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

Happy Sunday and welcome all the new subscribers from around the world!

ICYMI: Last Sunday we did a Quarterly Review, looking back on all the defensive schemes, offensive strategies and technical details we've covered over the past three months on Slappin' Glass. Get caught up HERE.

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Today at a Glance:

🏀 LAST CHANCE: Mentorship Opportunity with Obradoiro Assistant Coach, Gonzalo Rodriguez!!

📺 SGTV: PNR Masterclass: The Skip Dribble 🔒

🎤 Slappin' Glass Podcast: Gonzalo Rodriguez {Obradoiro}

🥇Best of the Week: 5 Out Delay & Stagger Away Actions​

Let's dive in...

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Last Chance to learn more and apply! Applications closing Wednesday, April 12th!

We are excited to announce an exciting and exclusive offer for SG Plus Members: a 5-week small group Mentorship Program with Obradoiro Assistant Coach, Gonzalo Rodriguez! Coach Rodriguez has over 30 years of experience as a coach and more than a decade in Spain's top division, the ACB.

Beginning Monday May 1st, Coach Rodriguez will lead weekly small group discussions to answer, assist, and stimulate thought on a wide variety of relevant topics including Teaching Methodology, Practice Planning, Drill Design, International Offensive and Defensive Concepts, as well as any other topics of special interest to the group. Additionally, Coach Rodriguez will make himself available for individualized emails and texts to all members of the group outside of meeting times to help answer questions specific to your team. Pretty cool.

We have been fortunate to collaborate with Coach Rodriguez in the past, most recently on this month's Roundtable where he walks through Implementing "Next" Defense, and prior to that, his clinic on "Next" and "Hot" PnR Coverage.

Space is limited, so interested coaches please complete the form below and we will follow up with more information about the program and pricing!

Yes I'm Interested!

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The Skip Dribble - Maintaining Space

In our recent PNR Series breakdown with The Pro Lane, we detailed a few ways ball handlers can "Take Space" (Reject), "Create Space" (Snake Dribble), and/or "Maintain Space" (Hostage Dribble) within the PNR. Building upon this, today we'll look at another technique ball handlers can deploy in order to maintain space in the PNR through the use of the "Skip Dribble."

What is it? The Skip Dribble can be defined as a skip-step hesitation that allows the ball handler to play with a change of pace and/or a change of direction in setting up or attacking off of the PNR. When separation has been given or created, this technique helps build a natural patience in the ball handler's game, enabling them to operate in space without forfeiting their advantage.

PNR Set Ups - Playing from the Hip

The benefit of the Skip Dribble prior to receiving a screen is its ability to buy the ball handler a half a second to slow themselves down in order to assess the scenario unfolding.

Change of Pace

The effectiveness of the skip dribble in slowing the ball handler down allows them to play with a change of pace, enabling the ball handler to read the reaction of the defenders involved in the PNR.

Zooming In: As the ball reaches the hip of the ball handler, they are better positioned to attack off the reaction of their match up. If the defender stays square on the ball, or attaches to the hip, the ball handler can accelerate into the screen, as the defense will likely chase over.

Change of Direction

If, at this same moment the ball reaches the ballhandler's hip the defender begins to cheat or inch towards the screen, the ball handler is in great position to read and react with the rejection.

Assessing Coverages

Slowing down through the Skip Dribble also allows the ball handler to assess the defensive coverage of the Big. This is especially useful against aggressive coverages, as the ball handler can avoid running directly into the hedge or trap.

Zooming In: Playing through the change of pace, the ball handler can force Bigs to show their hand early, opening up short roll passes or split opportunities (shown above). Alternatively, it can keep Bigs guessing and create late show-outs (the Big arriving later to the Hedge), providing opportunities to beat them off the corner.

Attacking off the Screen

When to use it? The Skip Dribble is an effective tool coming off the screen with 1) space between the ballhander and on-ball defender, 2) an open nail or elbow, and 3) against a "dropped" big. The lateral nature of the skip step allows the ball handler to maintain the space created off the screen and the hesitation creates the time necessary to read and react off the defense.

Dragging the Drop

Using the Skip Step to momentarily attack "east-west" buys time for the roller to get out of the screen and put pressure on the rim, which makes it harder for Defensive Bigs to maintain their ball-man triangle the further the ballhandler strings them out into space.

