Category Archives: Team Play

What it Takes to be a Great Point Guard!

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As a part of our “Point Guard Camp” curriculum, we lecture our players on what it takes to be a great point guard. These notes have been taken from Bob Hurley’s video “Point Guard Play” and they provide an excellent description on what all great point guards have in common:

Notes taken from Bob Hurley’s DVD “Point Guard Play”

All great point guards:

  • Dreamed the dream
  • Played more than everyone else around them
  • Played with enthusiasm
  • Every one of them believed that their size was not going to be a disadvantage
  • Outwork everybody
  • Talents – had no week skill level (only area that you can be average is shooting)
  • Think pass first – shot second (we guy)
  • First step in every situation is towards defense basketball (take a step back)
  • Be a pest – annoying – people don’t like to play against you
  1. Draw charges
  2. Stripping the ball
  3. Dribble north and south
  • Get inside the defense, get in the lane
  • Get the feet in the lane on offense (be under control)
  • Get dribble to mid-thigh level
  • Change of speeds when dribbling and moving
  • Fore arm is a position to protect and accept
  • Accept the challenge personally when team is pressed. Consider it a personal insult to you.
  • Be an extension of your coach
  • Always know the score and time
  • Game face at all times – never crack, have a stone face
  • Be the best communicator on the floor
  • Success is from neck up, not neck down.
  • Must be a good foul shooter
  • If you can shoot the three that makes you different – this stretches the defense because defense has to play you
  • Have your own style, be your own player and play to your strengths
  • Make your teammates better
  • Success = Titles

Remember, the point guard position is one of the toughest positions to play because it takes a unique type of player. This player must be great in all skill sets and must think “we” first. He is a floor captain and an extension of the coach.

 

Top 10 Ways To Get Better at Basketball This Summer

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If you follow these guidelines, you are guaranteed to get better at basketball this summer!

  1. Play basketball every day!
  2. Set goals for the summer and post them in your room on your wall – create a summer training regiment for yourself based on your goals
  3. Work on your weaknesses/master new moves at least 20 minutes a day
  4. Carry a basketball around with you everywhere you go
  5. Go to basketball camps and clinics
  6. Play in basketball leagues (against better players)
  7. Play in pickup games at local basketball parks (against better players)
  8. Stretch before and after you play
  9. Lay off the junk food! – try not to eat fried foods, sugary foods, a lot of cheese
  10. Stay hydrated – drink lots of water!

Also, here these are some helpful drills to work on!

The definition of a “Gym Rat”

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It’s late April and the basketball season is about 7 months away.

…Not for gym rats.

“Gym rats” eat, sleep, and breathe basketball… it’s what makes them so good.

The term “gym rat” is often used as a compliment to commend a player for the hard work he/she puts in to get better. It means that this player plays basketball everyday and is determined to get better. This player has goals in mind and nothing will stop him/her from achieving them!

“Gym Rats” usually share a lot of common traits:

  • Resilient and goal-oriented
  • Relentless about getting better
  • Carry/dribble the ball around everyday
  • Play basketball where ever they can find a game
  • Practice perfecting drills by themselves and/or with friends

Good example of Gym Rats

1) Peter “Pistol Pete” Maravich

“Pistol Pete” was known to dribble or have the basketball everywhere he went… on his way to school, while riding a bike, when reading a book, etc.

He was consistently practicing drills and tricks with the ball to get better and reach his full potential.

It was fun for him to be able to fool any opponent on the court.

All of Pistol’s hard work paid off as he is still the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division 1 history (averaging over 44 points per game in only 3 seasons at LSU).

CLICK HERE to read more about “Pistol Pete”

 

2) J.J. Redick

J.J. Redick is known for his incredible free-throw and three point shooting, confidence and ability to battle through adversity, and being the all time leading scorer at Duke University.

His success definitely didn’t happen over night. J.J. spent countless hours perfecting his shooting form, speed, and footwork.

After incredible success at the college level, J.J. faced the challenge of adapting his game to the NBA’s more athletic and physical play.

After 6 seasons of rigorous endurance and strength training, J.J. has only now prevailed as one of the league’s top shooters.

CLICK HERE to read more about J.J.

