The Fundamentals

When you talk to any Lady Vikings about how we could possibly have won 132 games in a row, we immediately say we were coached in the fundamentals of basketball. From Coach Norman Carter we learned:

Shoot a jump shot. Coach Carter was a master at teaching girls to shoot jump shots.

It takes sense to play defense. Anybody can be taught by Coach Carter to shoot. (That's what he told the forwards. Made us feel real good. )

Block out on defense. Look at the pictures. You'll see those guards blocking out every time.

Always protect the ball, usually with your body between the defender and the ball.

Find your spot on the free throw line at the beginning of the game, and the beginning of the half, and go back there each time you shoot. Always bounce the ball a time or two, take a deep breath, exhale, and then shoot. Do your pre-shoot routine on every free throw.

Start with the ball above your head. Make a pass from there. Drive by moving the ball down the side of your body and your shoulder down, always protecting it from the defense. If they reach for the ball, they'll foul you.

Cut into the pivot. Fake behind, then go in front. Fake in front, and go behind. (I've seen Coach Carter laugh out loud at practice as we would sometimes fake so well that the guard would turn a circle looking for us.)

Keep the ball protected when you're in the pivot. Plant your feet, then pivot one way or the other, protecting the ball. Go up to shoot. Lead up with your left elbow turning left; right elbow turning right. If there are any arms between you and going up to the basket, go right through them. Get a grip on the ball and take them up with you!

When you catch the ball, jump and land on both feet. Then you can use either foot to pivot off of and not be called for a walk.

Don't dribble the ball when you get a rebound in the paint. Go back up with it.

The less you dribble the ball, the better off you are.

Use the backboard for any shot around the goal.

I don't care if you use a steel barrette, get that hair out of your eyes.

When playing defense, don't look at their eyes or their head. Look at their mid section - it will tell you where they're going.

Know what to do in close situations.
You're ahead a point or two, and the other team has the ball. Play good smart defense and make them work for a good shot. Try your best not to foul.
You're behind a point of two, and the other team is holding the ball. Make them do what they don't want to. Press the one with the ball. Close the passing lanes, and make them go toward the goal. Their coach has obviously told them to go toward the center line. If you have to foul one of them in order to get the ball back, know who's the worst free throw shooter on the team.

Play the best, smartest, zone press when they're bringing the ball to the line. Walk through it at practice over and over until you know exactly what to do. Know your position well. During the game, our zone press gave many teams fits. They couldn't get the ball to the center line, so they couldn't get it to their scorers.

When driving to the basket, take a long first step.

Play good defense and the rest will take care of itself.

I can remember occasions at practice when coaches from other schools would be sitting in the stands taking notes. Every minute of every practice was planned. The only minutes left to chance were at the end of practice. A lot of days Coach would have the forwards shoot free throws as a pair - eight in a row before you can go - meaning that your team of two had to shoot two, swap, shoot two, swap, until as a team you had eight in a row. Talk about pressure - after a long time you'd get to seven and then it was your turn to shoot the last to determine if you went home or started over.

I was a coach for a few years and I tried to teach all this, but my teams weren't nearly as successful. So I know there was some magic from Coach Carter in there somewhere too.