Defense & Free Throw Shooting
- Thread starter Knight
- Start date
beast of the east
Active member
I'd imagine the best way is to recruit better defenders and better free throw shooters.
Every damned hs and college team in the country practices free throws. Most do stations where instead of shooting dozens in a row, you go to a station and shoot 1 + 1, or 2 as in a game situation. Muscle memory helps, and form does too, but probably above all what's above your neck in game situations.
Every coach will tell you that defense is desire once you get past the fundamentals of balance, footwork, positioning, overplaying the ball, etc. That being said slow footed, shorter, and less muscular guys down low are at a big disadvantage against bigger, faster, stronger, and more agile opponents. As a guy I know who played college ball, basketball is very unforgiving when it comes to size.and speed.
Every damned hs and college team in the country practices free throws. Most do stations where instead of shooting dozens in a row, you go to a station and shoot 1 + 1, or 2 as in a game situation. Muscle memory helps, and form does too, but probably above all what's above your neck in game situations.
Every coach will tell you that defense is desire once you get past the fundamentals of balance, footwork, positioning, overplaying the ball, etc. That being said slow footed, shorter, and less muscular guys down low are at a big disadvantage against bigger, faster, stronger, and more agile opponents. As a guy I know who played college ball, basketball is very unforgiving when it comes to size.and speed.
Free throws can be tricky. I was an unbelievable free throw shooter in practice...10, 15, 20 in a row. Won a lot of free beer and meals in college with streaks of free throw makes. Also was a good three point shooter...over 50% one year...usually in the 40s. But, free throws in games in leagues such as Chelsea Piers both here and in Florida...only shot in the high 60s. So, game action free throws can be tough and misses in games is not necessarily an indication of lack of trying, practice or skill.
Frankly, what you describe is individual defense at the CYO level. ANY coach at the D1 level will tell you that it is very, very difficult if not impossible to guard players one on one. Team defense, whether man or zone - anticipating, helping, hedging, rotating, and then rebounding ,all instinctively and instantaneously, will decide a good or bad defensive team. Good teams practice defense way more than offense, not even close, because it has to be five guys acting in unison instinctively. It is hard, collective work and it takes time, a lot of time to develop at this level. Like it or not, the SJU basketball revival is a journey and all the sophomoric, "we need better coaching" isn't going to change that. I guarantee Mullin and company KNOW exactly what to do; whether they can teach it remains to be seen, I agree with that but that answer will come in years, not in a season or two. Just the way it is.
Anthony Mattia
Well-known member
Lovett and Ponds are both better on ball defenders than we had last year. They have both speed and quickness. They will generate a fair amount of turnovers via the steal, and deflection. They will also make it more difficult to get the ball to the post, or wherever the opponent may be trying to go, helping our overall defense. This is just my opinion, but I am hopeful.