 

 

Off-Season Nutrition and Training Tips by MG Lifestyle Solutions

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The off-season is right around the corner. Are you ready to get better, stronger, faster, more confident?

What are you willing to do to reach the next level?

What is YOUR next level?

  • Are you a bench player that wants to play more next year?
  • Did you come off the bench this year and want to be a starter next year?
  • Are you a freshman that wants to play varsity next year?

At Premier Hoops, we understand the importance of setting and meeting goals. Our Strength and Conditioning Director and co-founder of MG Lifestyle Solutions, Ilya Gluskin (click here for his bio), has provided basic tips for our players on off-season nutrition and conditioning. We believe that endurance and proper diet are significant factors in reaching the next level!
Like Coach Ilya and MG Lifestyle Solutionson Facebook - Click Here
Follow Coach ill @iworksfitness – Click Here
E-mail for more tips – Contact@mglifestylesolutios.com

5 Basic Nutrition Tips

-          1.   Hydration! Proper hydration is the back bone to adequate nutrition and   performance. Being in a state of dehydration impedes performance by decreasing nutrient delivery, heat regulation, joint integrity and much more. Effective hydration starts 24 hours prior to performance.

-          2.   Replenish energy stores (eat) after training. This means that you should consume a balanced meal after your training session to help with muscular recover and growth. Ideally you have about a 2 hour window to replenish in order to optimize your training session.

-          3.    Avoid foods loaded with sugar. As much as we all love our sweets, they supply us little nutritional value. They typically spike our blood glucose levels and give us a quick boost of energy that proportionally fades away leaving us in a deprived state. Try eating more fruits that have natural sugars as well as a diverse mixture of vitamins.

-          4.   Don’t skip breakfast. I’m sure you have heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In some ways it is, but really all that matters is that you have a meal in the morning when you wake up. This not only gives your energy to tackle your morning activities, but it also gets your metabolism fired up and working. The sooner you make this happen by introducing food into your body the more efficient you will be in digesting and utilizing the food for energy.

-          5.  Avoid training right after a meal. Give your body anywhere from 30-45 minutes to digest a meal before training. This allows for proper digestion to take place providing your muscles the energy needed to perform at your maximal capacity. Not allowing this process to take place will leave your stomach full of undigested food during your training depriving your muscles of their much needed fuel source. This happens due to a central nervous system reaction that shunts blood away from your major organs toward your muscles to aide in muscle activity.

5 Basic Training Tips

-          1.  Goals! After your season is over it is time to sit down and reevaluate your season and decide what you plan to improve for the following season. Make a list of goals with a timeline and plan of action. Once this is accomplished attain the resources necessary to make these goals a reality.

-          2.  Improve your endurance. The off season is a great time to improve your cardiovascular endurance. Once the next season starts it is too late to get “in shape” for the season. When training endurance don’t automatically think run 10 miles. Instead think more specific to your sport. Think about the type of movements required during a basketball game. Typically there are frequent changes of direction accompanied with a high intensity sprint down the court. So ask yourself is a 10 mile run really that applicable for my sport? Instead try running 100 yard sprint, change of direction drills, and plyometric drills such as box jumps. This being said long duration cardiovascular exercise is still a great training method to build general cardiac fitness.

-          3. Strengthening. The off season is the best time to really get stronger. The regular season makes it very difficult to apply an adequate strength training program. The season is more appropriate for maintenance and not improvement. Becoming stronger can be accomplished in many using a variety of techniques. There are many different suggestions and guide lines for strengthening different age groups. However, the most important aspect to any training program is safety. Make sure that you have had the proper education and training prior to starting a strength training program. A few basic exercises that are safe for all ages are: Air squats, push-up, and pull-ups. Since you are only using your own body weight there is a reduced risk for injury as long as you maintain proper form. Mix these three exercises within your 100 yard sprints to increase the intensity and put your body to the test. Remember that in order for performance adaptation to take place your body must experience a high enough stressor.

-          4. Practice skills after cardio or muscular training. This strategy really puts your skills and endurance to the test. Practicing your skill such as shooting and dribbling at the end of your training session requires you to focus and concentrate on a different level similar to a 4th quarter situation when your body is fatigued.

