BROTHER TO BROTHER

The Sporting News has a great feature where you subscribe to their on-line magazine and each and every day you get a ton of material to read right in your e-mail box. (It’s free to sign up) This is one of the best deals in town.   I enjoy their features and their writers more than any other outlet.  I still don’t know how to link anything up to my blog, so I apologize.

While reading an interview with Wisconsin Badger Marcus Landry, he was asked if his brother Carl, who is in the NBA, gives him any advice.

“Yeah, go hard all the time.”

-Coach Finamore

hoops135@hotmail.com

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

DEFENDING THE POST

I received a question today regarding defense.

Coach Finamore,

I play at a d3 school in PA. My team is struggling, but I’ve been working on my game and body and tonight I saw immense offensive improvements as well as rebounding. My main concern is the reason we are losing, which is defense. Our team is very small, I’m 6′2 175 pounds, and I’m the biggest. I’ve been working on using my feet to deny the ball against bigger guys. I seem to always run into foul trouble which hurts my team. Do you have any low post defensive advice or any big man advice?

That’s a great question – first off, your team IS small – you are the biggest at 6′2″!

I always say that defense comes down to a couple of things:

1-heart

2-desire

3-toughness

To answer your question about defending the post – you have to get all sorts of help.  The ball must be pressured when your man is posting you up (and I’m sure that is often).  Your teammate has to put constant pressure on the entry passer.  An easy look into the post puts you at a disadvantage.  This concept isn’t being taught at the lower levels.  An offensive man should never have a clean look into the post.

I would front the post if I were you – if a taller offensive player gets the ball with you on his back, you are in trouble.  Get weakside help, your teammates on the opposite side of the ball should be in the middle of the key, looking to snatch a pass thrown over the top.

Hopefully your coach plays some zone on defense to help you out.

Be tough, be strong and never back down.  Show courage at all times.  Be active, don’t relax and most of all, when a shot goes up, turn and find your man and put a body on him. Give 110% each possession!

As for your foul trouble goes, that’s a tough one.  I have seen fouls called in some games that other officials in other games wouldn’t call.  That’s something out of your control so let it go.  Just play hard!

Let me know how things go…

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

HEART AND INTELLIGENCE

My favorite book on the market is  “How to Be Like Mike“, written by Pat Williams.  You will not find a better book on basketball.  It’s the story of Michael Jordan and his approach to the game.  Williams interviews a ton of people; you’ll enjoy the many stories and inspiring quotes.

While researching Jordan material yesterday for my upcoming basketball book, I came across two traits Jordan was big on; Heart and Intelligence.

To me,  he possessed both more than any other athlete.

You need the heart to battle every day.  You need the I.Q. to be successful.

Players who lack heart and players who play the game in a not so smart way,  struggle.

On offense, you have to know who to get the ball to.  On defense, you need to have the heart to engage in the battle of the boards or when guarding your man.  Here is Jordan on staying true.

Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you. If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you. If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you. That’s truly about the game, and in some ways that’s about life too.

Being true to the game is a lost art – too many players are selling out.  You need to work your tail off if you have a plan of advancing to the highest level possible.

Jordan has said over and over, ‘Heart is what seperates the good from the great…’

Will you show heart and intelligence the next time you step on the court?

If you want to read the best book on basketball and on life, you will go out and pick up Pat Williams’ book, ‘How to be Like Mike.’

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

BACK IN THE GYM

Sorry about the couple of days of not blogging – I have been out in the park shoveling the snow off the court to work on my handle and jump-shot.

While reading Sports Illustrated this morning I came across an interesting story on J.J. Redick and Adam Morrison and their journey in the NBA.  Do you recall a couple of years ago they were battling it out for who the best college player was at the time.  Hence, it’s not easy to make it in the league.  John Wertheim from Sports Illustrated has the piece.

“It can be humbling,” says Redick, “but sometimes it can be good to get punched in the mouth and try to get back up. Me, I needed to be humbled.”

SI also took a NBA Players survey on the best pure shooters in the history of the game in the same issue.

Ray Allen, Celtics G…..26%
Reggie Miller, retired Pacers G-F……15%
Larry Bird, retired Celtics F……10%
Jason Kapono, Raptors G-F……10%
Peja Stojakovic, Hornets F…..8%

What, no Chris Mullin?  The cat shot .509 from the field for his career.   No one had a sweeter stroke than the former Xaverian Clipper by way of Flatlands avenue.  Today’s players need to “You Tube” the former Redmen if they want to see a pure shooter.

