"WHY GUARDS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN BIG MEN" By Duane Silver

Everyone knows the college game is a guards game. Right? In the Men's Final Four this year there were four really good point guards. Taurean Green of Florida, Mike Conley Jr. of Ohio State, Darren Collison of UCLA, and Jonathan Wallace of Georgetown. Tennessee's women had a great little I can't remember her name right now. Now, are you ready for my theory on why Point Guards are more important than Bigs? Here we go. In the pro playoffs (If you don't like it we need to talk. It is the best in the world!) All the teams with great POINT GUARDS are still playing. Here is list: Baron Davis-Golden State, Chauncey Billips- Detroit, Deron Williams-Utah, -New Jersey, - Phoenix, -San Antonio, (I would list Kick Hinrich-Chicago, but I don't think he is quite there yet) (Dallas did not win because is in my opinion not a true point guard. He is more of a scoring guard.) All the great Big Men are home now. Shaq is out and I don't know of another great Big Guy that is still playing. Do you see what I am talking about? Here is what you need from Point Guards: One-Toughness, Two-A Great Basketball IQ, Three-Leadership, Four-Strength or Quickness, Five-The have to have Charisma, The Referees must like them, Six- They Defend, Seven-Their Teammates like them, lastly they all have intangibles *Note I have actually coached years ago at Baylor's Elite Camp against Deron Williams. Here is the thing you all probably don't know about him because he is big. He is very FAST, it shocked me how well he could always get by 5'10" guards who tried to guard him. They could never keep him infront of them. (You may not know this either, but he was not the most recruited player on his high school team (Bracy Wright who played at Indiana was). Now, you are going to think I'm rambling, but I'm not. I want to tell you about a point guard I saw at the Texas State Basketball Tournament in 1979 (just like yesterday to me). His name is Ronnie Blake 5'7" about 170 lbs (a lefty, I love left handed point guards) (Lufkin is a 5A school with about 2000 students) (Ronnie was the quarterback on their football team.) This guy is the most awesome leader I have ever seen. In the state playoffs Ronnie made four shots at the buzzer to win plus his shot against Fort Worth Dunbar in the state championship game with no time remaining is the only time in my life that I have seen things in slow motion like you see in the movies. Ronnie later was on the team at Baylor University here in Waco and they seldom let him play. This was to me the biggest mistake I have ever seen in . Ronnie never complained about what happened to him. Ronnie is now a teacher and the tennis coach at Lufkin high school. *Note and this is the truth: When Ronnie's high school coach recieved the Texas High School coach of the year award he said this, "As soon as I get back to Lufkin I'm going to give this to Ronnie Blake." (More below)

*POINTS TO BE MADE ABOUT POINT GUARDS By Duane Silver

1. You need to have 30 minute meetings with them twice a week during the season. Teach them what you want done on the floor. *Look at tape for only about 10 minutes. Don't over do it. 2. They have to be an extension of you on the floor. 3. Did you realize that the best coaches were point guards in high school? (Don't shoot me if you were not a point guard. I was a 6'1" Post man.) I think they are more innovative. 4. Take them, just you and them to watch a college game and talk to them about what you are seeing. "A picture is worth one thousand words." 5. Teach them this, that lots of mistakes are made in basketball by point guards when they are within three feet of the baselines and sidelines. If they seldom get within three feet they are better off. When you are within three feet of any line you can get trapped easier and you might step on the line. (Baron Davis did this Thursday night vs Utah) 6. This is big and they can't alway do it, but Point Guards should be taught to "Stop and Make a Decision". Meaning they should jump stop and wait a second or two and then make a pass. The great point guards always see more than one receiver. 7. Point Guards should dribble alot with two . (At home or in the gym. They need you to give them a routine. *If you live in San Antonio talk to Steve Sylestine at Stevens HS. He is master at it. (Plus he is 6' 6" and one of the best people in the World!) 8. Most coaches don't teach this, but against full court man to man pressure and they run jump the point guard he should be taught right before the double team happens, he should back up dribble two dribbles and then cross over and go the other way. The great ones do this without being taught. I learned this from watching Monte Towe when he played for North Carolina State years ago. 9. In high school you need to drill once or twice a week on letting your point guard go full court with two guys guarding him. If he can play he can make to the other end without turning it over. 10. High School point guards cannot do this dribble any more. The old fashioned "Reverse Dribble" Steve Nash is a master at it. 11. My "Pet Peeve" for point guards "Dribbling behind their back or though their legs in traffic or when they are double teamed. Stupid!!!

