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Welcome to the Slappin' Glass Newsletter, exploring basketball's best ideas, strategies, and coaches from around the world.

Today's edition will include:

• Merrimack's Suffocating "No 3's" Zone Defense
• Podcast Wisdom (Part 2)
• Joe Gallo: Inside the Episode
• Best Sets of the Week
• Watch | Read | Quote

Let's dive in...

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People Helping People & Fun News!

First, thank you for the continued support of what we do with our entire Slappin' Glass platform. We truly enjoy the work and appreciate all of those who have passed along either a kind word or shared the content in some way.

We had some fun news to share this week as the Slappin' Glass Podcast moved into the "Top 50 Basketball Podcasts in the U.S." at #44! The show also moved into the Top 200 "All-Sports Podcasts" as well. It's been a truly valuable learning experience for us to get the opportunity to sit and converse with some of the best coaches and players in the world, and we're excited about the future of the show.

The show has continued to grow thanks to 1) the tremendous interviews and insights by the guests 2) the willingness of coaches to share and pass it along, and 3) both of our mom's downloading and listening to the show non-stop with absolutely zero idea what we're talking about.

One of the best ways for a podcast to grow is through ratings and reviews on Apple Podcasts. It helps others interested in the same type of content to find it. If you have a brief moment today, it would really help us if you could leave a rating and review about the show on the link below. Again, thank you for the support!

Rate/Review SG Podcast!

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Merrimack's Suffocating "No 3's" Zone Defense

Coach Joe Gallo and Merrimack College have run one of college basketball's most effective and suffocating Zone Defenses in recent years thanks to a mixture of a unique philosophy and strict adherence to rules and that leaves many offenses flummoxed on how to attack it. Along with our podcast with Coach Gallo this week (see below) we also dove into the film and broke down the rules, rotations, and overall philosophy behind the Merrimack zone. The video pairs up nicely with the podcast, where Coach Gallo walks through many of the rules and rotations himself.

What makes Merrimack's Zone Defense so interesting is the fact that they do not want to give up any 3's, and are very aggressive anticipating and knifing in for steals. They have been near the top of both their conference and college basketball overall in past years analytically in both limiting 3's and forcing turnovers, so this is not a lazy, "pack-it-in and make them shoot 3's" kind of a zone.

Here is what is highlighted in the 15 minute breakdown video:

• Overall Zone Alignment: The exact placement of players to start a possession.
• Rotations: A look at how each player in the zone rotates on the most typical Wing, Top, Corner, Short-Corner, and High-Post Passes. The backside rotations of the zone is an area where Merrimack really shines and can create problems for offenses.
• Rules: The absolute, "no grey area" rules of each player in the zone, including "no catch and shoot 3's", PNR situations, and more.
• Peel Switches: How the player's will use the elements of "peel switching" on "alley drives" and more.
• Common "Steal" Situations: The types of passes and drives against the zone where players are drilled to be more aggressive to go for steals.

Here is the complete video of Merrimack Zone Defense, out today on SGTV. Free and included for SG Plus members, or $24.99 for single purchase (click to access the video)...

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Joe Gallo - Inside the Episode

Joe Gallo's Zone Defense is fantastic and well-worth the time to study, but on top of being a terrific defensive coach, Coach Gallo has successfully lead Merrimack College's transition from a D2 to D1 program in recent years and is considered by many to have one of the best minds in the game. We dove into many of those areas this week on the podcast including:

• What fundamental concepts of winning have transferred from D2 to D1
• The importance of knowing and being yourself as a coach
• Why he prefers NOT to foul when up 3
• "Paint Threats" instead of "Paint Touches"
• Why watching others practice is so important
• What beats his Zone Defense
• And much more

View our "Over or Under" segment...

Here is the entire episode...

Listen to Joe Gallo

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Podcast Wisdom (Part 2)

During the month of July we're taking the time to reflect back on some of the best concepts and ideas from the first half of 2021. A couple weeks ago we put out the "Top 10 Sets and Actions", which you can view HERE, and last week combed back through the first eight podcasts of 2021 in our "Podcast Wisdom (Part 1)", which you can find HERE.​

We'll pick back up on Part 2 today in the same "3-2-1" format, where we'll dive into three key X's and O's discussed in each podcast, two key quotes, and one interesting "Start, Sub, or Sit?!" or "Overrated/Underrated?!".

Here we go...

