On Possession: A Brief Introduction for Passionate Hoop Fans

“Basketball is an easy game to learn and a difficult one to master.” - James Naismith

We are well into basketball season and work to establish a core philosophy and core competence among our young players. A skill or concept is not taught until it is learned, and players do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.

1. You play basketball not by games, halves, or quarters but by POSSESSIONS. As a TEAM you must work to achieve your GOAL each possession. The elegant symmetry establishes a defensive goal of NO EASY BASKETS, sometimes restated as ONE BAD SHOT. Offensively, successful teams get QUALITY SHOTS on as many possessions as possible.

2. Good teams work to RE-ESTABLISH POSSESSION without allowing scoring. Mike Kasprzak’s Melrose boys’ team has done a wonderful job winning defensive possessions by creating deflections, steals, and turnovers. For running teams like Melrose, defensive excellence translates into immediate TRANSITION offense. 

Our defensive core philosophy emphasizes BALL PRESSURE, denial of LANE PENETRATION, HELP and COMMUNICATION, CONTESTING SHOTS without fouling, and controlling defensive REBOUNDING. Successful TEAMs learn that their sum exceeds the individual parts and that “it’s not about you, it’s about US.” Defense is always a five player endeavor. 

3. Offensive basketball has central tenets of SPACING, CUTTING and PASSING, limiting TURNOVERS (taking care of the basketball, “the ball is gold”), and SHOT SELECTION. Moreover, how you play when you don’t have the basketball is critical. When the ball is shared offensively, eighty percent of the time you play without it. Your ability to create separation for TEAMMATES and yourself, to create easy shots (e.g. by setting effective screens, player movement, rebounding, and winning 50-50 balls) determines how much value you add to the TEAM during each possession.

When college players are surveyed about their TEAM’s core philosophies, an amazing number do not know them and a disturbing number do not care. When you watch basketball at any level this season, focus on both TEAM play and how players develop and prevent separation. 

When you see successful TEAMS, you will see the joy radiating within the TEAM. But the results flow from the ‘micro’ action, the ability to succeed POSSESSION by POSSESSION.