*NOTE on Steve Nash: When he got to Santa Clara Univeristy as a freshman after the first day of school all the players got together and played pick up games for about an hour and a half and then right before they went in after playing Steve told all of them (remember he is 18 years old and this is his first day in college) I'll see you tonight at 9:00PM at the gym so we can play somemore. You know what? they all showed up. *True Story.

"NEW PET PEEVES" By Coaches from all over America

*Note: If you will just teach five of these each day to your players you will be hard to beat! (DS)

Players bending over to pick up a ball instead of diving on the floor

Players attempting to dribble a loose ball instead of securing it first.

Players using the bounce pass to pass to a player with no defender in between them. (Young players really do not know when to use the bounce pass. I remember 15 to 20 years ago Dr. Tom Davis would stress the use of the bounce pass almost exclusively but aside from throwing the ball to the post and passing out of a trap (or closely guarded situation with a dead dribble), we try to discourage the bounce pass). Offensive players not using the jump stop off the dribble in the paint. They will take off of one foot and try to make a decision in the split second they are in the air.

#1 Pet Peeve- Kids saving a ball going out of bounds to the opponent under opponent’s basket. Always seems to lead to an easy score. I’ve told them a thousand times to chunk it down the floor, call a timeout or just let it go. We even practice it but they still will do it in a game!!!!

My favorite pet peeve is not to make a 100% commitment to sprint back on defensive transition.

My #1 pet peeve is for a player to stand and watch when a shot is taken. It reflects a misunderstanding of the game!! EVERYONE has a job to do when a shot is taken. You are assigned to either go to the offensive glass or get back on defense. Your assignment is NOT to watch and see if the shot goes in. Defensively, EVERY ONES job (on our team) is to out.

A secondary pet peeve would be an offensive player not facing his basket. Why in the world would you want to face your opponent's basket? How many offensive problems could be solved if players would only face the basket?

Thirdly, I detest it when we save a loose ball under our opponents basket. Can we just throw it toward our basket?

Fourthly, I hate timeouts to save possession early in the game.

The first pet peeve that came to mind is not going after an offensive - we send 4 to offensive glass!

Number one pet peeve: dribble one time with the left hand going to your left and having to spin around to dribble right ( while still going left)

My favorite pet peeve(one of them) is when a post player dribbles with her back to the basket for no reason.

Pet Peeve: A player taking a shot and just standing there not following shot. (like every shot they take is going to go in)

Pet Peeve: 1)Players dribbling balls when a coach is talking(DOES NOT happen in my practice...ha, my players now not to do this) 2) Correcting a player in a drill or explaining something to them and other players turn around and make the same mistake...because they did not listen and pay attention.

One of my pet peeves is not stopping the ball on defense. a man will just reach and let him go by then jog on down the court behind the player with the ball.

Pet Peeve, trying to intercept a ball with the wrong hand while playing the passing lane.

When you bring a kid out of the game, and the 1st thing they say is,"WHAT DID I DO WRONG?"

My #1 pet peeve is watching a player sulk or make an excuse after making a mistake or turning the ball over instead of hustling back and

My #1 pet peeve is for players to make excuses about anything. I am the boys coach at Gruver High School in Gruver, Texas

My pet peeve is selfishness. I don’t like to see players who get a steel and have a teammate ahead of them and would rather go make a layup themselves instead off feeding a teammate up the floor for a layup and . If my players do that they come out.

Pet Peeve: Call timeout, tell players to press after we make our next basket and only one or two remember.

My number 1 pet peeve is when kids screen air and not bodies.

Here’s a pet peeve I thought of last night that really eats at me.

Kid’s that come to the gym to work on their game and walk around talking on a cell phone holding a basketball. Just infuriates me!

One of my pet peeves is a kid pulling his shirt out of his pants when he comes off the floor or when he fouls out.

