Alex Groothuis, who engages with Coral Springs Charter School as the head men’s coach, is a respected presence in the Florida basketball community. In consecutive years, Alex Groothuis achieved Florida class 4A Coach of the Year nomination for his success in guiding teams to winning seasons.
One of the critical team skills in basketball involves setting up a proper defensive transition and preventing opponents from fast breaks. One strategy involves rotating guards to the opponent’s side the moment that your team takes a shot. Even in cases where one of the guards is driving to the basket for a shot, the other guard provides insurance, should a fast break opportunity emerge off the backboard.
This approach may quickly lead to tired guards, in which case a seamless system of substitution should be used. Encourage communication between players and the coach and bench, such that situations of over-tired defenders do not emerge.
Additionally, once the fast break occurs, do not simply rely on the guards to do all of the work. The entire team should be trained to sprint at full speed to the opponent’s key area, where they can provide defense, should the initial fast break basket attempt fail. They will also be well positioned to bring the ball quickly into play after a successful shot and put pressure on the opponent at the other end.
One of the critical team skills in basketball involves setting up a proper defensive transition and preventing opponents from fast breaks. One strategy involves rotating guards to the opponent’s side the moment that your team takes a shot. Even in cases where one of the guards is driving to the basket for a shot, the other guard provides insurance, should a fast break opportunity emerge off the backboard.
This approach may quickly lead to tired guards, in which case a seamless system of substitution should be used. Encourage communication between players and the coach and bench, such that situations of over-tired defenders do not emerge.
Additionally, once the fast break occurs, do not simply rely on the guards to do all of the work. The entire team should be trained to sprint at full speed to the opponent’s key area, where they can provide defense, should the initial fast break basket attempt fail. They will also be well positioned to bring the ball quickly into play after a successful shot and put pressure on the opponent at the other end.