UTILIZING THE 3 POINT SHOT VS. MAN AND ZONE

Here are some notes from Billy Donovan speaking at a Nike clinic a few years ago on the 3 point shot.

-We try to gain an advantage at the three point line by creating situations offensively by using it and by taking it away defensively.


↑What is the best way to do this offensively? At my level, get better shooters. At the high school level, get your shooters better.

-A 4 that can shoot it creates so many offensive opportunities for your team (side note: this was a point that was reiterated by 3-4 coaches over the weekend)

-Four ways we try to get open threes:

1. Transition- push hard for early threes.

2. Dribble Penetration- drive and kick opportunities.

3. Post Kickouts- passing out of double-teams followed by ball reversal.

4. Offensive Rebounds- best time for open threes. Bigs feel that they’re entitled to shoot the ball off of an o-board, but this is a great time to find a shooter sprinting to spot up in an open area.

-The more you force the defense to closeout on you, the greater chance you have of getting to the paint. So, your thinking offensively should be “how do I create closeout opportunities?”
-Loves the flat ball screen because defense has to go so deep under them to get through and because if the ball screen is overplayed, it is so easy to switch the angle to catch the defense.
-Wants to keep the ball in the “alley” (middle of the court between the two elbows) because it prevents teams from establishing helpside.

Transition ideas:

-A team changing from offense to defense is one of the most difficult things in basketball. Exploit this!
-On a miss, free-for-all, score as quickly as possible.
-On a make, we want the ball the inbounded as quickly as possible by whichever big is closest to the ball and we want the ball advanced up the floor as quickly as possible as well. In UF’s practices, ball isn’t across half court in 3 seconds it is an automatic turnover.
-No set lanes, he wants his players to play. He asks his wings to run their lanes as wide as possible and sprint up the floor. If the two happen to be on the same side, it’s the 2nd player’s responsibility to call “push” and send the first wing through to the other side.
-Random ball screens: If our first big down the court is behind the ball or not in position to get the ball in the low post in transition, it’s an automatic flat ball screen for strongside wing (trailing big can run in to set a double).

Drills:

-LMU :35 Drill:

Goal is to score 5 layups in 35 seconds. Drill begins with 5 players rotating in a circle. The ball is scored by a coach and the players sprint to transition. Progression: 1. Advance pass to wing 2. Advance pass to opposite wing 3. Over the top pass to big rim running 4. Pass to trailing big followed by a drive/wide pindown by trailing big followed by a seal 5. Ball screen for point guard by trailing big for layup.