Exploring basketball's best ideas, strategies, and coaches around the world

Happy Sunday! Welcome to all the newest subscribers from around the world.

ICYMI: Last week, we highlighted Finland’s transition offense and how they create early baseline pressure through short-corner catches. Read the full newsletter HERE.

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This Week at a Glance:

🔒 SoCal Coaches Summit Replay: Zach Guthrie - Rethinking Pre-Game Routines & Warmups​

🎧 Slappin' Glass Podcast: Casey Alexander {Belmont}

📢 Dr. Dish Semi-Annual Sales Event!

🥇 Best of the Week: Flex & Pistol​

📚 Interesting Reads

Let's dive in...

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Rethinking Pre-Game Routines

We were honored to host our second annual SoCal Coaches Summit two weeks ago, and want to sincerely thank all who attended as well as the incredible coaches who presented. The event was a tremendous learning environment and a valuable opportunity to connect and network with fellow coaches from across the region.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be sharing session replays from the event, starting with South Bay Lakers Head Coach, Zach Guthrie, who gave a dynamic presentation on his innovative approach to pre-game routines.

Coach Guthrie finds himself in one of the more unique coaching situations, the G League, where the schedule can be unrelenting with little time to practice, and a roster that could change daily. To address this challenge, Coach Guthrie has reimagined the pre-game process, turning it into a mini-practice designed to maximize on-court time and sharpen players’ decision-making before tip-off.

Instead of the traditional, scripted routines that often lack cognitive challenge, Guthrie builds pre-game environments that replicate game actions, opponent coverages, and real-time decisions. His goal: to give players as many decision-making reps as possible in the exact situations they’ll see later that night.

At the center of this approach is his “4v4 Build Down” drill.

4v4 Build Down

As many great concepts are, 4v4 Build Down is simple on the surface, but nuanced in its execution. The drill begins with four players on the floor in offensive positions, being guarded by four coaches. They start with an action drawn from the team’s offensive concepts and play live to score. Whoever takes the shot or commits a turnover leaves the floor, and the remaining three players must quickly re-space before the second phase begins. Again, there is an initial action, but after that, players are tasked to read the defense and improvise. The sequence continues with a two-on-two, and finally, a one-on-one.

*Side Note: For more on this type of drill, we did a full breakdown of how these "build down", or "play-it-down" drills are constructed at a college practice {🔒}, as well as in our "Pro Lane" player/drill development series {🔒}.

Before looking at some examples from Coach Guthrie, it’s worth highlighting why this drill is so effective:

1. It creates multiple decision-making opportunities for players, with coaches able to adjust their defense in scout-specific ways to prepare for that night’s opponent.
2. It provides more “touch points” at game speed, giving players valuable reps in different spots on the floor.
3. It forces players to constantly re-space as teammates rotate off, reinforcing the idea that spacing is dynamic rather than static.
4. It builds both tactical and technical awareness by placing players in an adaptable environment that challenges them to adjust and improve in real time.

To view Coach Guthrie's full presentation and insights on the 4v4 Play Down, as well as all our upcoming Socal Coaches Summit replays, including:

• Jerrod Calhoun {Utah St.}
• Drew Dunlop {The Pro Lane}
• Eric Glass {Miami Heat}
• and more!

Become an SG+ Member today!

Together with Dr. Dish

Our partners at Dr. Dish Basketball are having their Semi-Annual Sale right now, and you can score up to $4,000 off their professional shooting machines! Whether you're a player, a parent, or a coach, this is the sale you've been waiting for. Dr. Dish machines are proven to help players improve their shot form, build consistency, and gain the confidence needed on the court. Don't miss out on these limited-time savings. Visit drdishbasketball.com today.. Score these savings before August 31st!

Slappin' Glass Podcast

🏀 Slappin' Glass Podcast w/Casey Alexander

This week we were joined by Belmont Head Coach, Casey Alexander! In this episode Coach Alexander breaks down his offensive philosophy, defensive evolution, and coaching journey. From assisted-basket strategies to player empowerment, Coach Alexander shares how three decades of culture and continuity shape Belmont basketball.

