Seven Rules on Defending the Dribble Drive – Coaches Insider
By: T.J. Otzelberger - South Dakota State University
Originally Published in: Time-Out Magazine
Provided by: National Association of Basketball Coaches
Being able to defend the dribble drive in today's game is critical for every team's success. Effectively containing the dribble will help eliminate your opponents' ability to penetrate gaps and reduce the amount of stress put on your defense.
In order to teach how to defend the dribble drive I have broken down my defensive philosophy into 7 Rules which I emphasize daily with my team. These rules allow myself and my coaching staff the ability to be very specific as to how we want our defense executed, but yet simple enough to teach efficiently. Notice I have a WHY with each of the rules. This gives a purpose for each rule being used/taught, which allows players to understand and grasp each concept in its entirety.
It is important to incorporate and practice each rule in every situation possible (drills, stations, and live play).
1. RULE: PICK UP THE BALL WHEN YOUR HEELS ARE ON 3PT LINE
Teaching Point: Maintain constant ball pressure and never let the offense get their hips square
Why? This minimizes transition opportunities and shrinks gaps early in possessions
2. RULE: LEVEL OFF THE BALL HANDLER
Teaching Point: Do not get beat to the outside of the defense (baseline or slot drives)
Why? There is less help, the defense is more vulnerable, and this will cause over rotation
3. RULE: ESTABLISH SHALLOW TRIANGLES
Teaching Point: When the ball is passed, players sprint to proper positioning/gaps during air time. The three points of every shallow triangle become your man, the defender in the gap, and the ball handler.
Why? This shrinks gaps and visually presents to offense that there are no driving angles
4. RULE: ATTACK THE CLOSEOUT
Teaching Point: Take a big first step, close out with two hands, and keep one hand up to contest
Why? Closing out with two hands enables defenders to keep their balance as they breakdown to their man, be quicker to react to the ball, and creates the ability to take away rhythm 3's or protect against the dribble drive.
5. RULE: BOUNCE ON TRIPLE THREAT
Teaching Point: Bounce, or give space, when the ball handler enters triple threat and keep hips in front. It is important to show your hands on the bounce. It is natural to put hands on a dribbler.
Why? You put yourself in position to guard the drive, or contest the shot
6. RULE: MAINTAIN ACTIVE HANDS
Teaching Point: Hands need to be above shoulders and kept there throughout each possession
Why? This activity level deters direct passes by giving a visual presence and will get defenses more deflections.
7. RULE: DO NOT OVER ROTATE TO THE BALL
Teaching Point: Maintain positioning and stay disciplined
Why? If the defense over rotates, maintaining proper rebounding position becomes extremely difficult and it creates long closeouts.
T.J. Otzelberger is in his second season as the head coach at South Dakota State University. A year ago, he guided the Jackrabbits to a Summit League championship, becoming the first team in the tournament's history to win three games in three days. SDSU lost to national runner-up Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Otzelberger was the recipient of the 2017 NABC Guardians of the Game Award for Education. At SDSU as well as during stints as an assistant coach at Iowa State and Washington, he has worked with local middle schools in the implementation of the Stay In To Win program, which focuses on student success and dropout prevention.
Get to the Hoop Quick – Backyard Sidekick
Getting to the hoop quick in basketball is both a necessary and difficult skill when it comes to driving to the basket. Watching the pro’s cut through traffic with immense power, and confidence is exciting. Easier said than done, so I pulled together the best advice on improving your drive to the basket.
To drive to the hoop effectively in basketball you will need to improve your ball handling and dribbling skills as well as be able to move quickly on the court with the ball. Your main goal is to get past the defenders and to the hoop, crossovers and dribbling technique can help get you there.
Things that also matter is which is your weaker side when driving to the hoop and knowing your defender’s best skills. Going over all the tips and tricks at first may seem overwhelming, but once you put it into practice, the steps make sense.
Basketball Driving Tips
It’s impossible to make long shots or hit the three-pointers every single time you shoot the ball, especially under pressure. When games are evenly matched, it does come down to who can get to the rim and make that drive happen a lot of the time.
Having said that, it’s also one of the more difficult things to do when several people are trying to stop you from completing that mission. Consider having to navigate your way around several defenders instead of one and not trying to foul anyone.
Ideally, you want someone to foul you to get the And-1. But it’s not just about how you drive; it’s also about when you drive.
