X's & O's

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Contesting Shots Matters!

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The distance at which your team contests shots on the perimeter will directly impact your wins and losses.  10 of the top 25 defensive FG% teams in the NCAA made the tournament this year.  One of those teams is Coach Eric Musselman's Nevada Wolf Pack, who first shared the importance of this analytic with me a few years ago.  It's no secret that a low defensive FG% is necessary to consistently win games, but how can you ensure that you do just that?  

In 2016-17, I began tracking the distance at which we closed out to shooters.  (You can read more from that study here: Contesting Shots Matters & Here's Why.)  Throughout that season, I became convinced there was a correlation between winning, losing, and how well we contested shots.  So in the 2017-18 season as I took a new position at Bethel College in Indiana, I tracked this stat every game to see how it would hold up in a tough league.  

The data below is over the span of our 33 games.  There are two parts to this study that I'd like to share with you: 

  1. The distance at which you contest a shot affects defensive FG%
  2. How often you contest a shot from each distance affects winning and losing.

First, the distance at which you contest a shot affects defensive FG%.  There are three distances that I track: closely contested (0-2 feet), moderately contested (2-4 feet), not contested (4+ feet).  This is slightly different from Coach Musselman, as he tracks four distances.  Here are the overall statistics from this past season:

SEASON (Defensive FG%)

0-2 feet - 20.5% (67-327)

2-4 feet - 39.5% (161-408)

4+ feet - 51.8% (86-166)

Plain and simple, when our players closed out to the ball well, we had an incredible defensive FG%.  When our players did not close out well, we gave up a lot of points.  To conclude the first part of this study, I believe that it is obvious that the tighter a shot is contested, the lower the FG% becomes.  This is why closeouts are extremely important and you should work on them often throughout the year.  Have a plan and be really good at executing a simple closeout.

The second part of the study is the one that impacts winning and losing.  It is that how often you contest a shot from each distance will directly affect your win/loss record.  Here are the statistics from our wins and our losses this season:

WINS (Defensive FG%)

0-2 feet - 18.6% (45-241)

2-4 feet - 39.1% (105-268)

4+ feet - 53.7% (57-106)

out of 10 shots.png

LOSSES (Defensive FG%)

0-2 feet - 25.5% (22-86)

2-4 feet - 40.0% (56-140)

4+ feet - 48.3% (29-60)

out of 10 shots (1).png

While the defensive FG% remained fairly consistent in both wins and losses, the biggest difference is how often we contest shots from each distance.  In our wins, every 4 out of 10 shots was contested within 0-2 feet, every 4.3 out of 10 shots was contested within 2-4 feet, and every 1.7 out of 10 shots was contested at 4+ feet (See charts above).  Our closely and moderately contested shots were much more balanced, thus our closeouts were more consistent in our wins.

In our losses, only every 2.9 out of 10 shots was contested within 0-2 feet, every 4.9 out of 10 shots was contested within 2-4 feet, and every 2.2 out of 10 shots was contested within 4+ feet (See charts above).  Our consistency and balance in our losses is much more out of sync than in our wins.  Because of this, we struggled to keep points off the board.  The graphs give a visual of the balance in consistency.

So while our defensive FG% remained consistent in wins and losses, the real difference was in our ability to closely contest shots more often.  The margin is not huge, however, it is a crucial detail in the deciding factor of games.  The difference between a win and a loss could be as little as 4-5 shots per game being contested just a foot tighter.

I hope the data in this study will help you realize the importance of closeouts and how the distance and rate in which we contest shots matters.  If you have any questions or comments, I would love for you to reach out so I can talk with you more.  I would also appreciate any feedback or other information to take into consideration for this.  

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Contesting Shots Matters and Here's Why

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Earlier this season I listened to Eric Mussleman, head coach at Nevada, speak to his team on the importance of contesting shots.  He referenced the 2015-16 NBA season to explain why the distance of your closeout on a shot makes all the difference.  He said that defensive FG% was lower as shots were contested closer.  You can hear him talk to his team in the YouTube video at the end of this post.  