Zooming In: Shown above, coming off the PNR cleanly into space Kevin Pangos uses the Skip Dribble to go from elbow to elbow without forfeiting his advantage, creating more space on the backside for the helpside to cover.

Free Throw Line Decisions

As we discussed in our podcast with Las Vegas Aces AC, Natalie Nakase, especially for smaller guards, decisions are better served made at or before the FT Line. The deeper into the paint a smaller guard drives, the harder decisions can become as the size at the rim eats up finishing space and passing angles. The Skip Dribble is of great use for this purpose, aiding ball handlers in their decision-making process. Rather than coming off the PNR with separation to attack downhill and make a decision at the rim, ballhandlers can use the Skip Dribble to operate at or around the FT Line.

To learn more about how the Skip Dribble aids ball handlers in their ability to occupy time and space, and the various attacking solutions presented by it, including more on:

• FT Line Decisions
• Skip Dribble Pulls
• Skip Dribble Pull Backs
• Change of Pace Attacks

Full breakdown available now on SGTV! (SG Plus 🔒)

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Slappin' Glass subscribers can try Hoopsalytics for free with your own team’s games, and save 25% on any purchase by using the discount code on the page https://hoopsalytics.com/glass/​

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Slappin' Glass Podcast

We travelled to Spain's top division, the ACB, this week to talk to Obradoiro Assistant Coach, Gonzalo Rodriguez! We're excited to be putting together a mentorship group with Coach Rodriguez in May (more info above), and in this fantastic conversation Coach Rodriguez shares his thoughts on:

• ​Scouting and Game Planning: We open the show with a deep-dive into Coach Rodriguez' thoughts and procedures in preparing scouts and game plans with Obradoiro. Coach Rodriguez has many years of experience preparing to play some of the best coaches and players in Spain, so we had a blast walking through how he thinks about defending great teams, shooters, etc.
• Work-Life Balance: During our "Start, Sub, or Sit?!" segment Coach Gonzalez shares some personal thoughts on obtaining a clearer balance as a coach. There are some powerful messages he shares about becoming a father and how that has made him a better coach. A must listen segment!
• In-Game Critical Communication: Also during "SSS", we explore an all to familiar situation during a game... when a player is emotional after being subbed out. In this conversation we sift through different philosophies on how to handle this type of situation as a coach.

Listen to the entire terrific conversation with Coach Gonzalez here...

Listen Now!

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Tactical

📺 Virtus Bologna - Delay • Swing Away • Horns​

"Virtus Bologna plays to an elbow split or elbow RIP out of the 5 Out Delay entry."

✚ Pair With: Our podcast conversation with Virtus Bologna and Spanish NT Coach, Sergio Scariolo.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Our breakdown on Joventut Badalona's "5 Out Delay" Offense.

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📺 Strasbourg - Stagger • 1 - 4 UCLA Screen​

"Stagger entry into a small big UCLA screen with the PG and 4-man."

✚ Pair With: Our podcast conversation with Finland professional Coach, Greg Gibson, on playing through stagger screens.

✚ Pair With: Using the Stagger Away entry to create space for the isolation.

🔒 SG Plus Content: Our breakdown on the Stagger Away entry and several popular actions being run throughout Europe.

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Interesting Reads

📚 Winners and Losers of the NCAA Tournament Championship Games​

"Who shined the most in the final round of March Madness? Who fell short? Let’s dive into a special edition of winners and losers."

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📚 Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve​

"The second category consists of people who could evolve to Level 5; the capability resides within them, perhaps buried or ignored or simply nascent. Under the right circumstances—with self-reflection, a mentor, loving parents, a significant life experience, or other factors—the seed can begin to develop."

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📚 From Politeness to Partnership: Embracing Conflict Drives Effective Collaboration​

"Decades of group development research (such as the large body of work done by Susan Wheelan) shows that groups need to go through stages to reach what we might call ‘high performance.’ There is no avoiding these stages, it is simply a function of being a bunch of social creatures who take time to trust each other and work efficiently together."

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Quote of the Week

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Thank you for reading and have a great week coaching,

Dan and Pat

info@slappinglass.com

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