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February 26th - Paul Kelleher on Terminology, Transition Offense, and Finding Your Coaching Voice {Ireland U-18 NT}

3 Key X's and O's:

• Transition Offensive Actions: Coach Kelleher discusses some of the building blocks of Ireland's transition offense, including "Crossing the Grain", "Channel Drives", and why they prefer to NOT set on-ball screens in transition.
• Adding Imagery to terminology to aid in retention: We discuss how Coach Kelleher adds imagery to the his team's most commonly used terms to help in the speed, accuracy, and effectiveness of teaching concepts. "Crossing the Grain" is an example from the transition actions sections above, as a term used to convey crossing the middle of the floor to the 2nd side in transition.
• Teaching Finishing to Undersized Players: Coach Kelleher has become accustomed to playing with an undersized team, as Ireland's roster has not historically been filled with taller players, so teaching how to finish at the rim as a smaller player has been of utmost importance. We talk about some of the techniques and concepts he uses to teach high-level finishing as a smaller player. It includes a discussion about "Lonzos", "Pro Stops", and more.

2 Key Quotes from Coach Kelleher:

• On keeping composure and focus as a coach: "A phrase that I have on my board all the time now is 'What do they need now?', and it's really help me bring my attention (back). So I will always have my board to see that phrase because there will be times when I won't be focused enough to ask myself at that particular time. But it's 'What do they need now?' Do they need a hand around the shoulder? Do they need a specific detail? Do they need to be told 'keep doing what we're doing, it's going to drop', do they need to be chewed out at that particular time? And hopefully as we go along, the last one becomes less and less, where we can trust them and they can trust me that when we're talking, we're talking as a trusting unit."
• On player rotations: "I was once told, to get your rotation right, you rotate nine, you play eight, and you trust five."

1 Interesting "Start, Sub, or Sit?!":

• Question: Alternative Skills to teach guards... "Teaching guards to Post, to be off-ball screeners, or to screen and roll"?
• Coach Kelleher's Answer: Start... Guards in the Post; Sub... Guards to be off-ball screeners, Sit... Guards in the PNR

Listen to Paul Kelleher

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March 5th - Steve Donahue on Mentorship, Crunch Time Analytics, and Re-Thinking the Game { Penn }

3 Key X's and O's:

• Seeking and Giving Mentorship: A great opening 10-15 minutes from Coach Donahue on the value of finding and providing mentorship as a coach. We discuss ways that younger coaches can reach out and approach others in the industry they hope to seek guidance from, as well as some of the people who were most meaningful to Coach Donahue.
• Advanced Screening Concepts: We dive into Coach Donahue's thoughts and teaching points on all things screening including when to slip, foot angles, rolling after screening, and why he prefers NOT to change or flip the angle of the screen at the college level (for now).
• Pace and Late-Game Analytics: A fun discussion about shots, analytics, and Coach Donahue's overall philosophy when it comes to keeping great offensive pace late in the game. We also get into the ways he likes to talk to and drill his best players on the types of late-game shots they should be looking for within their offense.

2 Key Quotes from Coach Donahue:

• On staying aggressive in late-game situations: "I go back to my father taking me to sporting events as a kid and saying 'This coach, look at him, he's just trying not to lose', and it just stuck with me forever. So I'm always going to error on the side of 'going to win the game.' And it's bit me, but, I can sleep with that."
• On the balancing analytics when it comes to decision-making: "It's not a science, it's an art."

1 Interesting "Start, Sub, or Sit?!":

• Question: Rules to add to the college men’s game: Timeout to advance the ball, 4 quarters instead of two halves, 5 -foul double bonus each quarter?!
• Coach Donahue's Answer: "I love them all, but I'll Start... Timeout to Advance; Sub... 4 Quarters; Sit...the Double Bonus."

Listen to Steve Donahue

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March 12th - Jenny Boucek on Joy, Off-Ball Cutting, and Assessing Player Value { Dallas Mavericks }

3 Key X's and O's:

• The onboarding process when joining a new coaching staff: We discuss Coach Boucek's first month on the job with the Dallas Mavericks and the onboarding process she went through with Coach Carlisle. Coach Boucek talks about understanding roles, people, and how to effectively communicate with all members of an organization.
• Off-ball Cutting around a PNR: A terrific conversation from Coach Boucek breaking down the different types of cuts and scenarios they'll use around a PNR. Of note, we dive into the preferences of different players she's coached including Luka Donic and Sue Bird, and the reasons they preferred certain types of cutting or spacing based on their unique skill sets.
• Defending the "Short Roll": With the rise of 5-men who can catch and make quick decisions out of the "short roll", we discuss some of the best ways to use it, as well as Coach Boucek's thoughts on how to best guard the action through drops, sending the guard under, and backside rotations.

2 Key Quotes from Coach Boucek:

• On analytics and the human element: "The tricky part about analytics now, and I'm open minded about it, but I'm witnessing as well, is that things that are so very black and white numerically can take a toll on the soul or player of a team. And so you have to find some element of humanness to all of this, because what might be clearly right in the numbers can mess with the psyche of a player or a team."
• On Jalen Brunson and assessing the "it" factor in a player: The best scouts in my opinion, and when I've gotten it right... is when I'm able to assess the "it" factor. Give you an example... is Jalen Brunson. I don't know where his numbers (are) on all this stuff, honestly, but, he wins. He's a winner. He may not have the longest arms or the greatest vertical, or even the greatest shooting percentage at certain times in his career... but (he) always wins, and he always rises in the clutch."