Sometimes it's difficult to compare NBA analytics with lower levels because of the type of athlete, the longer 3-point arc, etc., but I thought that this statistic could be applied at any level because of it's nature.  We decided to make it a point of emphasis with our team defense and it has been instrumental in our success.  We play Pack-Line defense, so closeouts are an important aspect of what we do.  Early on in the season we struggled to contest shots, but noticed we gave ourselves a chance when we did.  We kept working on closeouts every day and determined this could be the single most important statistic that we track.

HERE'S WHY

Over our last 13 games we have a record of 10-3.  Our defensive FG% is directly related to our W/L record and has proven to be a key factor in our success.  Here's what I mean:

Overall DFG% last 13 games (infographic below):

0-2 feet contests - 35/137 (25.5%) 

2-4 feet contests - 39/101 (38.2%)

4+ feet contests - 9/12 (75.0%)

DFG% in our 10 wins:

0-2 feet contests - 32/125 (25.6%)

2-4 feet contests - 23/76 (30.3%)

4+ feet contests - 4/7 (57.1%)

DFG% in our 3 losses:

0-2 feet contests - 3/12 (25.0%)

2-4 feet contests - 16/35 (45.7%)

4+ feet contests - 5/5 (100%)

You can see the difference between our wins and losses.  In our wins, we consistently contested shots 0-2 feet more often that any other distance.  We made teams uncomfortable shooting the basketball.  In our losses, we failed to consistently contest shots 0-2 feet and allowed teams to get comfortable shooting unguarded shots.  We have found that contesting/not contesting shots is a huge stat for us. I believe that contesting shots is extremely valuable at the college level.  The more our players see the proof of how contesting shots directly impacts our success, the more seriously we take it.  If you would like to discuss in more detail how we track this or see more examples of its impact, please reach out to me at awingree@bju.edu.  Happy contesting! 

Here is an example of what I use to track contested shots during games.  I will make my best judgment on the distance of the closeout and then go back and watch film to determine the accuracy.  If we have mostly 0-2 feet closeouts, we find that we win most of our games.  If the majority are in the 2-4 or 4+ column, we find that we typically are playing from behind.

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Social Media: The New Age Of Recruiting

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Social media has not only changed the way we communicate, but for many, it’s changed the way we do our jobs. No one is immune from its effects, not even coaches. 

As a college coach, I’m interested primarily in three groups – our players, our fans and our recruits. Our players constantly use social media (including during post-game speeches by the head coach). Our fans use social media (even during our games). And our recruits use social media (often in the middle of their school day when they should be paying attention to someone like their government teacher).

See, social media is all about storytelling. As a coach, I want my players, fans and recruits not only to know our program’s story, but also to be excited about sharing our story with others. Why wouldn’t I take advantage of this powerful tool to tell my program’s story?

Less than a year ago, our basketball program decided to start consistently employing social media to tell our story, focusing primarily on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. Over the course of the season, we found success with our followers not only viewing our content but also sharing our content.

Here are just a few examples of the ways we tell our story through our social media platforms:

ROAD TRIP ANYONE?

As a small program, not a lot of our fans always travel with us. However, we still value their support and want people to feel like they’re a part of our team. Whether it’s a photo from the plane, a video on the bus, or a picture from a morning shoot around, we attempt to bring our fans with us on every road trip.

We'll be playing two games is week in Puerto Rico. #BruinsInPR🇵🇷

A photo posted by BJU Bruins Basketball (@bjubruinsmbb) on

Team shoot around at the University of Cincinnati. #ChampionsToday

A photo posted by BJU Bruins Basketball (@bjubruinsmbb) on

PUERTO RICO

During our trip to Puerto Rico in December, we also put together vlogs each day.  We recorded short clips of everything we did that day and conducted short interviews with players to recap.  You can check out each vlog from our trip below!

REMOTE CAMPUS VISITS

Long before a recruit ever steps foot on campus, he has the opportunity to get a glimpse into every aspect of our program. Facility tours, player workouts, practice, film sessions – they’re all chronicled through our team’s and coaches’ Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat accounts.

4 more days until the #BruinsInvitational matchup against Barber-Scotia College. #ChampionsToday

A photo posted by BJU Bruins Basketball (@bjubruinsmbb) on

ALWAYS COACHING & TEACHING

Social media has allowed our coaches to continue coaching and teaching even after practice has ended. In addition, we understand that coaches and high school players from around the country are reading what we post. It is important to give each follower value, whether it’s through a motivational quote, a quick hitter, or a suggestion for practice.

