Notes from Brad Greenburg-Radford University

Got my first head coaching job @ 53
All you young guys trying to advance – remember that!
Quote from Clapton’s Guitar by Allen St. John
“You start out with a pile of good wood. Some nice Brazilian wood and you begin to cut away at anything that does not look like a guitar.”
Point: INVEST IN PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
Fundamentals are the most important elements in basketball
Radford Offense
2008-2009 Season 46.1% From the Field (1st in the Big South, 60th in the Country)
In Big South Games, Shot 47.7% from the Field
Possessions – 2, 319 Total Possessions in ’08-‘09
1,131 Were Successful (Scored, Got to the FT Line)
49% were successful
Of the 2,319 possessions, 1,172 of there were “basketball plays” (1 v 1 moves, broken plays)
Of the 1,172 “Basketball Plays” 597 were successful (51%)
Of the 2,319 possessions, 358 were in a “numbers” situation (TO led to fast break or steal)
197 were successful (55%)
1500 of 2300 plays did not involve any coaching – guys making plays
RADFORD DEFENSE
Not a defensive coach by nature, more concerned with the ball and its movement
Hired defensive guys on his staff to help that
Weren’t going to be a good defensive team if they did not change from Year 1 to Year 2
’07-’08 Gave up 79.3 ppg / Teams shot 44% against them
’08-’09 Gave up 71.9 ppg/ Teams shot 39.9% against them
Three main types of “d” Radford plays:
• Man to Man
• 1-3-1 Extended Half Court Zone
• 2-3 Tandem
Object of any defense should be to make shooters drivers and drivers shooters
Greenberg’s philosophy on defense from Jim Lyman and brother Seth (Va. Tech)
Stay between your man and the basket
Involves his assistants on defense especially in practice (3-4 sets of eyes better than 1)
STANCE
Heel to toe
Feet balanced, back straight, butt down
Do Drills that re-enforce this position
Ball Stays OUT OF MIDDLE
Ball is “squared” at the wing / Defender’s top foot is outside the offensive player’s top foot
“Check Points”
Sideline & Baseline
Defender is to beat offensive player to the sideline and baseline while influencing the dribble that way
Red Holtzman (Longtime NY Knick Coach)
BE ACTIVE
BE ALERT
SEE BALL + MAN
MOVE WITH THE FLIGHT OF THE BALL

RADFORD BASKETBALL – BUILDING PROGRAM IDENTITY
Looking back, wished he would have hammered home identity in his first season
“You who are on the road, must have a code, that you can live by” – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Code:
- What is important to you?
- Players MUST KNOW what is important to you

Praise Good Effort
Criticize what needs improvement
Balance between confidence and perspective

Personnel
Making the proper selections
Re: the people you will work with everyday
These people will in large part influence either your success or lack of success
Consistency
“There are the where you become what you become. There are the streets where the story’s told, the truth unfolds.” Ronnie Robertson “Shine Your Light”
“All I want for tomorrow is to get it better than today. Step by Step, one by one.” – Bruce Hornsby
Resilience & Toughness “Doggeddness”
“Not as glamorous as ambition or talent or intellect or charm. But still the one thing that we got we through the days and nights” – Frank McCourt Teacher Man
Strategy
“Aspirations aren’t Strategy” – Robert Blackwell
Real Leadership Provides the Strategy and then gets the team to execute!
DON’T ASSUME – What happens when you assume? Make an ASS out of U and Me!

RADFORD BASKETBALL
1. PLAY HARD
Like every possession will decide every game
Like every possession is serious business
2. Defensive Principles
Stance, No Middle, Talk, See the Ball, Help, Gaps, Rotate, Play it Out
3. Take Care of the Ball
Pass & Catch with Two Hands
4. Get the Ball Inside
See, Pivot, Improve the Angle, Execute, Offensive Balance
5. Team
Hit the open man, make the extra pass, communicate, body language, appreciation of the concept of team

Don’t Complain
Don’t Explain
No Excuses…NONE

Embrace the Coaching
We will work with you + get you ready to play