1 Interesting "Start, Sub, or Sit?!":

• Question: Best Assistant Coaching Skills to Learn... X's & O's, the Film Room, or Player Development?
• Coach Boucek's Answer: "Those wouldn't be in my top 3, they'd all be subs... my starter would be Emotional IQ."

Listen to Jenny Boucek

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March 26th - John Mosley on Accountability, Incentives, and the UCLA High Post Offense { ELAC }

3 Key X's and O's:

• The "UCLA High-Post Offense": For year's Coach Mosley has run the "UCLA High Post Offense", and we dove into a few of his favorite actions, and the counters he enjoys running out of them. Baked into the conversation was also his thoughts on how he teaches his bigs to seal for both a "Hi-Lo" look, or for a "duck-in."
• "Hard Coaching" & "Tough Love": On Netflix's "Last Chance U" Coach Mosley is seen as a coach who both loves and coaches his players very hard. We discuss how he goes about trying to strike the right balance between the two and why he feels it is necessary to coach the teams he has in that manner. We talk about punishment, incentives, and offering hope.
• Evaluating Box Scores: A fun conversation about the types of stats that Coach Mosley looks at when it comes to box scores, and how it relates to the recruiting process for his players. We talk about the stats that cannot be found in a box score and how he uses those to both motivate and sell his players to other college programs.

2 Key Quotes from Coach Mosley:

• On developing a bond with your leaders: "You have to spend time with your leaders...you have to respect them, you have to spend time with them, and you have to let the leaders know... 'Hey, you have to let me coach you, and you have to let me discipline you. So, when (your teammates) see that, they'll absolutely follow you. And then they'll follow me, and that'll help us all as a group."
• On getting players to be "present" at practice: "I think here at the community college level you have to MOVE!... I don't give them time to take a break... they joke with me and say 'Coach Mosley doesn't have water breaks', I like forget about water breaks we are going so fast... We don't stop, we don't walk to drills. Our drills are one, two minutes then it's go."

1 Interesting "Overrated/Underrated?!"

• Question: Overrated or Underrated... "The Floater"?
• Coach Mosley's Answer: "Overrated... although I am teaching it to my son"!

Listen to John Mosley

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April 2nd - Jay Bilas on Long-Term Vision, Zone Analytics, and Advancing the Game { ESPN }

3 Key X's and O's:

• What great coaches and organizations do well in terms of their approach to process, long-term vision, and delegation: Jay dove into the nuts and bolts of what the best coaches in the country do on a day to day basis when it comes to implementing long-term vision for players and staff, and why it is so important to do so.
• A Coach’s Temperament and how it affects players during stress/crunch-time: An interesting discussion about the effects a coach can have on their entire team during stress/crunch-time situations, as well as ways coaches can actively work on becoming better in this area.
• Teaching, Attacking, and the Evolution of Zone Defenses: We talked extensively about the rise of zone defenses in both college and the NBA, and many of the analytics that go into it. Jay shared tidbits about his learnings from Jim Boeheim and others when it comes to being comfortable playing zone for all or most of a game.

2 Key Quotes from Jay Bilas:

• On the importance of sideline temperament: "You see a lot of crazy coaches, and I think you can be crazy when your players are too calm, but when they're crazy, you can't be crazy too. I think that's a must, your demeanor and how you handle yourself and what you're going to instill into your players. Are you going to instill a calmness and a belief in them? Or are they going to be frenzied because you are?"
• On learning from others: "I think my education in basketball has been enhanced greatly by being a broadcaster, because I am let into everybody's practices, their scouting reports, their meetings, and I see how they get to do it, and it's different everywhere. So I've been able to not only learn, but steal ideas, and its helped me explain things that I see..."

1 Interesting "Start, Sub, or Sit?!"

• Question: "Start, Sub, or Sit... the best place for a great player to go to play for a year before entering the NBA Draft... The G-League, playing Internationally, or major D1 College program.
• Jay's Answer: "I would Start... D1 College Program, Sub... the G-League, and Sit... Overseas."

Listen to Jay Bilas

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Best Sets of the Week

The best we saw from the week that was, including Team USA, the Australian NT, Nigerian NT, Perth Wildcats, and Atlanta Hawks.

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Watch | Read | Quote

Watch:

• Nigeria Men's NT
• Quinnipiac WBB (D1)
• Regis University (NCAA D2)

Read:

• From ESPN: How PJ Tucker Found His Place in the NBA​
• From Eric Johnson: Quality or Quantity?​
• From Morgan Housel: Too Smart​

Quote:

"If you are working on something that you really care about, you don't have to be pushed. The vision pulls you." - Steve Jobs

Thank you for reading, and have a great week coaching,

Pat and Dan

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