Below are the most basic and important tips to understand when powering your way through the key and to the basket. It’s not enough to just read it though, you have to go out and practice it on your own.
Make sure you’re practicing with a decent basketball if you can. I like to use this Wilson Evolution Game Basketball (link to Amazon) because it’s the most widely used ball on basketball courts in the US.
Gain Respect
It might seem a little counterintuitive, but being respected in other areas of your game as an attacker is important when it comes to driving. For instance, if your range of shooting is only limited to around the key, then the defender doesn’t have to worry about you putting up a lot of three’s. But if you can put it in from just about anywhere in the court, then the defender has to worry about a lot of different ground to cover.
If I knew that my opponent could only drive, then I would spend all my efforts and energy, keeping him or her as close to the three-point line as possible.
If you’re the player that can’t shoot outside the paint, ask yourself, are you getting double-teamed a lot? Chances are the answer is yes, because it’s an easy way to turn the ball over.
Do the work and become a better shooter in general, and you will earn the respect of your opponent to not leave you too much room. With a tighter guard, you’ll find that you have more opportunities to go around and get to the rim quickly.
Check out the How To Shoot A Basketball Guide for tips on upping your shooting game.
Being Unreadable
Being unpredictable is no surprise in any sport, let alone basketball. Just like a tennis player doesn’t want their opponent to know where they are going to serve, a basketball player on offense doesn’t want their defender predicting their every move. Otherwise, chances are you aren’t getting to the rim often or scoring many points.
So how does one be unreadable on offense? Having more weapons in your tool belt and becoming a triple-threat is the answer to this question. A triple-threat is someone who can drive, shoot, and set up their teammate with ease.
Even if you are great at all three, it’s also important to make sure that you clean up your weaknesses within each one.
If you are always going to your strengths and your strong side, then your defender will guess right nine times out of ten. Even the best shooters, ball-handlers, and players, in general, have their go-to moves, but it’s always important to stay versatile in your game-play.
A Quick First Step
Explosive movement is also no stranger to sports. The faster you can react and move, the better off you’ll be in getting some room. Efficiency is a part of that explosive movement as usually, the first movement is one of the most important of the process.
It’s not unusual for the first movement to be slow because you are either starting a force from little to no movement or changing the direction, which takes a lot of energy. It’s like a car that needs to get up to speed.
If that car happens to be really nice and has a sport mode, it may take half the time than a car that doesn’t have that option. Refining your fast-twitch fibers are like upgrading to that nice sports car. The reason why it’s so important is even if you are quick in general, the first step is what your defender or defenders will first see in predicting your path to the hoop.
If your first movements are incredibly slow, then you become incredibly predictable, and we are back to the first tip of not being readable.
Take this example. You are going to drive to the hoop, and you hesitate a little too much, making a slower first move. The defender has you beat every time and steals the ball. But imagine having such a powerful first step that you can fake one direction and still have time to pass the defender on your strong side. It makes a difference.
Trick Steps
Sometimes trick steps can get a bad rep for being a little too flashy and inefficient. That can be true when executed poorly, but when done in the right fashion, it can certainly be nice to look at, and effective.
Getting space from your defender in order to open up a pathway to the hoop can be difficult. That is why developing a few trick-shot types of moves can be helpful in fooling your defender into giving you that opportunity.
Consider the Eurostep, which has become quite popular in the NBA.
Giannis Antetokounmpo did a whole article with ESPN about why a move like this is the deadliest in the game and has caused him to rethink his defensive skills. The move is a two-step fake where the first step is a large step to the right or left of the defender to make them believe that’s the direction the attacker is going. Before committing fully to that side, the other foot goes in the opposite direction, to go around the defender.
Here’s a quick video showing the Eurostep in action so you can see how useful this can be when driving to the hoop. (I could watch this stuff all day)
The reason the Eurostep is such a good move is that it forces the defender to possibly move out of position and increases the chances to foul the attacker as they are not as steady trying to also change direction with the attacker.
The Long Step
This can be a little misleading as some coaches may encourage a long first step when starting your drive. This actually isn’t the time to use the long step. What happens when you use the long step a little too soon is that you become off-balance. You also lose range of motion and power, making you slower.
A good rule of thumb is if your planting leg is less than a 90-degree angle, you probably can’t support that position to well. Maybe think of the phrase “nose over toes,” which means leaning all your body weight forward, so even if you are lunging, there is still a chance for good balance and strength.