Offensive Philosophy & Efficiency

• Assisted Baskets: Nearly top-10% nationally, built on recruiting unselfish, high-IQ players who prioritize team offense over isolation.
• Ball Movement with Control: High passing volume paired with impressively low turnovers, thanks to system-oriented players.
• Pace & Tempo: Focuses on shot quality, not the clock; emphasizes quick transition opportunities whenever the defense isn’t fully set. Runs a motion offense with freedom for players to break plays when advantages arise.

Teaching Style: Concepts over Details

• Conceptual Framework: Players learn broad principles, making reads in the flow of the game instead of memorizing plays.
• Player Empowerment: Every recruit gets the “green light,” fostering confidence and freedom from day one.
• Quality Shot Standards: Uses a unique “four-point shot” grading system in practice — shots only count if they meet strict criteria for rhythm, balance, and positioning.

Recruiting & Culture

• Personnel First: Success starts with finding the right offensive-minded, team-first players.
• Cultural Consistency: A 30-year standard of excellence, with a 3.5 team GPA and multiple Academic All-Americans.
• Flexibility in Recruitment: Willing to adapt for players with elite intangibles like toughness, competitiveness, and leadership.

Defensive Adjustments

• Late-Season Turnaround: From bottom-third nationally to top-10 defense in the final five games, driven by greater physicality.
• Switching Philosophy: Shifted from over-switching (which bred passivity) to a system that demands initial defender engagement.
• Simplicity in the Gray Areas: Prioritizes communication, effort, and competitiveness over complex schemes.

Coaching Development & Connection

• Player Relationships: Continuous growth focus, investing in personal connections and development.
• Direct Communication: Honest, demanding, but never manipulative.
• Career Foundation: 16 years under Hall of Fame coach Rick Byrd — patience and preparation that became his best investment.

Together with Hudl

Hudl Powers Every Possession

If you’re already using tools like FastDraw, FastScout, or FastRecruit—you know how essential they are to your workflows. And now that they’re fully part of the Hudl ecosystem, they’re more powerful than ever. From film and play diagrams to scouting reports and custom recruiting boards, everything flows together. One system. Built for high-performance programs.

​Learn more about Hudl and their variety of products or subscribers to Slappin' Glass can also directly email Winston Jones of Hudl at winston.jones@hudl.com.

Tactical

📺 Flex - Reject • Chase • Shuffle​

"Rejecting the flex screen to loop back over the top into a shuffle screen, down screen."

✚ Pair With: A creative incorporation of the Flex Screen to move a shoot around and off an eventual stagger screen.

🎧 Pair With: Our podcast conversation with Mega Head Coach Marko Barac on Hedging, Spain Reads, Offensive Rebounding and more!

🔒 SG Plus Content: Our breakdown on Olympiacos Flex Ballscreen Motion.

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📺 Pistol - Flare Curl • Elevator​

"A creative pistol action flowing from the flare curl into an elevator screen for a shooting opportunity."

✚ Pair With: Following up the Pistol entry with an immediate corner Step Up screen and Flare Curl.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Our Film Room breakdown with Coach Simon Mitchell on his "Bolt" Transition and how his teams flow into Pistol actions in transition.

Interesting Reads

📚 The Emotional Strength You Need to Lead Through Change​

Healthy conviction sets high standards while allowing others to help shape the path toward them. Leaders who maintain this balance are clear on their non-negotiables—the “why”—but flexible on the “how.” They seek out opposing perspectives before finalizing decisions.

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📚 The Days are Long but the Decades are Short​

11) Go out of your way to be around smart, interesting, ambitious people. Work for them and hire them (in fact, one of the most satisfying parts of work is forging deep relationships with really good people). Try to spend time with people who are either among the best in the world at what they do or extremely promising but totally unknown. It really is true that you become an average of the people you spend the most time with.

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📚 Paul Skenes' Cerebral Approach to Pitching​

Even at such an early stage of his career, Skenes’ cerebral approach is readily apparent in the way he thinks and speaks about pitching. Yes, he studies scouting reports, with Davis helping craft game plans. And yes, he is especially in tune with how his motions on the mound influence how his pitches move. And yes, Skenes’ arsenal is constantly expanding and evolving based on which pitches are performing at their best.

But at the end of the day, with stuff this good, it’s all about execution.

Quote of the Week

Thank you for reading and have a great week coaching,

Dan, Pat, and Eric

info@slappinglass.com

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