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

NO BURNOUT HERE, JUST IMPROVEMENT

So much was written and talked about a few weeks ago when a female basketball player, actually the number one high school player in the country last season, and her decision to leave UConn after just a couple of days. (ESPN.com) just in case you missed it. All the critics of hard work jumped all over that. “You’re working them too hard” or, “they are putting too much time in, they need to do other things.”

Blah, Blah, Blah…

Look, I respect the young lady’s decision, no argument here – but don’t try and say kids shouldn’t put all the time in to become the best.

University of Virginia men’s basketball player Sylven Landesberg, a former Holy Cross Crusader out of Queens, New York and his routine his father put him through from an early age via the Washington Post (you may have to register to read the entire piece)

“At first, I tried to get out of it,” Sylven said. “I’d rather be going to school than doing that! I had an excuse every morning. You know, ‘My foot hurts.’ But he never let me get away with it. As I started getting a little older, I realized this is what I have to do. This is not like a punishment. This is something that’s going to help me in the long run.”

Of course, you have to work hard if you expect to excel. You can’t pick up a ball once a week and shoot jumpers.

“You could see he had a lot of ability,” Holy Cross Coach Paul Gilvary said. “But there’s a lot of kids like that. Until you get to meet them, know them, see how coachable they are, you don’t know. The parks in New York City are filled with kids with ability who never made anything out of them.”

Good point coach. What separates the two groups is hard work and discipline.

Sylven embraced college life. He did not attend a party until ninth grade and sacrificed a prototypical childhood. But he believes he never would have made it otherwise. That was the trade-off required, and Sylven would do it again. He might have a son one day, and Sylven would want to raise him the same way.

“The things that my father did for me, it didn’t just shape me as a basketball player,” Sylven said. “It shaped me as a man.”

You see people, it can be done and it’s not all that bad.

Work hard, good things will happen and never, never, never give up!

What would’ve happened if Michael Jordan quit playing basketball after getting cut in the 10th grade?

How about if Larry Bird didn’t enroll at Indiana State after leaving I.U.?

Imagine Lebron giving up basketball in high school and playing football instead?

Thank God Kobe never got burnt out.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

ME AND A BALL BOY

While watching the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns game tonight, Ray Allen was banging three’s left and right.  TNT’s Reggie Miller was talking about Allen showing up four hours before the game working on his shot.  Miller mentioned that he did the same thing.  “Just me and a ball boy.”

Putting in the extra work is what it’s all about.  Too many players refuse to hit the gym to work on their game.

It’s no surprise that the top two leading three point shooters in the history of the game worked hard on their shooting.

Miller also mentioned that he learned that type of work ethic from Larry Bird.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

SHARE THE BALL

Check out my column for  Pro Basketball News.com – take a look at my latest column on the NBA.  I have been writing for them as of late.

I love watching a basketball game and observing the players on the floor passing the ball to their teammates.  That’s what you’re supposed to do right? But today, many players feel the need to shoot before they pass.   I dislike it very much when guys try and go one-on-one too much.  Look, Iso’s are fine and necessary every now and then when there’s a mismatch; but when the double team comes, you need to get rid of the ball and hit the open man.

On the fast break, you need to get the ball to the player that has a better shot.  Push the ball ahead out in transition.

Just because you have a good shot, doesn’t make it the right to shoot.  Someone may have a better shot, a great shot.

There’s nothing more refreshing to watch when teammates on the floor move the ball and everyone gets a touch.

We have a player on our team who seems to shoot the ball often.  When he checks into the game he has his eyes on the basket at all times and is good for a couple of bad shots per game.  The other night he moved the ball and found the open man.  He didn’t attempt one single shot: we won and he played well.

Hit the post, move and screen.

Get everyone involved.

I have been following the Northwestern Wildcats men’s basketball team this season and they really move the ball well.

There’s nothing worse in basketball than watching selfish players go for their points.  It also pains me to see players dribble, dribble, and dribble some more without going anyway.

The game is much more enjoyable when the ball gets reversed on the perimeter.