The long step can happen when you are going to make a drive for the hoop but are already really close to the basket. Typically, the long step is the last one step or lunge to the basket in a layup when you are trying to cover ground and distance in a speedy fashion without having to dribble too much.
Here’s another quick video showing some layups made by professional players in the NBA. Watch their footwork as they’re making the layup.
We’ve all seen NBA players use this step as their long limbs spread to avoid traveling once they’ve scooped the ball up after dribbling. Following their lead and use the long step in this type of moment at the appropriate time.
Speed Dribbling
Speed is not only important when it comes to the first step but also when it comes to handling the ball. Have you ever noticed that a player will warm up and bounce the ball really quick and real low to the ground with many repetitions?
This is to get better at handling the speed and increase strength in the hand, wrist, and forearm.
This is because quick dribbling when driving to the basket is a lot safer and effective than big drawn-out dribbles. The first issue you come across when dribbling high is the ball is slow, and you can’t move as quickly. The second issue is that you leave room for the ball to be stolen by the defenders you’ll come across.
Quick, powerful dribbles offer a lot more control as you approach the rim quickly. Control is important in case you need to change your route as a counter to the defenders. Practice dribbling with force while maintaining ball control. You can use that skill to make your drive to the basket more successful.
Shoulder to Hip
Standing up tall continues to give you the lack of control, which is why assuming a position that allows you to attack the defenders hip gives you a way to protect the ball and make your way to the basket. Making your defender come down to your level is a lot better than trying to get past a defensive player spreading out as tall as they possibly can.
Shoulder to hip doesn’t mean actually bulldoze them down.
It just means that your shoulder that is not the ball-handling arm should be angled down to the player’s opposite hip. So if it’s your left shoulder, that’s the free arm, then you want to point it to the left hip of your opponent. Opposite in terms of how you are facing them and not opposite in terms of left or right.
Here’s a video breaking down this shoulder to hip move as used by Kobe and Michael Jordan.
Not to mention, when we talk about being predictable, this plays a major role.
Offense and defense is a game of cat and mouse. You go high, they go high, you go low, so do they. The more stamina and energy they have to use the easier driving will become as the clock dwindles down. Evenly matched skill to skill may come down to endurance and fitness, and this is where cat and mouse come into play.
Flexibility
Being flexible with your body has it’s advantages, but that isn’t the type of flexibility we are talking about right now. The type that helps your drive is being flexible with your mind, and in order to be flexible with your mind, you have to be able to have options in your tool belt.
Mentioned above, being a triple-threat is important for being a good driver. But when you have all these tools, you need to know how to interchange them at the last minute by being flexible with your plans.
Being flexible requires another thing. Being alert. The best players in the NBA aren’t just athletically gifted or skilled; they’re smart.
Anticipation and alertness are huge when driving to the hoop. Going back to the topic of cat and mouse, you can also be good at the game if you are aware of what you’re doing and what your opponent is doing. Otherwise, you’re a dead mouse.
An easy team or defender might allow you to zip right by them with your plan A every single time. But make no mistake because a good team will counter your plan A, B, and C. This forces you to continually come up with something new every time to keep yourself…yup, less predictable.
Practicing drills that force you out of a situation that you previously planned, by allowing your teammate who’s guarding you to know your first move, is a great option in training flexibility. If your coach doesn’t allow much time for you to think out several plans, it will force you to react quickly and respond to pressure situations.
Here’s a great video showing some moves you can use to get past defenders and get the ball to the hoop.
When to Drive?
So now that you have a handful of tips on how to drive successfully, knowing when to drive is just as important. Despite it being the shot closest to the hoop, it’s one of the hardest to pull off, given the number of defenders and limited space.
A poorly executed drive can result in an easy block or a steal resulting in a turnover. Or worse, instead of getting the foul your team so badly wants, you ended up being the one to foul and costing your team because of poor decision making.
So how do we know when to drive? Well, there are a number of situations that encourage the right moment to execute getting to the hoop, so let’s go over them.
Tight Defending
Briefly mentioned before, tight defending can lead to an opportunity to blow past your opponent. When a point-guard slowly walks up to the middle of the court, it’s not just to scan the court of his teammates and opponents; it’s also an attempt to draw out his specific defensive guard—drawing the defense out of the key leaves for major gaps and openings.