-          5. Stretching. Mobility is a key factor in performance and injury prevention. It is important to warm-up your body and muscles prior to training. Also include static stretching after your training to prevent muscle soreness and improve your tissue extensibility. Overall it is important to maintain a proper balance in muscle length, stability and mobility. To achieve permanent muscle length change it is recommended that each stretch should be held for at least 30 seconds for 2-3 sets. This should be done after each training session or game.

The Truth About AAU Basketball

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Winter basketball season will soon be over… what’s next?

Spring AAU Basketball tryouts are being held everywhere for players of all ages.

Premier Hoops is not an AAU Basketball Program, but our team knows a great deal about AAU and we are writing this post for members and non-members of Premier Hoops, who are thinking about playing on an AAU Basketball Team this spring or summer.

Pros of AAU Basketball

1. Playing more organized basketball – In addition to working on your basketball skills we highly recommend playing on a team and in refereed games where there is structure. It’s important to combine the skills you practice in a game setting.

2. Exposure – It’s crucial for players who are looking to play at the collegiate level to be seen by college coaches. Coaches of all college divisions (D1, D2, and D3) come watch rising talent at AAU Tournaments.

3. Making new friends – You can make life long friendships from any basketball team that you play on. AAU Programs can create lasting bonds between players of different locations.

Cons of AAU Basketball

1. Quality of Coaching – For many AAU Basketball Programs money comes first and quality comes second. It’s not rare to find that an AAU coach arrives to practice late, has poor communication skills, and has a poor coaching background. Sometimes the coach might even be a parent of player.

2. Quality of Play – Because AAU has turned into a “money maker” the quality of competition has become very saturated. Many AAU programs will not make cuts, but instead create more teams. This results in a poor quality of play at tournaments, where  you will find very competitive teams playing beginner level teams (which is not good for either team).

3. Travel – Make sure that you are ready to make a big travel commitment. AAU basketball tournaments can be interstate and up to 3 hours away. If you are on a team where you are only playing 5-10 minutes per game is it really worth the time, travel, and money?

Things to Remember About AAU Basketball

  • Anybody can make an AAU Program or Team… all you need to do is buy an AAU Membership. All information is on their website http://aausports.org/JoinAAU.aspx
    Find out what separates one program from another.
  • Do your research and find a program that offers good coaching, team practices and tournaments. Don’t be fooled by AAU advertisements and high coaching credentials. You may only see some of these coaches one time during the course of your season. Ask the program to e-mail you references of previous clients and the season schedule (practices and games) before you make a decision.
  • Make sure that your son or daughter will get a lot of playing time on his or her team.
  • AAU will help you play more basketball, but will not improve your skills. For example, you may shoot 20-25 shots in a weekend tournament… this will not improve your shooting.

E-mail PremierHoops@gmail.com for any questions or recommendations.

Getting More Playing Time

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It takes a mental toll on any player when he or she isn’t getting a lot of playing time (if any at all). The good news is that there’s still time to make an impact on your team… even if you’re not playing. Here are some tips that we have for our in-season players:

  • Do the little things in practice… we call these effort stats because any player can do them: Box out, make deflections, draw charges, dive for loose balls, work hard to get rebounds, and really get after it on defense!
  • Be positive in practice and on the bench in games! This is very hard to do when you are upset that you’re not playing, but you have to remember that you’re still a big part of the team. You can make a big impact if you are loud and energetic on the bench. Lethargic bench players ruin good energy and team chemistry.
  • Be a play maker. Try to set up your teammates with easy shots and open layups. Work on getting in the lane and kicking out to a teammate for an open shot. Make easy passes, be under control, and make sure you‘re smart and take care of the basketball in practice… you want your coaches to have the confidence to put you in a game.
  • Keep working on your weaknesses… get to practice early and work on skills that you are not good at. Also, encourage your teammates to do this with you.
  • Set goals. We encourage our players at Premier Hoops to be goal oriented. Set three short term and three long term goals to work towards. Make it a short term goal to get more playing time and a long term goal to become a starter.

Remember, although the season comes to an end, basketball continues. Keep working hard towards your goals in the off-season!