If you have a ‘big’ that is a good offensive player in the post, get him touches.  There’s nothing as entertaining than hitting the post and watching the guy take a shuffle dribble, recognize the double is coming and hitting their teammate spotting up on the opposite side of the floor.

Free up good outside shooters.  Set screens.  Pick and Pop and Pick and Rolls.

John Stockton, Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Tony Parker, all guys who share the ball and make their teammates better.

It’s a thing of beauty to watch five players share the ball on the offensive end of the floor.

The Houston Rockets are sharing the ball more now.  I wonder why? The Houston Chronicle reports

“Ball movement is what we always talk about,” said Shane Battier. “It’s no accident that when we get ball movement, we shoot a high percentage. That’s the way you’re supposed to play the game.”.

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY

-Coach Finamore

hoops135@hotmail.com

PLAYING FOR A WINNER

Interesting comments tonight at half-time of the St. John’s-UConn game made by Fran Fraschilla and Karl Ravich, ESPN’s college basketball analysts.   Turns out, UConn guard Kemba Walker and former Rice Raider mentioned in the newspaper that he would’ve went to SJU if he knew they were going to win.

“What about going to SJU and MAKING them a winner” said Ravich.

Great point Karl.

A big time player coming out of high school, Walker had the opportunity to play for a  good guy in Norm Roberts and help the Redmen, I mean the Red Storm, get back to their glory days.  His choice of schools and playing for Jim Calhoun is an excellent decision.

I think it’s a great point/discussion on a kid coming out of high school and looking at different college programs.  Do you go to a school that is established or do you attend a school looking to make the big-time and helping them get there?

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

-Coach Finamore

hoops135@hotmail.com

OFF SHOT

Last night I watched a high school game and a player, one of the better ones on the floor,  had a poor shooting night from the outside.  He was trying hard to help his team.

If you happen to be playing in a game and your shot is off that particular night, what other things do you do to help your team?

Better yet, do you keep shooting or do you stop?

I always tell players to drive it to the goal and look to draw a foul.

Get to the line or make a layup.

I recall a few years back when the New York Knicks were playing the Houston Rockets in the NBA championship,  Knicks two-guard John Starks was way off from the outside in Game 7.   Starks shot 2 for 18, 0 for 11 from way downtown.  I heard people criticize Starks and head coach Pat Riley afterward.  Look, shooting the ball is almost like hitting a baseball, you’re not going to be successful all the time.  You can’t make every shot you take.

The main thing is to never lose your confidence as a shooter. Keep your head in the game and compete!

Larry Bird was once asked what happens if he misses nine shots in a row in a game?  His reply, ‘I think the 10th one is going in.’

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

-Coach Finamore

hoops135@hotmail.com

EXCITED TO BE ON THE TEAM

I first saw C.J. Lee back when he must’ve been in the 8th grade or his freshman year in high school at basketball camp in East Lansing on the campus of Michigan State University.

He was a small, skinny camper running around playing basketball from 9Am until 9 at night.   He fit in well with the others.

The one thing that struck me was his enthusiasm, hustle and great personality.

It turned out that he was from Pittsford, New York (so we had something in common).

Fast Forward a few years later and while I was an assistant coach at Saint Peter’s College in Jersey City, New Jersey he was a player at Manhattan College under former head coach Bobby Gonzalez.   I mentioned to Lee about M.S.U. camp before a Jasper-Peacocks game and he remembered.

After his second year in Riverdale,  Lee transferred to the University of Michigan to walk-on the men’s basketball team

Early this Fall, I attended a workout with the Wolverines basketball team and sure enough there was Lee out on the floor going hard.  He was hustling, talking and sharing the ball.  he was the most active player in a Wolverine workout shirt.

The Detroit News has a story on the guard who went from rarely playing at Manhattan College to getting solid minutes at Michigan.

“That is my way to stay sharp, it’s how I contribute,” Lee said. “You have to be invested and paying attention in order to have success when you get into the game. I’m helping my teammates but I am helping myself in the sense that I’m always attentive to what’s going on.”

To do what Lee does is not popular with a lot of players.  Most sit on the bench and pout, sulk or lose interest.  But the real teammates do what Lee does.  He is what a coach wants to see when they look down the bench.  Michigan head coach John Beilein on Lee

“He’s been perfect for where he is right now,” Beilein said. “He just wants to win.”

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com