The way you get your defender to guard you tighter is to demonstrate you can shoot.
Another way to get your defender to come close is to have quick passes between your team. This will likely draw a defender out in an attempt to steal the ball. Take advantage once they fall for the bait.
Keep in mind that the first time you maneuver past your opponent because of drawing them out will likely send them back again until they feel like they can read you better as an offensive player or attacker. That’s where you must become unpredictable and flexible.
When You Are Confident
Driving to the net takes a certain level of confidence that not a lot of players have. The reason being, is that once you have chosen to drive, there’s no turning around. Yes, there is room to change your footwork and ball-handling in an effort to keep the ball safe and to the hoop. But the goal remains the same, which means going forward.
This also means that you are going to likely get fouled and knocked down.
If you aren’t confident and get jumpy at the sight of someone stopping, you then driving is not for you. The reason being is that you want to be the one fouled on, but if you are not careful, a bad drive is going to result in a foul. Driving in general is tough, but once mastered, is a deadly threat to your opponents.
Helpful Links:
10 Basketball Drills You Can Do At Home
Recommended Basketball Gear
How To Shoot A Basketball Guide
14 Fun Basketball Games For All Ages
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How to Stop an Attacker - Yes Basketball - Blogs
Hello everyone.
Protection is a real art and a whole science at the same time. It takes hard work to become a true defensive master. And in this video, you'll get all the information you need to really change your game.
So let's get started.
Original stance
First, let's take a look at the correct protective stance. We place our legs slightly wider than our shoulders. If we take a stance with a wider or, conversely, narrow footing, then we may lose the necessary balance and the ability to quickly respond to the actions of an attacking player. In this case, the angle between the lower leg and thigh is 80-90 degrees. We also have our hands wide. The palms are directed towards each other.
Practicing the movement
Next, we start moving to the side. The hands are in their original position. They help us move smoothly and distract the opponent at the same time. Then we move in the opposite direction. Legs do not cross NEVER! During defense, the head is always up and the eyes are focused on the goal, that is, on the ball and on the opponent. Then we start moving forward. Thus, we will prevent the opponent from throwing. The arms are also wide apart. With one we interfere with the alleged opponent, with the second we control the probable passage and our balance. Then we step back. Head up, eyes focused on the target.
Perform the exercise faster than normal walking speed. It is enough to take a few steps in different directions. IN NO EVENT do we break the rack.
Next exercise. Let's add to the first a small jump upwards with simultaneous raising of hands. This is how we model the struggle for a rebound.
Now you have seen the basic fundamental concept of personal protection.
Working with an opponent
Let's move on to the next level. Our task is to force the opponent to act in a way that he does not want and does not like.
For the next exercise, we need a possible opponent. Our task is to be the guy who dictates the pace of the game, and not vice versa. For example, if he wants to go to the right side, we must force him to go to the left, blocking the original direction.
Your eyes should be on the opponent's body, right on his chest. This is the only part of the body whose direction will coincide with the direction of its true movement. Therefore, you can not worry about his eyes. You know how to control it. Your hands are working on the ball. If it goes up, then your hands go up. If the ball goes to the side, then your hands go there too. You are constantly in control. The basic concept of defense is to force the opponent to do what he does not want.
Our task is to find out, understand what he likes to do, and then use it against him. Whether he likes to shoot, pass or pass. Yes, you can fail once or twice, but you must learn quickly and cover your opponent's strengths. Is he going to the right? Okay, let's cover the right side of him using the left hand. He will have no choice but to go in the opposite direction. And here he already feels not so confident and may well lose the ball and allow your team to run away into the gap. Note that to achieve the necessary balance, the legs never cross. They may sometimes converge, but NEVER intersect! We see that by his actions the defensive player forces the opponent to make inefficient movements and waste time.
Next moment. You must always be in time for your player. It doesn't matter if it's after a screen or after a pass. At the same time, do not jump out and do not react to a deceptive movement.
Ring pass protection
Further. During the passage under the ring, you should try to squeeze the opponent to the end line. This will force him to either make an unprepared shot or step on the line and lose the ball.
