| Basketball is a game of inches. Championships have | | | | difference in the world. |
| been won and lost by the slimmest of margins. One | | | | Pivoting |
| of the most famous NCAA championship games was | | | | I go crazy watching young kids play sometimes. |
| in 1983 when NC State beat the University of | | | | They are not taught correctly how to pivot. It drives |
| Houston on a last second tip-in by Lorenzo Charles. | | | | me nuts. Here's what happens, the player stops his |
| Derek Wittenberg, NC State's shooting guard, had | | | | dribble and holds the ball. The defender gets up on |
| taken a 40 foot shot that missed the rim by inches. | | | | him and the offensive player stands there and just |
| Charles ended up catching the ball and putting it in | | | | leans back until he falls over or gets tied up. If you |
| the hoop as if it were planned. On the replay you can | | | | are a coach working with young players make sure |
| see the Houston players expecting the ball to hit the | | | | they learn how to pivot. Demonstrate for them how |
| rim. Wittenberg was one of the best shooters in the | | | | to turn away from the defense by pivoting. Have |
| country and hadn't missed that badly all season so | | | | them pivot in all directions without traveling or |
| why would this happen now? Basketball is a game of | | | | changing pivot feet. This is such a minor fundamental |
| inches. If that ball hits the rim, the game would have | | | | but something that makes all the difference in the |
| gone into over-time and Houston would have more | | | | world. With young teams, the key is preparation and |
| than likely won. In this article I will go over three | | | | it isn't shooting drills as much as it performing correct |
| facets of the game of basketball that don't get | | | | fundamentals. Pivoting is one of those fundamentals |
| talked about a lot and seem trivial but have a huge | | | | kids need to learn as early as possible. |
| impact on the outcome of a game. | | | | Positioning & Spacing |
| Balance | | | | Players need to be taught where they should be on |
| There are few things more important than balance in | | | | the floor. They need to understand why they |
| a basketball game. Try and think of a basketball | | | | shouldn't look like a bunch of 5 year old soccer |
| move that doesn't involve proper balance? Feet | | | | players that just herd after the ball. It doesn't work |
| should be about shoulder width apart with the weight | | | | well in basketball at all. When I coach young players |
| evenly dispersed. I have often heard coaches talk | | | | on positioning I teach them the purpose of offense - |
| about keeping that weight on the balls of your feet | | | | to get an open shot as close as possible to the |
| and I haven't found anything to dispute that. Ball | | | | basket. A good shot to me is one that is not |
| handlers need good balance to be in control and to | | | | contested. When a shot goes up, who has the |
| be able to stop or start with relative ease. When I | | | | responsibility to get back and stop the other team |
| was young I made the mistake of driving around the | | | | from getting a lay up? When the point guard has |
| defender off-balance and I wasn't in a position to | | | | that job ends up taking the shot, then what? When |
| stop or shoot or anything. I was only in the position | | | | a point guard drives in and a defender comes from |
| to keep going forward. As a shooter, you need to | | | | someone else to help out, then what? These are |
| have good balance. If a player you are guarding | | | | positioning questions that need to have answers. |
| shoots an off- balance contested jump shot you are | | | | When someone is dribbling or driving to the basket, |
| doing a good job. Very few basketball players can hit | | | | don't run in after the guy unless you have a lane. |
| those shots. Not all of us are named Michael Jordan | | | | Don't drag your man into the play as that will only |
| or Kobe Bryant and can hit those types of shots. | | | | cause problems for your man. Stay away because an |
| Good shooters maintain balance by going straight up | | | | ideal situation for the defense is one player guarding |
| on their jump shot and don't drift from side to side. | | | | two offensive players. Practice these drills as coaches |
| When my shot is off, it is typically improper balance | | | | and as players. Watch games and understand what |
| in my feet. Defensive balance is also important. All | | | | players are trying to do. You will begin to really |
| good defenders maintain balance in their stance and | | | | understand how things work by paying attention to |
| in their ability to move quickly. When you pay | | | | some of these details that often get overlooked. |
| attention to it you will notice it making all the | | | | |