MORE THAN SPORTS

Our goal as a program is to use basketball as a platform for spreading the love of Christ. Really, it’s the most important part of our story. So whether it’s ministering in a church, helping in the community, or reffing a Special Olympics basketball tournament, we want those following our social media accounts to know what we value and who we really are outside of basketball.

🙏🏽 #LiveChrist

A photo posted by BJU Bruins Basketball (@bjubruinsmbb) on

FOLLOW US!

Make sure to follow our coaches & players on social media to stay connected to everything that is going on in our program.  You can also get more content from Coach Miller by clicking the link below!

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Deflections Matter

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When measuring a successful defensive team, most people will look to common stats such as turnovers forced, blocked shots, defensive FG%, and opponents PPG.  However, there is one "unofficial" statistic that may prove more beneficial than any of those.  

DEFLECTIONS.

Coaches will have various definitions of what a deflection is.  Some will claim it is only when a player misdirects a pass by getting a hand on the ball and others will tell you that charges and shot-clock violations count as deflections too.  No matter what your definition of a deflection is, there is no doubt that it is a valuable statistic to track.  

Every good defensive team plays with energy and aggressiveness, and deflections are a sure way to tell if your team is carrying that passion.  Deflections will help you understand how active your team is defensively and whether or not they are applying appropriate pressure.  It has been said that 40 deflections per game is the benchmark for most teams looking to secure a win.  Obviously, you as a coach will need to find an appropriate number that works for your style of defense at your level.  Active feet and active hands will dictate the intensity of your defense and will ultimately lead to deflections which have been proven necessary to win on a consistent basis. 

“Deflections tells you how much energy you’re playing with and how active your hands are. If you lack deflections, then you’re probably not being a very aggressive team and you probably don’t have very active hands.”
— Eric Musselman; University of Nevada Head Coach

Your players are giving a lot of effort whether you think so or not, and telling them to play harder on defense isn't always the answer.  Deflections are a tangible goal that your players can strive for.  This  allows them to feel more in control of the circumstances than when you give the vague answer of, "play harder!"  

Here are some drill ideas that we have used to emphasize the importance of deflections in our program:

QUICK HANDS 3 v 1

For this drill you will split your team into groups of four.   1, 2, & 3 will stand approximately 8 feet apart and pass the ball around in the triangle.  x1 will work to get as many deflections as he can.  x1 will be "in the middle" for a 30 second round and then a new player will rotate into the middle.   Each individual will keep track of his own points as follows: 1 point = deflection; 2 points = clean steal; -1 point = offensive player turns it over; 2 points = dive on the floor for a loose ball (we add this later on to make deflections "live loose balls").

Points of Emphasis: Offense must "catch and peek" and make strong rip throughs and passes.  Pass fakes are encouraged.  Defender must stay in a good stance and have active hands.  He should be applying "voice pressure" the entire time he is in the drill.

QUICK HANDS 4 v 2

This drill is similar to Quick Hands 3 v 1, but it adds an element of "team" and creates more energy.  You will have your players select a partner and then place them in groups of six (three teams of 2 players in each group).  The drill will proceed the same way as  3 v 1, except now you are competing as teams and your points count for both players.  The team with the most points wins.

Points of Emphasis: Offense (see above).  Defense must adhere to same emphasis as 3 v 1 and must work together as a team.  Constant communication should be encouraged between teammates.  

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Protect the Paint!

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In the article, Factors to Successful Pack Line Defense, I briefly wrote about characteristics that make our Pack Line defense successful for our program at Bob Jones University.  I would like to take each of those factors and go more in depth with them.

PRESSURE THE BALL!

Contrary to what many believe, pack line defense is an intense & high pressure strategy when executed correctly.  The tone we set in our half court defense begins and ends with the type of pressure we place on the ball handler.  