Different coaches have their own vision of how to work in defense, but most of the most famous specialists will tell you that the opponents are the main threat when they are located directly in front of the basket. After all, they can threaten the ring with a throw from there, and make an accurate sharpening pass, and simply put a barrier on you, freeing up space for their partner. Therefore, our task is to force the opponent to leave from there, to move to the side. We must reduce the opponent's options for proposed actions.
Block shot
Now let's look at situations in which the ideal solution would be to block the opponent when throwing. So, you are in the original rack. One of your hands controls the ball, the other blocks the direction of movement. The hand that is at the top and will subsequently put a block shot. In no case do not defend yourself with your hands raised high. This will allow your opponent to easily unbalance you, take you out of the game and outflank you. You must be ready to jump to block if thrown, but don't jump or change your stance until that moment, that second. When blocking, the contact must be within the rules, we act clearly on the ball. This is not a blow with the brush leaving the floor, not a punch. It's always tough, but absolutely within the rules of contact. At the same time, try to bounce the ball towards your teammate to develop a quick attack.
Blocking is great. But our task is not to forget about the team. Even during the setting of the block, you need to try to get the ball to the partner. Yes. This is hard. But it is quite possible to train.
Marking a player in the post
When marking a player at the ring, it is necessary to take a position very close to the opponent. At the same time, at the moment of the throw, we must raise our hands straight up. If there is a movement of the hand down or forward, towards the hands of the opponent, the referee will hang a foul. We work only with a brush. Our strength is in surprise. And this can be worked out in training. Simulate a situation in which you move from the opposite side of the court and interfere with an accurate throw to your opponent, ideally blocking.
A very important moment is the moment of jumping out. You need to get the timing right. Too early a jump will lead to the fact that a skilled opponent will simply beat us. Jumping too late will not prevent the attacking player from throwing. We must jump out at the moment of repulsion from the floor of the opponent. It is very difficult to land a prepared shot while standing on the floor. It's practically impossible. And at that moment, when he will be repelled, we must follow him with an outstretched hand. To do this, we must watch his feet. If we jump out in time, we will deprive the opponent of the opportunity to orientate, and most likely the situation will end in a loss or an inaccurate throw.
However, do not forget that any defensive game is based on the fact that you must have excellent physical fitness. Without it, you simply will not be able to actively and efficiently move. And without that, you won't be ready to show off your defensive skills.
So, to summarize. Now you have all the information you need to practice defensive skills. It's up to you. Train hard yourself and involve partners.
Subscribe to our channel, leave questions about training in the comments and remember that a lot of interesting things await you ahead.
Twelve-time Russian basketball champion Sergei Panov - about the last season of the United League and its future
The final series between CSKA and Zenit was a record seven matches. Petersburg won. / Mikhail Sinitsyn / RG
Who owns the magnificent and fully justified idea to hold the United League final in a series not up to three wins, as it was originally prescribed, but up to four wins?
Sergey Panov: The clubs themselves came forward in solidarity with the leadership of the League. When the Polish “Zielona Gora” and the Estonian “Kalev” left the regular season ahead of schedule, the number of calendar matches decreased. And all clubs and the League have certain marketing and advertising obligations to sponsors, plus we must not forget about the fans. So we decided to make the final up to four victories, also add a separate series for bronze, which had not been held before. By the way, I think that if the fight in the semi-finals also continued up to four wins, and not up to three, then the audience could see even more interesting events in the confrontation between Kazan's UNICS and St. Petersburg's Zenit. And, of course, lasted a maximum of seven matches and gave the new champion final CSKA - "Zenith" was the decoration of the season, a diamond. This dramatic struggle was watched with great interest not only in Russia, but also in many European countries.
Wouldn't it be worth adding a play-off for fifth - eighth places?
Sergey Panov: As an athlete, I know that such games often turn into just friendly matches, the motivation of their participants is weak. The playoffs are primarily medal action, the struggle for awards. Therefore, I doubt the need for a separate tournament for 5th-8th places, here I completely agree with the League's approach.
You played for Spartak St. Petersburg, played for CSKA for many years. Whose side were your sympathies in the finale?
