BDT Notes: Post Reads & Cutting
Volume 18: The Idaho Basketball Coaching Podcast Newsletter
📑 The Playbook
🤔 Thought Starter from a Ben Solak article
📝 BDT Notes: Post Reads & Cutting
⛹🏾 Playbook: The Bulgarian BLOB!
🗓 Up Next: Philip O’Callaghan on Skill Acquisition
🎧 IBCP Archives: Alex Sarama
🎼 The Playlist: Rip City
🤔 Thought Starter from Ben Solak
“(Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben) Johnson’s football DNA is a mix of schemes and philosophies, and maybe that’s why he was such an unknown as he embarked on his first season as a play caller last year. Many offensive coaches these days are … purebreds. Early in their careers, they became attached to a certain offensive system and never leave it; Johnson’s path wasn’t as linear — and you can tell he’s proud of that.
…
“Three systems, three (coaching) positions, in seven years. This is the rearing of a coaching mutt, not a system purebred. Here, there was not methodical perfecting of one system, no sharpening of a blade by grinding away all but the finest edge. This was cross-pollination, the interweaving of schematic fabrics — the making of sturdier stuff.”
— How Ben Johnson Fixed Jared Goff and Became the Next Big Thing in NFL Coaching
By Ben Solak, The Ringer
📝 BDT Notes: Post Drill that Works on Cutting
I was talking some basketball with Joliet Catholic boys coach Adam DeGroot last week. Like my program, Joliet Catholic runs Alex Sarama’s BDT offense, so we were exchanging some notes on what we’ve learned after a year of running a conceptual offense.
Cutting was one of things we talked a lot about. Specifically, helping players know the right time to cut. Or maybe, more importantly, when not to make one.
The same topic came up with a BDT coaches group we are in. Skyline Grizzlies girls coach Ty Keck shared the drill below for helping players know when to weakside cut when the ball is in the post.
(Coach Keck is a heck of a coach and a genius when it comes to running a conceptual offense. I appreciate our relationship especially considering our programs are in the same classification. Potentially we could meet up in a state tournament … preferably it would happen in the state championship game!)
Skyline 3v2 is a “warm-up” drill or game we use at the beginning of practice that I love! The drill helps perimeter players see when to cut, but the situation helps with so much more. Post entries, post reads, post passing, post defense, etc.
After watching this, I realized I didn’t do a good job of having the girls incorporate the Push or Pull reads.
📍 WHAT I’VE LEARNED: Filming practices has helped me become a better coach. What I think we did in practice vs. what we actually did can be 2 different things.
I’m adding this video from later in the same practice to illustrate how we try to build up. In this 4v4 game, the concept is how our two-side and post player can play off a drive to the nail.
We were primarily a 5-out team last season, but as the season went along we incorporated some more 4-out formations into our offensive attack. You can see the girls wobble to start, but after a few reps, start to run some good stuff. I especially appreciate the weakside cut for a layup since it was a concept we worked on at the start of practice.
⛹🏾 Playbook: The Bulgarian BLOB!
One of my favorite watches on YouTube is the FIBA livestream. If you are not careful, you can get lost for a while in the youth regional championships from around the world.
Last week I watched Bulgaria play Sweden in the FIBA U16 European Championships — Division B. Bulgaria held off a late run by Sweden to win the game. I enjoyed watching both teams play and picked up some actions and concepts to chew on. More on that in a bit.
When I’m looking for a game to watch, I stay away from the traditional powers. My program typically doesn’t have, and probably never will, have the size and honestly the skill the USs, Spains, Frances, or Australias have. Instead, I look for countries where you can’t name anybody on their national team and might struggle to point it out on a map. I LOVE the games with two nations where you know the coaches have to be creative in their approach competing at the international level.
📍 WHAT I’VE LEARNED: Develop you coaching filter by learning to simplify —
recognize the difference between essentials and distractions.
When it comes to breakdown of the game I wish I had an easy way to access the video so I can quickly filter half court possessions or sideline plays. But I’m a high school coach in Idaho with no real budget, so I watch the entire game on YouTube and screen grab what I like.
A quick aside: Like with the NFHS Network, a 10 to 15 second rewind option on these video players would be a gamechanger. And don’t get me started on the cutaways to the inbounder or coach during a BLOB that returns to the wide angle of the action just as the team scores an uncontested layup. 🤯
With the Bulgaria vs. Sweden game, I probably have about 20 clips that I will name and eventually save on an external hard drive. This is the time of the year where I go back to see if there is an action or concept we might incorporate for the upcoming season. And now that I have this newsletter, these clips give me something to write about.
The game included a BLOB formation from Bulgaria that you might consider. One reason I like the formation is there are a variety of reads that are fairly easy to teach. The clips include some basic reads — and only one awkward cutaway to the Sweden coach during a play — but with a little time you could include some options that would be really hard to defend and lead to a quick shot or nice isolations.
🗓 Up Next: Philip O’Callaghan on Skill Acquisition
The next episode of the podcast features Philip O’Callaghan. O’Callaghan is an Irish tennis coach and PE teacher who has a great newsletter on skill acquisition and practice planning for coaches on Substack that I’ve learned a lot from.
In this clip, O’Callaghan discusses how the role of a coach gets misunderstood when using a Constraints-Led Approach.
🎧 IBCP Archives: Alex Sarama
Alex Sarama has been on the podcast 3 times and each episode has a spot in the Top 10 of most listened-to episodes. This episode from November 2020 is No. 1 in the rankings.
Sarama shares tips for coaches who want to incorporate small-sided games that emphasize their program’s concepts and decision making into practices.
🎼 The Playlist: Rip City
The Portland Trailblazers have been on my mind lately. One reason I’m not sure I can talk about yet. The other reason is because I watched the new G-League Documentary on Amazon Prime that features Scoot Henderson.
So hopefully you can understand why I HAD to choose the song Rip City by the Rose City Band for this edition of the The Playlist. Ever since I saw Jeffrey Silverstein in concert last May, I’ve been listening to a lot of modern psychedelia. The band I’ve listened to the most while working on projects is the Rose City Band. Take a listen!
