Mike Krzyzewski talks about building a team culture with the 2014-15 Duke Blue Devils. Concerns for the coach included developing leadership on the court, planning and periodization with only ten scholarship players (which later became eight) and creating a team identity after a summer spent training in smaller groups. The team is seen working on fundamentals – such as a variety of passes and footwork – and defense, two excellent building blocks for any team. Even on the first day, the team is shown getting after it on double teams in the post and downing and hedging screens. Read and …
Duke’s Summer Workouts
Duke won a National Championship and made three first round drafts picks during their offseason work. Basketball players need to train in order to push themselves to the next level. The Blue Devils developed: strength in the weight room explosiveness using plyometrics agility and footwork on the court foot and ankle stability on the beach toughness on the stadium stairs core strength by doing functional movements togetherness by working out as a team
Screening Zones
Screening zones generates opportunities: Marshall Plumlee sets a possible flare screen on the top of Syracuse’s 2-3 zone. When Amile Jefferson sets a ball screen, the middle defender must step up to contest Rasheed’s Sulaimon’s drive. The wings are matched up with Duke’s outside shooters. As the shot goes up, Plumlee rolls to the hoop, in a seam between defenders and towards the likely area for a missed shot to land. He is able to time the rebound perfectly and dunks the putback before any defender is ready. If Sulaimon had turned the corner, Plumlee would have been ready to …
Learning from Three Upsets
Certainly, there is a great deal of excitement during the N.C.A.A. Tournament, especially when the lower seeds overcome the odds and wins. There is also a tremendous amount of information that players can absorb and add to their repertoires when the games are over. The upsets don’t occur by happenstance but because the underdogs create a solid gameplan – usually based on a favourable match-up or exploiting a team strength – and execute it effectively. Talent can be defeated with team play, tactics and tenacity.
Watching the N.C.A.A. Tournament
As the 2012 N.C.A.A. Tournament reaches the Sweet 16 stage, more and more players, coaches and fans will be tuning in to watch the games. The volume of basketball has decreased significantly from the opening weekend but the viewers’ interest rises exponentially. The games are entertaining simply because of the excitement but they can also serve as a learning opportunity for elite athletes. Apparently, Generation Y prefers to talk more about an issue rather actually addressing it but there is no reason for players to forgo an opportunity to develop their game.
Blue Devils and Raptors
I like ball movement. I like player movement. I even like it more when the two coincide. I like the Duke Blue Devils. I like the Toronto Raptors. So the twenty-four hour period that began at 21h00 on Saturday night contained both highs and lows. There was one primary reason that Duke beat West Virginia in the National Semi-Finals: motion. Golden State beat Toronto Sunday afternoon for the same reason: motion. I like motion.
Tourney Concerns
Last night’s narrow victory over Belmont exemplified the glaring weaknesses of Duke since J.J. Reddick was recruited in 2002. The lack of penetration and interior presence become severe obstacles when the game becomes a halfcourt contest or the Blue Devils are faced with an athletic team. Television views have seen this situation unfold twice, during the final regular season game versus North Carolina and the 71-70 First Round victory. When pressured, Duke’s two guard front is neutralized. When Jon Sheyer and Greg Paulus dribble or pass the ball back and forth, several turnovers seem imminent. On the other hand, due …
Stream of Consciousness, Part III
The second weekend of the 2006 N.C.A.A. Tournament provided pertinent coaching lessons, good and bad. Ben Howland, Jim Larranaga, and John Brady made their first Final Four and one coach (and team) will grab the brass ring for the first time. Duke: The Blue Devils were burnt by their seven-player rotation. They rolled seven guys all year and it seemed as if they were tired and flat when they played L.S.U.. Perhaps they won a few more games in the regular season by shortening the bench but they might have been more prepared had they entered the Tournament with a …
A March to Madness
The execution during the second half of Tuesday’s Duke-Carolina was poor. There were some very sketchy turnovers and players did not display good awareness of the time and score situation. Case in point, the Heels were down three with about eighteen seconds to play. Two-for-one is a viable strategy but you need to go for the quick two quickly. Instead, Carolina ran around with like chickens with their heads cut off, tried a two with mere seconds remaining, missed, and fouled. Carolina had used their last timeout after a score to set the defence. They executed good ball pressure and …