Sergey Panov: First of all, like numerous fans and specialists, I enjoyed the final matches, the quality of basketball that my opponents demonstrated, and the drama of the battle for gold. It seems to me that one or two more such series, and for fans with experience, the confrontation between CSKA and Lithuanian Zalgiris for the champion titles of the Soviet Union in the 1980s will finally go into the legends of ancient times. Basketball connoisseurs will live not in memories, but in the beautiful present. Yes, I also came to these matches from my native Ryazan to support CSKA, spent four hours on the train back and forth, Muscovites and Lithuanians queued for tickets at the box office from the night, but now there was no less excitement. At the decisive game of the finals in Megasport, the stands were packed to capacity - 12 and a half thousand spectators! As for personal sympathies... I, as I said above, was worried about CSKA in my youth, then I myself spent a dozen seasons in the Red-Blues - most of my career. And my priorities have not changed over the years.
Sergei Panov: Clubs should focus on working with the youth and not chase immediate results by playing King of the Hill
Sergei Panov keeps fit in charity and veteran matches. His best playing qualities have not disappeared anywhere. Photo: Mikhail Dzhaparidze / TASS
Last winter, Alexander Fedotov's book "Comet Ural Great" was published about how the Permians, and, by the way, with you personally, violated the long-term hegemony of CSKA 20 years ago. Not symbolic
Sergey Panov: With regard to the current victory of St. Petersburg "Zenith" and the end of the championship series of CSKA, there is wide scope for analogies and symbolism. I want to remind you that exactly 30 years ago Spartak (St. Petersburg) became the first and only champion of the CIS. Twenty years ago, Ural Great won the Russian championship again, and then the era of CSKA came again. Well, now, like the whole world, domestic basketball has also ceased to be "unipolar": we have a new champion.
Estimate the main changes in the regulations of the United League next season compared to the previous championship. Let's start with the tournament format.
Sergey Panov: A dozen teams will play in two rounds, then separate tournaments of the second stage for 1st-6th and 7th-12th places. That is, before the start of the playoffs, all participants will play 32 games. Taking into account the fact that we do not play in European competitions, this is a normal, dense, workload. In fact, we are approaching the density of the calendar for a two-round 16-18 team competition, as in most of the top national club leagues in Europe. There are ten Russian clubs in the United League, this is a repeat of the historical maximum. In my opinion, there may be more teams of ours in the main tournament of the country. In recent years, we have somehow turned our gaze too closely towards the European Cups, and in fact the past season has fully proved that it is possible to create the highest quality basketball product in our country. So let's keep striving for it. After all, we have quite a self-sufficient championship.
There is also the Russian Cup, in which United League clubs have not participated for several years.
Sergey Panov: I think that the presence of top echelon teams in the National Cup will resume. Without participation in European competitions, without pauses for “windows” for the games of the national team, the calendar will allow this. At the same time, it seems to me that it makes sense to keep the rule introduced by the Russian Basketball Federation and which has been in force for a number of seasons - the struggle for the Cup goes on without foreign players in the squads. This is a good incentive and opportunity for homegrown players. I think it makes sense to consider a new tournament format. After all, it is not necessary that all the main stages take place in the playoff mode. You can also create a group stage, where the participants of the "Final Four" or individual semi-finals are revealed. Through games in groups, we will organically fill in those pauses in the schedule that arise due to our absence from European competitions and national team tournaments.
Why are the newcomers of the United League Moscow MBA and BC "Samara" attractive?
Sergey Panov: I don't want to offend the leaders, players and fans of these clubs in any way, but right now the most iconic figures of the elite rookie teams are their newly appointed head coaches. In MBA - Vasily Karasev, in "Samara" - Sergey Bazarevich. Personalities are much more famous than, for example, the new CSKA helmsman Macedonian Emil Rajkovic. I am very glad that the players of my generation, good, strong specialists of the Russian coaching department, who once headed the national team, have returned to the United League. It's not just about Karasev and Bazarevich. Perm "Parma" was recently headed by Evgeny Pashutin, who led the Ekaterinburg "Uralmash" to the championship in the Super League with a very long winning streak. There were seasons when the vast majority of United League clubs were led by foreigners. Now, figuratively speaking, a very high-quality import substitution is taking place.
Indicate the main results of the season for BC "Nizhny Novgorod".
Sergey Panov: For objective reasons, we failed to enter the top four, but we forced the fight on CSKA in the quarterfinal series and last season were actually the base team of the national team. Therefore, I am grateful to the players, head coach Zoran Lukic, who also works as a mentor of the national team. We are pursuing a conscious personnel policy to focus as much as possible on Russian players rather than foreign ones. Therefore, we had a minimum of legionnaires in our squad. Working under Lukich is very important for the development of the guys. It is not enough to be a talented and promising player, you need a highly professional coach to help you reveal your best qualities. In this regard, the example of Sergei Toropov is typical. He made his national debut with Lukic at 32 and was already a key player on the team that won every qualifier for the 2023 World Cup until we were kicked out. Although among the defeated rivals there was such a formidable and authoritative team as Italy.
