Blog Posting #36, February 28, 2009

Reducing Passing Turnovers
Category: Fundamentals
 
“Jones is at the point with the ball. He looks left. He looks right. He passes to Smith at the right wing. Smith squares up and looks into Roberts in the low post. Defended closely, Smith responds by taking one dribble away from his defender, toward the sideline.  He looks for Jones who moves back to the top of the key. Smith passes to Jones. There’s a steal by the other team! He’s going all the way. Score!”
 
The most frequently stolen pass in basketball is the wing-to-point pass. Why? Because it is a likely option (predictable), it’s usually longer than fifteen feet, and it’s a tasty gamble for the defense. But we also see steals from point to wing, point to high post, wing to post, or post to wing or point. If we can identify the causes of passing errors, we might come up with some solutions. There is good news; we can do both.
 
Identifying The Causes of Passing Turnovers

1. There is extreme pressure on the man with the ball.
2. The ball handler is telegraphing where he intends to pass the ball. 
3. The ball handler passes directly to the receiver.
4. The receiver is not coming to meet the pass; he is decelerating, increasing his distance from the passer, or is stationary.
5. There is poor timing; the receiver is open too early (causing him to be stationary when the passer is ready to pass) or too late (eliminating a passing option and causing unnecessary pressure on the passer).

Reducing Passing Turnovers
1. Square up and “rip the ball” across the belly or knees, clearing space (or drive with a cross over or reverse).
2. Be deceptive by scanning all possible passing options, refraining from staring at any one, especially the receiver you are most likely to pass the ball to. 
3. Pass the ball to where the receiver is “going to be” (where he can safely catch it), not where he is. Lead the receiver so he has to work to get the ball.
4. Make the receiver go get the ball. Same is true for wing to high-post pass and point to high-post pass.
5. Receiver must keep his defender on the line of deployment (line between receiver and basket).
6. Provide each position with three passing options, in succession. For example, if first option for the point guard is to pass to wing, and the second is to the high post, post player delays his cut until after the wing has tried to get open.
1. Ball received at wing
i. Option1: Into the Post
ii. Option 2: To the High-Post
iii. Option 3: Out to the Point.
2. Ball Received at Point:
i. Option 1: To Wing
ii. Option 2: To High Post.
iii. Option 3: To Other Guard. 
7. Use Backdoor Cuts and replace.
 
“Twelve seconds left in the game. The score is 64 to 64, ladies and gentleman. Jones has the ball at the point. Roberts fakes a cut to the high post. Jones fakes the pass and gives the ball to Smith at the wing who is pressured by a quick defender. Smith squares up, looks at Roberts who has cut back to the low post. He doesn’t like it. Williams cuts from the weak side to the ball-side elbow. But Smith is not looking at Williams; he’s looking at Roberts. Here comes Jones back to the point. His defender is coming hard. Smith makes a hard pass to Jones who is sprinting to the ball. His defender is looking to steal but Jones leaps for it. His man is out of position. Jones can drive. He does. He’s heading toward the free throw line. Robert’s man picks him up. Bounce pass to Roberts. Score! Firebirds win.”

Related Postings:
Defense Thinking Steals and Blocked Shots, Category: Defense
Teach Entry Pass Pressure Release Early, Category: Offense