The Art of Scoring “Stealing points”: An offensive guide to dominance…
As you recover from a grueling summer of hoops, it’s time to sit back and prepare for the next high school season. This particular message is specifically for the scorers. Here are a few tips to not only increase your scoring output, but this will also breakdown your scoring options. This is top secret information, so use it wisely.
Scoring is a premium for the game. Duh right?! One team must out score the other team in order to win the game. However, how are you getting those buckets? Let’s say you’re the leading scorer on your team, you have the “Green Light, but you want to fill up the boxscores a little more. Start with breaking down your game.
Perimeter Scorers should be able to score at all three levels. Free-throws, mid-range and behind the arc. More than likely you’re playing maximum minutes and all four quarters. Break down your shot attempts, level of shots and percentage of makes. Each quarter you should be able to make one layup, correct? That’s two points a quarter at four quarters, totaling eight points. Simple right? Now if you’re attacking the rim more than often that should lead to more free throw attempts. Try attacking and finishing through contact which leads to and ones. That’s an extra two or three points. Now you’re at ten or eleven points, without taking a single jump shot. If you’re a volume shooter and coach recognizes your number needs to be called. One can add two or three shot attempts in a particular quarter. Maybe you’re rolling in the first and third quarters, that’s a total of six attempts. Good/Great shooters can have two quarters like that. If you’re a 35%-45% shooter, you could add four to six points to your total. Now you’re sitting at seventeen points. Can you knock down the three? A set play, transition and/or defensive breakdown can lead to an open three-pointer. Knock down! Twenty points just like that.
A simple break down on your scoring options, skill set, sweet spots and random acts can led to a higher average. Recap: 1st quarter: Layup made, free-throw made and one jump shot made, 5 points. 2nd quarter: Lay-up made, free-throw made, one 3-pointer made, 6 points. 3rd quarter: Lay-up made and 2 jump shots made, 6 points. 4th quarter: 2 free-throws made and 2 jump shots made, 6 points. All totaling 23 points.
Maybe you are the leading scorer but not a high-volume scorer. Your team and/or opponents may not require you to take on that heavy load. Scale back on the attempts and find ways to score more efficiently. If you’re averaging 10-12 points and want to increase it to 15-17, try attacking the rim a few extra times in a quarter. This could led to free-throw. A 75%-85% free-throw shooter can increase their points by three to four a game.
Do you make your living in the paint and/or around that area? Simple fix! Every post player wants the ball down low. They battle so hard on defense by rebounding and blocking shots. So every once in a while they need those extra touches. You’re an eight to twelve-point scorer right? How can you increase this by not taking shots away from other players? Number 1 thing is your field goal percentage. Since you’re closer to the basket most of the time, you’re FG% should land between 50%-65%. Number 2, maximize each possession. Number 3, dominate at all levels. Let me explain.
One post move that every big should have is a jump hook. As Shaq would always say about Dwight Howard “All he need is a jump hook!” A hard post-up, pin-down or duck-in combined with a great seal should lead to high percentage shot attempts. One made jump hook, a quarter, seems pretty simple right? Now, face-up game. Let’s say you have a little drop step in your game or a reverse pivot spin combination. Using those skill sets two or three times a game, at a higher percentage position should add two or three points to your scoring total. But let’s back it up a little bit. Another simple solution to “steal” a couple points is offensive rebounding. Positioning yourself for an offensive rebound is key. Have the thought process of, for every offensive rebound, I should have two points. If you position yourself the right way, you can just lay the ball back up. Simple right? How many of these opportunities can you have? Three, four, five? One jump hook a quarter with one offensive rebound leading to a put back basket. 16 points! Did we mention free-throws? I know that’s a touchy topic hahaha. Ok, most posts are 65% to 75% from the charity stripe. If a couple of those offensive rebounds leads to an AND ONE, the likelihood of your scoring output increases. Another note to mention is “Bigs” that run the floor. It’s a guards dream to start a break and see their 4’s and 5’s running the lane during transition. Extra bucket right there. Your motor alone can help increase your scoring opportunities. Master your time and space when you’re in the game. Command your area, stand solid and operate in small spaces. Just a few simple adjustments could separate yourself from others. Add all the extra stuff you’ve worked on then boom you’re a walking, talking 25 and 10.
What if you gotta get in where you fit in? Maybe you’re the defensive tip of the spear on a press. What’s your job? To trap and cause turnovers or deflections. Trapping 101, the steal doesn’t come from the trapper. More than likely your back-line will pick off bad, weak or unwanted passes. Where are you after the turnover? Right in place to receive the pass from a turnover or deflection. Easy bucket!
Do you lock up on defense? Pick out that one player who is shaky with the ball. Go take it! Easy bucket! And One! Good/great defenders know their defense leads to good offense. Coaches love a good hustler. If you’re causing havoc on defense, there’s a great change coach might just call a play for you to get a bucket. The risk/reward of an offensively challenged player, is low, mostly because of the reward of their defensive significance.
Currently, the name of the game is scoring. Players must be effective, efficient and practice/train so hard it becomes effortless.