Suspension from international tournaments is only temporary. How best to use the pause that has arisen for the benefit of Russian basketball?
Sergey Panov: In my opinion, the clubs should focus on fundamental work with young people, and not chase after a momentary result. It would be necessary to stop the race for the right to be "King of the Hill" here and now, to look ahead, to the future. We have a foothold, we have a very strong, competitive Club League, one of the leading in Europe. I repeat, by adding the thoughtful and purposeful work of the coaching staff to the talents of the players, we can get new stars capable of solving serious sports problems at the international level. Where Russia will undoubtedly return. The only question is when exactly this will happen.
You have a bright biography even after the end of your playing career. I wonder who is more difficult to work with - the Minister of Sports of the region or the head of a professional club?
Sergey Panov: It is more difficult - as a minister, and at times. You are responsible for all sports, for the development of the mass physical culture and sports movement. There is a huge amount of work here. And my position as general manager of BC "NN" - there is more love for basketball, drive, and the desire to be proud of the result achieved. As an athlete, I have performed at the highest professional level for more than a dozen seasons. And the desire to win, to achieve the highest possible result over the years does not go anywhere.
Russian national team
At the training base in Novogorsk near Moscow, the work of the "Open Camp" of the men's national team was completed. It is not the first time that the Russian Basketball Federation (RBF) has hosted it. The Serbian specialist Zoran Lukić, the team's mentor, was looking at young candidates for the national team.
One of the team's trainings was traditionally visited by the President of the RFB, Honored Master of Sports Andrey Kirilenko.
- I visited the base in Novogorsk with great pleasure, - admitted Kirilenko. - The current situation makes it possible to pay closer attention to the nearest candidates for the national team. The guys have a chance to work individually on some shortcomings, to try themselves in the system of the main team of the country.
Watching the pro’s cut through traffic with immense power, and confidence is exciting. Easier said than done, so I pulled together the best advice on improving your drive to the basket.
For instance, if your range of shooting is only limited to around the key, then the defender doesn’t have to worry about you putting up a lot of three’s. But if you can put it in from just about anywhere in the court, then the defender has to worry about a lot of different ground to cover. 
The move is a two-step fake where the first step is a large step to the right or left of the defender to make them believe that’s the direction the attacker is going. Before committing fully to that side, the other foot goes in the opposite direction, to go around the defender.
This actually isn’t the time to use the long step. What happens when you use the long step a little too soon is that you become off-balance. You also lose range of motion and power, making you slower. 
The second issue is that you leave room for the ball to be stolen by the defenders you’ll come across.
So if it’s your left shoulder, that’s the free arm, then you want to point it to the left hip of your opponent. Opposite in terms of how you are facing them and not opposite in terms of left or right. 
But make no mistake because a good team will counter your plan A, B, and C. This forces you to continually come up with something new every time to keep yourself…yup, less predictable. 
Despite it being the shot closest to the hoop, it’s one of the hardest to pull off, given the number of defenders and limited space.
The reason being is that you want to be the one fouled on, but if you are not careful, a bad drive is going to result in a foul. Driving in general is tough, but once mastered, is a deadly threat to your opponents.
We place our legs slightly wider than our shoulders. If we take a stance with a wider or, conversely, narrow footing, then we may lose the necessary balance and the ability to quickly respond to the actions of an attacking player. In this case, the angle between the lower leg and thigh is 80-90 degrees. We also have our hands wide. The palms are directed towards each other. 
Head up, eyes focused on the target. 
Therefore, you can not worry about his eyes. You know how to control it. Your hands are working on the ball. If it goes up, then your hands go up. If the ball goes to the side, then your hands go there too. You are constantly in control. The basic concept of defense is to force the opponent to do what he does not want. 