My number one pet peeve is having players turn their back to the basketball on the defensive end. I realize that sometimes to catch up to a player this may be necessary, but in the half court not very often.

An offensive player that will not set up a screen.

My biggest pet peeve is following a turnover with a turnover. It can be difficult to get steals, etc. It so silly to give it right back!! My biggest pet peeve is have a player tell you " I know" after correcting them on a mistake, if they know then why did they do it? Drives me crazy!

Pet Peeve: Not feeding the low post with a bounce pass.

My pet peeves are behind the back dribble and not go anywhere with the ball, not facing up in the post, and reverse spin dribble into a double team situation.

My #1 pet peeve: hesitating (i.e. pouting, putting head down, etc.) after a negative play on offense instead of getting back quickly on defense

And my pet peeve is the one-handed pass (except in certain exceptional situation) as so many turnover occur when players commit to the one- handed pass and something occurs to alter the passing lane, etc.

My pet peeves are far too many to have just one, so here are a couple:

1. Getting beat down the court in transition going from offense to defense.

2. Guys who do not "see" the ball while playing defense.

3. Stepping away from taking a charge.

4. Not giving the ball to an open teammate, who is open down the court.

5. Failure to block out on the defensive glass.

6. Rebounding with only one hand.

7. Moving while setting a screen -- we use a lot of motion and screen, screen, and screen some more.

8. Letting the ball be driven past and trying to reach from behind.

My pet peeve is for the older players not to be the leaders for the younger players. It sets a standard for the younger players that is too low.

I can't stand for players to get in the air and pass. I feel you can use so many more ball fakes if you jump stop and stay on the floor, you have so many more options. You actually can control the defense and where they move.

Another one is when my players don't stay on the floor and they jump when other teams give them ball fakes. One of my pet peeves is not communicating on the defensive end of the floor. A few simple words can make all the difference.

My # 1 pet peeve in basketball is when players dribble up a loose ball instead of snatching it up. It is amazing how many times a player will lose a loose ball by trying to dribble it up instead of snatching it up.

*** My #1 "Pet Peeve" is a player attempting to throw the ball in directly under the basket, when he can run the baseline. (vs. a press mainly) okay- my #1 pet peeve is offensively when a player catches the ball and instantly puts it above their head OR when he / she throws it right back out to the point without looking at to see if post is open. defensively, when a player reaches on penetration instead of taking one more step to cut off the dribbler OR when they open up to the ball and lose sight of their off. player and they get beat backdoor.

My #1 pet peeve is when a player continually makes the same mistake over and over again and refuses to modify their behavior to avoid making the same mistake again (example - a player keeps missing free throws by leaving their shot short time and time again but fails to make the necessary correction to get the ball over the front of the rim despite constant coaching that reminds them what they need to do!) my second one would have to be a sub.....player number 8-12, that enters a game and immediately shoots the ball without using any of the team concepts that we are stressing. the me....me...attitude by subs..

1. post men dribbling in the paint when they have gotten an offensive rebound. 2. Not guarding inbounds plays correctly.

My greatest pet peeve is disrespectful body language. For example, a player walking away while I am speaking to him or her, or not responding back to a greeting or direct verbal address, no eye contact when in conversation, not saying thank you when coached or given something, etc. So many young people are allowed to ignore adults under the guise of shyness.

Pet peeve: Players not taking that extra step to the basket when someone has drawn their man to them. It means when they catch the ball they take that 5 ft. shot with someone in their face (seems like a 60% shot) vs. the 2 ft. under the basket shot with a player on their back(close to a 100% shot). pet peeve- when a player in not aggressive to take the ball to the basketball and create. My number one pet peeve is failure to acknowledge a great pass from a teammate. It is not a God given right to get the ball form your teammate.

My Pet Peeves

1) Kids blaming the officials for losses

2) Kids blaming individuals for losses.

3) Kids coming off the floor and going to the opposite end of the bench when there are unoccupied chairs left between him and his team mates

4) Kids not looking at the coach during time outs and quarter breaks.

5) Officials that want to be the focus of the game

6) Coaches that holler at the officials all the time (I know, I used to do that, but seldom do it any more.)

Not reversing the ball. Passing it back to the place where you just caught it from or dribbling it back to where you caught the pass from.

