIONAL- FOUL RULE HAS BEEN TWEAKED < June 19, 2014 Issue 39 $5.99 CONTENTS Focus On The New Rules, Great Drills For Everyone BASKETBALL COACH COACHING THE LEARN THE BEST WAY TO AVOID PICKING UP TOUCH FOULS 4 NEW NFHS RULES THE BEST PRACTICE DRILLS EVERY WEEK! Basketball Coach Weekly Issue 39 Basketball Coach Weekly 9325 SW Iowa Drive Tualatin, OR WEEKLY BATTLE FOR POSITION GAIN A FREE-THROW REBOUNDING ADVANTAGE PREPARE FOR INTENTIONAL-FOUL UPDATE BY DRILLING PLAYERS BODY CONTROL NEW RULES = NEW DRILLS DESIGNED TO GET TO YOUR PLAYERS UP TO SPEED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED TO WEAR LEG TIGHTS WITH SOME CONDITIONS Editor-in-chief michael.austin@ basketballcoachweekly.com Contributors Alan Peel Illustrations Mike Renwick Pictures Action Images Production Matt Boulton, Julie Lifton Publisher Kevin Barrow kevin.barrow@greenstarmedia.net Customer Services Duncan Heard duncanh@ basketballcoachweekly.com Managing Director Andrew Griffiths (c) Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Every year the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee makes recommendations for new rules, changes to rules or the removal of rules governing the game of basketball at the high school level. This year the committee recommended (and received approval from the NFHS Board of Directors) four rule changes for the season. While some have been clamoring for major changes such as instituting a nationwide shot clock or shifting the 3-point line back in line with college standards, this year s rules still present a challenge to coaches. Seeing a need for a better understanding of the rules and real-life strategies for teaching players about these changes, I decided to expand our typical issue of Basketball Coach Weekly and dedicate the entire larger issue to this topic (I d like to thank Alan Peel of CoachPeelBasketball.com for his help he was a tremendous resource when digging deeper into the meaning and effects of these rule changes). While our readership is vast beyond the high-school world (including youth coaches here as well as a strong international contingent), the drills provided to accompany each rulechange explanation are suitable for all coaches at all levels of play. They are drilling specific actions and movements needed to adhere to the rule changes, but are hitting upon skills all players should possess. Here is a brief rundown of the four rule changes: 1. Players along the lane lines may enter the lane upon the release of the free throw. 2. Last year s college rule about excessive contact is part of the highschool game for The definition of what is an intentional foul has been expanded. 4. The sleeve rule has been expanded to include leg tights. A detailed Don t expect simply to enter practice on the first day, read a sheet of paper in a monotone voice and think players now have a full grasp of the new rules explanation of each rule change follows on its own page as well as a detailed illustration to further the point to coaches. Having players understand these new rules comes down to preparation on your part. Don t expect simply to enter practice on the first day, read a sheet of paper in a monotone voice and think players now have a full grasp of the new rules. You need to drill them. It comes down to repetitions. Players are used to playing the game one way, you need to prepare them to play it in a slightly different manner. Editor-in-chief In this issue... 3 ENTER UPON RELEASE High school players now are allowed to enter the lane on the release of the free throw 4 FREE-THROW RULE REPETITIONS Spend practice time on entering the lane on a free-throw release so players aren t caught off-guard 5 CLEAN UP EXCESSIVE CONTACT Referees will be watching for more physical impediment of ball handlers 6 ZIG-ZAG DRILL Run an old favorite in practice but have defenders keep hands behind their backs 7 INTENTIONAL-FOUL RULE EXPANDED A major NFHS goal is to limit rough, physical play 8 LET THEM LAND, KEEP ELBOWS IN Here are three quick drills to keep players focused on playing hard...but not illegally 9 LEG TIGHTS ARE ALRIGHT Your players are wearing leg tights for performance and fashion, make sure they adhere to the color rule If you would like to submit a play, drill or article, please send an to michael.austin@ basketballcoachweekly.com. I love hearing from coaches! Click here to read the full disclaimer. To subscribe to Basketball Coach Weekly please contact Duncan Heard at Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford GU5 0AB, UK. You can contact Duncan via Skype at basketballcoachweekly or via at duncanh@ basketballcoachweekly.com QUICK HITTER Small Teams Look To Benefit From Free-Throw Rule The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) recently changed the rule about when players can enter the lane on a free-throw attempt. Players now can enter on release rather than waiting until the ball hits the rim (for more info see page 3 of this issue). Justin Duke, head girls coach at Scio High School (Ore.), says this change gives his smaller team an advantage to secure the defensive rebound. We ll be able to establish better inside position while the ball is still in the air and potentially get a few more over-the-back foul calls, Duke says. As the rule was last year, it was more of an advantage to the tall, athletic teams because there wasn t an opportunity to box out as most players in the lane were reacting to the bounce of the ball. I just think this is a better rule and puts the advantage back to the defense to secure the rebound. - Issue 39 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 2