So, you are in the original rack. One of your hands controls the ball, the other blocks the direction of movement. The hand that is at the top and will subsequently put a block shot. In no case do not defend yourself with your hands raised high. This will allow your opponent to easily unbalance you, take you out of the game and outflank you. You must be ready to jump to block if thrown, but don't jump or change your stance until that moment, that second. When blocking, the contact must be within the rules, we act clearly on the ball. This is not a blow with the brush leaving the floor, not a punch. It's always tough, but absolutely within the rules of contact. At the same time, try to bounce the ball towards your teammate to develop a quick attack. 
At the same time, at the moment of the throw, we must raise our hands straight up. If there is a movement of the hand down or forward, towards the hands of the opponent, the referee will hang a foul. We work only with a brush. Our strength is in surprise. And this can be worked out in training. Simulate a situation in which you move from the opposite side of the court and interfere with an accurate throw to your opponent, ideally blocking. 
If we jump out in time, we will deprive the opponent of the opportunity to orientate, and most likely the situation will end in a loss or an inaccurate throw. 
Petersburg won. / Mikhail Sinitsyn / RG 
This dramatic struggle was watched with great interest not only in Russia, but also in many European countries. 
Basketball connoisseurs will live not in memories, but in the beautiful present. Yes, I also came to these matches from my native Ryazan to support CSKA, spent four hours on the train back and forth, Muscovites and Lithuanians queued for tickets at the box office from the night, but now there was no less excitement. At the decisive game of the finals in Megasport, the stands were packed to capacity - 12 and a half thousand spectators! As for personal sympathies... I, as I said above, was worried about CSKA in my youth, then I myself spent a dozen seasons in the Red-Blues - most of my career. And my priorities have not changed over the years. 
Not symbolic 
In fact, we are approaching the density of the calendar for a two-round 16-18 team competition, as in most of the top national club leagues in Europe. There are ten Russian clubs in the United League, this is a repeat of the historical maximum. In my opinion, there may be more teams of ours in the main tournament of the country. In recent years, we have somehow turned our gaze too closely towards the European Cups, and in fact the past season has fully proved that it is possible to create the highest quality basketball product in our country. So let's keep striving for it. After all, we have quite a self-sufficient championship. 
At the same time, it seems to me that it makes sense to keep the rule introduced by the Russian Basketball Federation and which has been in force for a number of seasons - the struggle for the Cup goes on without foreign players in the squads. This is a good incentive and opportunity for homegrown players. I think it makes sense to consider a new tournament format. After all, it is not necessary that all the main stages take place in the playoff mode. You can also create a group stage, where the participants of the "Final Four" or individual semi-finals are revealed. Through games in groups, we will organically fill in those pauses in the schedule that arise due to our absence from European competitions and national team tournaments. 
In MBA - Vasily Karasev, in "Samara" - Sergey Bazarevich. Personalities are much more famous than, for example, the new CSKA helmsman Macedonian Emil Rajkovic. I am very glad that the players of my generation, good, strong specialists of the Russian coaching department, who once headed the national team, have returned to the United League. It's not just about Karasev and Bazarevich. Perm "Parma" was recently headed by Evgeny Pashutin, who led the Ekaterinburg "Uralmash" to the championship in the Super League with a very long winning streak. There were seasons when the vast majority of United League clubs were led by foreigners. Now, figuratively speaking, a very high-quality import substitution is taking place. 
Therefore, I am grateful to the players, head coach Zoran Lukic, who also works as a mentor of the national team. We are pursuing a conscious personnel policy to focus as much as possible on Russian players rather than foreign ones. Therefore, we had a minimum of legionnaires in our squad. Working under Lukich is very important for the development of the guys. It is not enough to be a talented and promising player, you need a highly professional coach to help you reveal your best qualities. In this regard, the example of Sergei Toropov is typical. He made his national debut with Lukic at 32 and was already a key player on the team that won every qualifier for the 2023 World Cup until we were kicked out. Although among the defeated rivals there was such a formidable and authoritative team as Italy. 
It would be necessary to stop the race for the right to be "King of the Hill" here and now, to look ahead, to the future. We have a foothold, we have a very strong, competitive Club League, one of the leading in Europe. I repeat, by adding the thoughtful and purposeful work of the coaching staff to the talents of the players, we can get new stars capable of solving serious sports problems at the international level. Where Russia will undoubtedly return. The only question is when exactly this will happen. 
As an athlete, I have performed at the highest professional level for more than a dozen seasons. And the desire to win, to achieve the highest possible result over the years does not go anywhere. 
