Ten Keys To Winning State Championship

Many teams are preparing for District, Conference and Regional Championships. Below are 10 key thoughts:

10 Keys for Winning the State Championship

1. GET THERE
Gear for it. Everything is pointing to getting there!
"Practice to beat the best" - Dick Bennett
Must have a system to accomplish that, Chuck Daly had that system with the Pistons and stick to it. Princeton plays to beat the best


2. WHEN YOUR TEAM GETS THERE--IT'S NO BIG DEAL
Don´t make it a big deal. A big deal is winning the championship. Our Attitude: We are going there to win!!


3. DO WHAT YOU DID TO GET THERE
Freak out with changes vs. Faith in the system.
Ordinary players making ordinary plays everytime = extraordinary players
On good team, two players will do the dirty jobs (take charges, get on the floor, etc). On GREAT teams, all the players and coaches do the dirty jobs.


4. BE AGGRESSIVE
Look for ways to win.
Play to win, don´t play not to lose.
Pete Newell liked to press on the first possession and he wasn´t a press coach. He just wanted to come out and be aggressive early in the game.
Avoid Super Bowl Stupor.


5. REST
Mentally and physically; short, intense practices.
Duke goes dummy in tournament practice. No real contact.
more gold medals are lost by overtraining than undertraining.


6. GIVE UP NO EASY BASKETS
No lay ups - no uncontested shots - block out - no putbacks.


7. GET EASY BASKETS 
a. Run - Must run but don´t have to shoot.
b. Offensive rebounding
c. Get fouled - neutralize athleticism (make more free throws than apponents attempt).
d. Take the ball at their best player or any player prone to foul.


8. MAKE FT'S
Big part of our skill development workouts.
Free throw swish...swish = +1, rim make = 0, miss = -1...play to +2 or -2


9. MAKE LAY-UPS
Emphasis: perfect lay-ups in practice - no rim touches, net only.
Pressure lay-ups in practice with a defender.
You can also use reduced rims.
In all drills, if not using reduced rims stress the clean lay-up.


10. GIVE YOUR TEAM A REASON TO WIN
"Deserving victory" - Pitino.
Those who work hardest are the last to surrender.
Fight the feeling of championship games against team that are inferior to a team you have already defeated.
In a championship tournament you will likely have a bad night. You must play hard enough to win when the ball doesn´t bounce right.