3 There is a tremendous amount of time for rebounding battles with players allowed lane entry on release of the ball Defensive players must establish and hold inside position longer now so repetitions at practice are key to establishing the proper feel for this length of time Enter Upon Release, No Contact Needed A significant rule change for , players now are allowed to enter the lane on the free-throw release rather than on contact with the basket Of all the rules changes adopted by the NFHS, this one is critical. Beginning in the season, the national high school basketball rules required that players along the lane lines had to wait until the basketball hit the rim or the backboard before setting foot inside the free-throw lane. The goal was to clean up the physical nature of rebounding on free throws. Seventeen years later, the rule is gone. Various rules changes have been made in past years to reduce the number of players allowed along the free-throw lane and moving the players up from below the low block. In , a total of eight players could align themselves on either side of the free throw lane and below the low block. This made things cluttered so the rule was then amended to allow only six players on either side of the free-throw lane by prohibiting anyone from aligning below the low block. Also, officials had to monitor the ball hitting the backboard or rim on a free throw and any players stepping into the lane before the ball made contact with either. Officials had cited poor angles of determining lane violations under the rule and having their attention divided. As a result, the rule originates back to what it was prior to the season with the ball being released by the free-throw shooter as the moment any player along the lane lines may enter the lane. For you, this means adding free-throwentry repetitions into your everyday workouts. Your players never have played with the new rule. Their bodies currently are conditioned to wait until the ball hits the rim or backboard, then going after it. Now, there is additional time to battle for rebounds. Defensive rebounders now must be ready to hold their ground longer and if they are slow entering the lane, then offensive rebounders gain the advantage. On the flip side, offensive rebounders now have the time to execute more stunts (circling around defenders). It all comes down to who is prepared. If either the defensive or offensive rebounder forgets the rule during play, then the advantage clearly is with the other team. The other focal point for your team is not to be overly aggressive. Teach players they only can enter the lane when the ball is out of the shooter s hands. Be sure they are not jumping into the lane on the shooter s motion, which still results in a lane violation. This is why practice repetitions (see next page) are critical. Start from Day 1 of preseason workouts to ingrain this in your players minds. You know the first game of the season someone is going to shoot a free throw while a couple players stand there waiting for it to hit the rim. Make sure your players aren t standing but attacking the glass and you are certain to secure some extra early-season rebounds. Words by: Alan Peel, CoachPeel Basketball.com & Issue 39 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 3

4 Constantly Practice New Free-Throw Rule After years of waiting for the ball to hit the rim on a free throw, now you must condition players to go after rebounds on the release it all comes down to repetition WHY USE IT Your players aren t used to entering the lane so early on a free throw. Teams not running through these motions in the preseason are more apt to fall asleep and give up an easy rebound during a game. SET UP Players align as they normally do on a free-throw attempt. In this instance there are four defenders on the lane but if your team only uses three and drops an extra player back, then do that too [1]. HOW TO PLAY The free-throw shooter takes the shot and players enter the lane on the release. The defensive players must establish early position because now there is more time for an offensive player to maneuver his or her way into position [2]. Have offensive rebounders also work on stunts in which they circle around inside defenders in the hope to secure the bouncing ball [3]. 1 Keep players aggressive by yelling Go! as the ball is released as a verbal cut to enter the lane 2 Use different tactics on the offensive end to gain an advantage there is more time to circle around defenders or attempt moves to gain position Align on the lane as your team normally does in games some teams use four defensive rebounders for added protection while other teams drop this player to guard against strong transition offenses The inside defenders have to establish and hold position longer now while also reacting to the bounce of the ball TECHNIQUE It all comes down to repetitions at this point. Your players are used to waiting, you need to condition them to be aggressive on the release. Until you feel comfortable with their aggressiveness, yell Go! as the ball is released to add another trigger for lane entry. 3 Be sure players aren t overly aggressive and enter the lane on the shooter s motion as the ball must be out of the shooter s hand Issue 39 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 4