Pet Peeve: When a player cannot resist passing the ball the length of the court in traffic instead of driving to the paint before he shoots or passes on a fast break. my pet peeve is when a player un-tucks his jersey to sit down on the bench. ("Are you planning on not getting back into the game? Wouldn't it just be easier to leave it tucked in?")

My biggest pet peeve is probably when a player begins his dribble and does not go anywhere or do anything.

My pet peeve is a quiet gym! We have loud practices and if it’s quiet we get on the line….communication and talk must be demanded and they will form into a habit.

Pet peeve- Catching the ball a placing it over your head. I like triple threat when you catch.

My pet peeve would be when a player turns the ball over and doesn't hustle back on defense. Or even better yet looks at the bench after the turnover, like I'm going to change things?

My pet Peeve is lack of ball reversal-ball reversal leads to good things

My pet peeve is for someone to try and block a shot (especially when they can't) and not take a charge!

Players that play with their hands at their sides on offense and defense." "THINGS I HAVE RE-LEARNED LATELY" By Duane Silver

1. The key to being a good coach is having mentors. I don't think Bob Knight would be near the coach he is today without being mentored by Pete Newell and Hank Iba. Both of these coaches are in the Hall of Fame. If you could find a mentor it might help you.

2. Don't let players yell at other players! They are not the coach you are!

3. George Karl encourages his offensive rebounders to kick the ball out to his three-point shooters when they retrieve the ball on a rebound. He says the shooters are open 85% of the time.

4. When the ball is passed into the low post, Coach K teaches his ball- side defenders (wing and point areas) to take one giant step toward the ball. If the offensive post player dribbles the ball, he wants these players to attack the ball. *This is the best way for high school teams in to play in my opinion. Heck, the post players always dribble it anyway. This is a simple, but effective rule.

5. What is doing at KU on his Ball Screening team offense is awesome. As all of us know the hardest thing to guard in the game is a Ball Screen Big for Little with a Pick and Roll or Pick and Pop by the Big. KU and Florida are both running similar offenses. I have a playbook I sell on it for $20.00 plus $4.00 shipping and handling. The name of the Playbook is "Florida's High Low Motion Ball Screening Team Offense". I hate to say this, but this is a must buy! We have something in this playbook that kills teams that hedge. *Mail your check to: Duane Silver 2135 Hanover Dr, Waco, TX 76710

6. Everyone needs to buy Dick Bennett's PACK Defense tape. If you are a zone coach you can play man to man defense this way (Trust me!). This defense is very easy to teach and makes sense.

"Thoughts on Basketball"

By Duane Silver 1. The Suns run the Flat Ball Screen about twenty times a game for Steve Nash and the Spurs run it about ten times a game for Tony Parker. If you want this set email me. Bill Self talked about it Saturday at the TABC Clinic and he called it a Butt Screen. I call it 4 or 5 High in my playbooks. I have sent this out before, but have got to have it! Plus it is FREE!

2. "You need to teach all of your players to be DRIVERS first. You can always teach them to pull up and shoot the basketball." (Pete Aycock: Davisboro, Georgia HS Coach)

3. You need to buy this book "Talent is not Enough" by John C. Maxwell Cost $29.00 at Barnes and Noble. This is the best book I have read in years. (Hard Back Only)

4. Do you know why coaches have discipline problems? They think they are disciplinarians and they aren't. Disciplinarians and leaders are rare! (I want to be honest with you, discipline was not my strength as a coach. My strength was X's and O's.)

5. If it takes 10 things to be a great coach (I don't know what they are for sure, Here are some examples: (Organization, Being Disciplinarian, Bench Coaching, Being good with X's and O's, Salesmanship, A Motivator, etc) Did you know that NO coach gets all ten of these from God? You must work at your weaknesses. I hate to say this, but most coaches think they are better coaches than they really are.

6. "Rules without Relationships build Rebellion"...If you want to have fewer problems with your players build a relationship with them. (Common Sense)

7. How to have good practices: Don't laugh now! Don't have a set starting line up. Get you starting line up from your kids that have good practices. Now, you can always start one or two kids who have good practices with the other good players. This will not hurt you for two or three minutes. Right? Food For Thought