subject: Basketball: Teaching Offensive Low Post Play [print this page] Basketball: Teaching Offensive Low Post Play
When I begin to work with a young post player, one of the first things I will do is to have them learn how to move through the key while avoiding being caught with the 3-second rule. While I have them doing this, I work with their balance and setting their feet when they get to a position, all the time having their eyes on the ball and giving the ball handler a lead hand target to pass to, while using the defender-side to keep the defender at bay.
Some offenses would rather keep a low post player at the low blocks. I teach a continuous movement in and through the post, keeping the defense off-balance and having to focus on the offensive player, rather than being able to help vs. other offensive play. I move the low post player from side to side and from low to high and back low again. I might interchange two players in the post, complementing each other with opposing moves or screening for each other. The post player must learn through experience how, when and where to move, always being aware of the perimeter flow of players and the ball, so the timing of a post move brings that player to the best position to receive a pass, get the offensive rebound, to act as a relay on the perimeter as the ball swings from one side to the other, or to act as a screener for a teammate.
I will begin post instruction with some basic ball fundamentals, right at the basket. I use the Mikan drill and several similar drills, just to get a player started learning a wide variety of means to score from under the rim. All drills are done from the right and left sides and with the right and left hands. A post player must be able to use either hand at the basket, depending on how a play presents itself. Here are some things I feel every post player should practice daily, in order to execute well:
Power-up (from both feet) from either side and with either hand; Rebound, slide step R or L and power-up; Rebound, cross-over and use a hooking layback; Back to basket, pivot to R/L and power-up; Back to basket, cross-over and hook (off pivot foot) R/L; Back to basket, pivot and jump hook (off both feet) R/L; Stand to one side of basket, cross under and hook back; From one side, cross under, step back and power-up; From one side, cross under and spin the ball off the board into the basket; From in front of the basket, execute up-and-under move, R/L; From in front, step and hook R/L and jump hook, R/L; Attacking along the baseline, when reaching the edge of the backboard, step backward and power-up, R/L; With back to the basket, from the low block, drop-step toward the basket and power-up, R/L (Drop Step article); From elbow, learn to use perimeter moves - rocker (jab) step, cross-over, reverse dribble- and finish at the basket with all the techniques just learned, plus adding the jumper and spot-up jumper.
From these basics, then I begin to teach movement from one point to another, using the "L", "X" and "Z" moves. (See article teaching these moves.)