5 Referees will pay closer attention to defenders placing their hands on ball handlers next season The defender needs to slide into position to slow a ball handler rather than grabbing and reaching Clean Up Excessive Contact High school basketball now is aligned with college as officials will call excessive contact fouls when on-ball defenders physically occupy what is the ball handler s rightful space Remember the first couple of months of the college basketball season? Numerous fouls were called as part of a new rule designed to eliminate excessive contact by on-ball defenders. The goal was to open up the game the season after scoring in college basketball had fallen to its lowest levels in 65 years. After a season in which scoring was at its highest levels in 18 years, the rule got the desired effect. Enter the NFHS by adopting the same rule that college basketball instituted last season by instituting Article 12 to Rule 10-6 on contact, which now read that a foul can be committed by 1) placing two hands on the player, 2) placing an extended arm bar on the player, 3) placing and keeping a hand on the player and 4) contacting the player more than once with the same hand or alternating hands. Referees are looking primarily at on-ball defender s hands now. They want the hands off the ball handler rather than the typical grabbing, slapping and clutching that has made its way into the game in recent years. With ball handlers typically in open space on the perimeter, the defender is exposed and has nowhere to hide. Referees have a clear view of the defender s hands, so expect to see a lot more fouls called next year, especially early in the season when referees are figuring out the new rule at game speed and players are doing the same. The adjustment required is for the onball defender to give more space, which likely will result in increased scoring at the high school level as the advantage swings back in the ball handler s favor. More space means larger passing lanes, more room to gain an advantage off the dribble and even more room to shoot. For coaches, this means having players improve their defensive footwork when guarding the basketball. On-ball defenders now are required to play defense more with their feet as opposed to playing defense with their hands. Encourage this by using the widely used zig-zag drill and requiring the on-ball defenders to keep their hands behind their backs (see next page). While many coaches already use this type of drill, you may want to dedicate more time to it during early-season practices to drive home the point. It also means coaches understand the referees are going through this process as well. Cut them a little more slack early in the season, otherwise you are going to find yourself yelling at the officials more than anyone wants. Instruct your players to keep their mouths shut as they pick up more fouls despite their frustration talking to the referees is your job. Words by: Alan Peel, CoachPeel Basketball.com & Issue 39 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 5

6 Keep Your Hands To Yourself The new excessive contact rule comes from the college game and hones in on defenders impeding a ball handler s momentum, especially on the perimeter WHY USE IT As the game has become more physical, players are used to placing their hands on ball handlers. That now is going to be called a foul more often as referees are instructed to look for that type of contact now. SET UP The ball handlers line up on the baseline with a defender facing each offensive player. The defenders holds their hands behind their backs. HOW TO PLAY The ball handler dribbles toward mid-court reversing direction every so often as the defender slides to stay in front of him or her [1]. At mid-court, the players switch roles and the initial defender now dribbles back toward the baseline [2]. Players switch roles again and this time the ball handler uses the left hand to give the defender a different look and direction in which to slide. Players continue the sequence for a determined amount of time or number of up-and-backs (five, for example) [3]. TECHNIQUE By keeping their hands behind them, you are training defenders not to reach and get called for a contact foul. Place the defensive focus on the feet and how to stay in front of ball handlers. The defenders hands are to stay behind the player during the duration of the sequence this places the focus on defensive slides rather than reaching 1 Switch roles at mid-court with the initial defender now taking the ball and allowing the partner to get in position with hands behind the back 2 3 Continue the progression by switching roles again at mid-court by going left to give the partner a different focus point upon which to start Have the ball handlers shift direction every so often so defenders get used to sliding the opposite way After running through a few rounds, go left to start and give the defender a different look Issue 39 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 6

7 Using elbows to clear space will be monitored more closely next season Keep elbows low and use quick pivots or jab steps to create space and avoid an intentional-foul call Intentional-Foul Rule Expanded, Eyes Less Physical Play To remove the intentional-foul rule s subjectivity for referees, the NFHS has expanded the rule to include less leeway for elbow use and more space for airborne shooters Intentional fouls always have placed referees in awkward positions. The nature of the call is subjective and it s difficult to know a player s intent, especially in the span of a split-second. With more subjectivity comes more room for error and more opportunities for referees and coaches to disagree on the definition of an intentional foul. The NFHS now is working to combat some of the subjectivity behind intentional-foul calls. Once again, one objective of the NFHS (just like in the previous two rule changes) has been to clean up the physical play taking away from the flow, rhythm and beauty of the game of basketball. Rule d was amended to define an intentional foul as excessive contact with an opponent while the ball is live or until an airborne shooter returns to the floor. The expansion is intended to include any use of elbows as excessive contact and remove as much subjectivity as possible for the officials in making such calls. This rule change comes at a perfect time. How often do you see a player secure a loose ball and immediately start swinging elbows to clear space? And, too often today jump shooters are turning ankles or suffering even worse injuries as defenders undercut them while they are at the peak of their shooting motion. The bottom line: teach your players to keep their elbows, arms and feet to themselves. Once again, it comes down to spending extra time on this. Your players have become used to using their elbows a bit more or inching into a jump shooter s space now it s your job to eliminate those physical, bad habits or face the consequences come game time. The following page offers three easy practice drills to combat the actions the NFHS wants to curb. The first is a simple loose-ball drill in which two players battle for possession. Instruct players as soon as they gain possession, they need to work on quick pivots, short jab steps or even an immediate dribble to retain control of their space rather than swinging elbows. The second deals with undercutting shooters. You don t want to see your players getting hurt while vulnerable in mid-air, don t do it0 to the opponent. A proper closeout requires fast feet, high arms and stopping just before reaching the shooter s space. Challenge the shot but don t undercut the shooter. The third deals with flying elbows while battling for rebounds. Instruct players to keep their arms high but once possession is gained, then to keep the elbows in. Catch an unsuspecting opponent with an elbow next year and expect to see the referee blow the whistle. Words by: Alan Peel, CoachPeel Basketball.com & Issue 39 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 7