  1. Hand-On - When teaching on-ball pressure to our team we often use the term "hand-on," referring to the distance between the defender and the ball handler.  We stress the importance of making an offensive player uncomfortable handling the ball while invading his bubble.
  2. Voice Pressure - To apply pressure at the highest level while establishing a factor of intimidation, we urge our players to deploy voice pressure.  Not only does this increase the level of intensity, but it deters a ball handler from performing at his peak level.
  3. Jump Up, Jump Back - We use this terminology when analyzing the options of the offensive player.  Anytime a ball handler picks up his dribble or brings the ball above his head, we will "jump up" or "wall up" by decreasing the amount of space between the two players.  Our hands will be high and we will not let them make an easy pass.  Anytime a ball handler brings the ball low and threatens to drive we "jump back."  When jumping back, we always keep a hand-on the ball and we keep our legs loaded, ready to move.  In both techniques, it is crucial to have active hands and feet.

EXPLODING TO GAPS

As off-ball defenders, one pass away, we will be in the gaps.  The purpose of the gap defender is to build a wall and give his teammate that is pressuring the ball, the trust and confidence he needs to do his job,  

  1. Build a Wall - If you are the offensive player thinking about driving, you should see two defenders on either side of the man guarding you.  The purpose of the wall is to crush any hopes and dreams that the ball handler may have of driving past his man.  If he somehow gets past his man, the gap defenders are right there to shut it down.
  2. Explode to Pack - Many times after our man has the ball and passes it away, players tend to ease up and think their job is finished.  False!  In fact, it has just begun. An immediate instinct that needs to take place is to jump to the ball and back into the pack line.  Our goal should be to take away front cuts and discourage the new ball handler from attempting a drive.  
  3. Trust & Confidence - We stress the importance of communication in our program and there is no better time to communicate than on the defensive side of the floor.  As a gap defender it is your duty to make sure your teammate knows that you have his back.  A simple and effective way to do this is by calling his name, giving him information, and doing so with an urgent and confident tone of voice (Read N.I.T.E. - Keys to Great Communication).  For example, "Ray! I have your gap left! Pressure the ball, Ray! I'm here in your gap left!"  By communicating in this manner, you are giving your teammate the trust and confidence he needs to pressure the ball to the best of his ability!

OBTAINING LEVERAGE ON CLOSEOUTS

Closeouts may be the most important skill involved in pack line defense.  Because of the gap positioning and the "no paint" philosophy, it can be very easy to leave shooters open.  However, we expect our players to give ultimate effort when closing out on shooters.  As you can see from the next main point (do not get beat outside!) we need to obtain leverage, or get the proper angle when we closeout.

  1. Sprint - This one makes sense.  If we need to get out on shooters, you need to sprint!
  2. Chop Your Feet - To maintain balance and the ability to defend the drive, we want our last 3-4 steps to be short and choppy.  By doing this we allow our players to breakdown a player that wants to catch and drive right away.
  3. Throw Hands Up - This is something that many players do not do for some reason.  It is essential that we throw our hands up at the last second to alter a shooter's focus and make him second guess his shot.
  4. Voice Pressure - As in on-ball defense, we want to closeout with voice pressure.  Science has proven that loud noises will ruin a person's focus.
  5. Gain Leverage - We do not want to ever get beat outside, so it is essential that we closeout with our feet and body positioned in a way that will allow us to level off players on the drive (see next point).

DO NOT GET BEAT OUTSIDE!

Every day we work on "leveling off" the ball handler.  Is is not wise to tell your players to "force middle" when playing pack line.  Just because we don't want to get beat outside doesn't mean we are forcing middle.  Instead, it means we need to level off the ball handler to an area on the floor that we want them to go.

  1. Level Off - When a ball handler tries to beat us on a drive to the outside (sideline or baseline) we need to push them to a point on the floor.  On drives from the wing we practice forcing the ball handler to the corner of the floor.  On baseline drives from the corner we plant our foot on the baseline, no closer to the basket than the short corner area.  The ball handler's only option should be to make a move back to the middle where our gap help is, or to pick up his dribble.
  2. Just Do It! - A lot of people ask, "Well what do you do if you do get beat?  How do you rotate?" That is the million dollar question, but the simple answer that we need to ingrain in our players minds is DON'T GET BEAT! LEVEL THEM OFF! JUST DO IT!