Three Useful Basketball Resources
This is the last post that I will make regarding my trip to Merrimack College. One question I ask in my visits to the school is a longer version of, “What’s new?” Coach LeBlanc told me…
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Author: Mark Schruender
Players that Grow the Most Exhibit Uncommon Discipline
A question I like to ask coaches is, “Think back on a player that you coached or played with over the course of multiple seasons that improved more than anyone. What are the one or two…
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Implementing a Terms Index for the Team
Merrimack Coach Monique LeBlanc gave me a simple and effective idea. She told me that the entire team is going to become familiar with a terms index. The idea was spurned out of watching University of…
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Balancing Recruiting Challenges with the Current Roster
Merrimack Women’s Head Coach Monique LeBlanc was generous enough to share her thoughts with me last month. She always is. Last July we discussed managing individual expectations and five-out concepts. The year before she elaborated on…
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How to Practice Closeouts in a 2-3 Zone
Merrimack College usually plays a 2-3 zone. One of the challenges of that defense is getting out on shooters. They used a closeout drill to simulate the movement of the ball from the top to the…
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Moving without the Basketball in Dribble Penetration
For teams that are utilizing dribble drive or read and react, this drill is effective. Players are drilled to move without the basketball in dribble penetration. The drill reminded me of a drill that Bob Hurley…
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Drilling Players to Drive North and South
Yesterday I wrote about how Merrimack develops pivot footwork on the perimeter. As four players were developing the deliberate pivot work, a separate group was incorporating the same footwork with a greater focus on finishing. For…
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Developing Pivot Footwork for Perimeter Driving
Reducing the annoying pivot foot traveling calls can be the difference between a win and a loss. I am consistently searching for drills that incorporate footwork to legally attack from the perimeter. The Merrimack College women’s…
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Eight Coaches Thoughts on Ball Screens
I was circling back to the Mike Neighbors thumb drive recently and came across some philosophical nuggets on ball screens from various coaches. I also added some more that I found in my own visits to…
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Three James Clear Quotes to Sustain Good Habits
Atomic Habits by James Clear is the most applicable book to coaching and teaching that I have read this year. When I read books, I’m looking for a couple quotes of wisdom to take away. These…
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