Coaching the Read & React

12 Jan Going Deeper into Post Cuts

In a previous post, we took the Pass & Cut layer and added some depth to the options. That gave us the Puppy Dog Front Cut and the Draft Drive. Now, in Layer 2, we'll look at going deeper into the Post Cuts - notice that I've used the Laker Cut in the examples, but the other Post Cuts (X and Relocate) could work too. These are clips from the University of Iowa, but the principles (especially in these early layers) can be used at all levels. Next time you want to add something to your Read & React attack, at least consider going deeper in the layers you already have in place rather than defaulting to adding more layers. You may be surprised at what you can get.

29 Dec Going Deeper into Pass & Cut

In our previous post, we talked about the option of going deeper into certain layers of the Read & React rather than constantly pushing to add more layers. At the same time, a team who has established themselves in the R&R can continue to build nuances into their offense to make it more dynamic (and ultimately harder to guard). To illustrate this point, I put together some clips from the NCAA Division 1 University of Iowa Women’s team. This kind of depth exists in almost every layer of the Read & React. Many of you are already aware of this “Simple, yet Complex” aspect of the Read & React. But for those who aren’t, especially youth coaches, I hope you can see how to squeeze even more out of Layer 1 than just the most basic actions.

27 Dec Going Deeper into Layers

Recently, I was in Connecticut watching a 13U girl’s team coached by Ulysses Garcia along with the 12U and 11U teams in his South Windsor Girls Travel organization. (You’ll hear more from Ulysses very soon.) Up to that point, his teams had only been through a...

22 Dec We Don’t Play Backwards

A lot of offenses, even motion offenses, require the ball to be moved from specific spot to specific spot so that the proper cuts, screens, and scoring opportunities can be created. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with this necessarily (you know how we feel about it...

13 Dec Ball Handler is your orchestrator

The Read & React is based around the premise that the ball handler has the freedom to do anything he wants (almost) and the other four players on the court have one and only one reaction based on his choice. So, in effect, this makes the...

24 Nov 5 Steps to Teach the Read & React

How should I teach the Read & React? That question finds its way to me a lot. And, my frustrated answer is this: You have to run the Read & React in order to improve at the Read & React. Period. You can’t get good at something that you’re not willing to commit to. You can’t get good at something unless you’re willing to plow through the bad times and growing pains of learning something new. That applies to everything, and it applies here as well. There, I feel better! And, now to the steps.

Step 1: Teach the 3-player reaction drills for the layers you want to cover.

Commit to running each drill for a few minutes at the beginning of every practice. The 3-player drills maximize the number of reps that each player gets and carve the habits into their muscle memory. Without the Reaction Habits, there is no Read & React Offense and understanding it is not good enough, each player has to internalize the habits - the drills are the quickest way to do that. If you chose 10 drills covering the layers you were working on and spent 90 seconds on each, that would be the first 15 minutes of practice. I would integrate my warm-up, skill development, and shooting practice into that 15 minutes. And, if I only had 15 minutes to practice, those 10 drills would be the agenda.