8 Let Them Land, Keep Elbows In The intentional-foul rule has changed with referees keeping a closer eye on how defensive players close out and controlling swinging elbows when securing possession WHY USE IT Once again, physical play has pushed it way into basketball much more during recent years. High school players now must provide a jump shooter space to land when in the act of shooting. Plus, the swinging of elbows to fend of defenders will not be tolerated, so your players need to figure out how to not place the official in a position to call an intentional foul. SET UP There are three easy drills to help player curtail the possibility of committing an intentional foul under the new rule wording. HOW TO PLAY The first drill has a coach throwing a ball into an open area with two players going after it. Once the ball is secured, the ball handler establishes position without swinging elbows [1]. The second drill has the coach passing to a shooter and a defender closing out without undercutting the elevated shooter [2]. The third has two players battling for a rebound but not throwing elbows to gain space or separation [3]. TECHNIQUE If players do commit a foul under the new rules, stop play and explain to everyone why a referee may call an intentional foul in that instance. 1 The two players next to the coach face away from the direction of where the ball is to be thrown so neither player has an advantage 2 The shooter catches the ball and fires immediately 3 The defender is on top of the ball handler and the offensive player must establish position without swinging elbows to clear space The defender closes out quickly but must stop before the space in which the shooter is to land referees are going to pay more attention to undercutting now Elbows typically fly under the basket but rebounders must control themselves when attempting to secure the ball, otherwise they are subject to an intentional-foul call Issue 39 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 8

9 Leg tights must be black, white, beige or team colors, in this instance purple and yellow would be accepted Talk to players now about if they plan to wear leg tights - you don t want them wasting money on a pair in an unapproved color Sleeve Rule Expands To Include Leg Tights The NFHS doesn t mind players wearing tights for performance or fashion reasons but talk to your athletes about the approved colors before they purchase Many high school players like to emulate their favorite NBA players and have done so by wearing compression sleeves on their arms and their legs. While high school athletes love keeping up on the current fashion trends, not many realize that there are benefits to wearing a compression sleeve (most notably keeping muscles warm and preventing those muscles from fatigue). Some studies also indicate that wearing a compression sleeve on the arm or leg might even improve the performance of athletes. There have also been a number of NBA players who also wear tights (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry all wear them at times) as a way to keep their legs warm. As a result, this has trickled down to the high school and college levels with players wearing tights during games. The NFHS has deemed it appropriate to allow players to wear tights and consider them to be on par with compression sleeves for legs. The NFHS also has decided that tights as part of a player s uniform will be enforced under Rule 3-5-3, which restricts the visible size of the manufacturer s logo and colors to black, white, beige or a school color. For example, if a school s colors are red and green, the compression sleeves or tights that can be worn can be black, white, beige, red or green. Speak to your players now about if they plan on wearing leg tights next season and what colors are allowed. You don t want to see your star center showing up in bright red tights when your school colors are yellow and blue. It s not a huge deal to remove them but you never know how players mentally respond in these circumstances. Eliminate any surprises by having the conversation now. While these updates might seem minor to some, the changes in these rules have been designed in great part to bring the high school game more in line with that of the college level. More changes are certainly to come, which could include a nationwide shot clock, the restricted arc and possibly moving the three-point line back to the current college line in the coming years. Words by: Alan Peel, CoachPeel Basketball.com & Issue 39 BASKETBALL COACH WEEKLY 9

10 Take Basketball Coach Weekly sessions on to the practice court on your ipad or iphone To find out how to get your copies of Basketball Coach Weekly on your ipad or iphone just click bit.ly/bcwipad