Mike Hopkins (2)

SCOUTING ADJUSTMENTS AND BREAKDOWN DRILLS FOR 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE You’ll be using the famous Syracuse 2-3 zone defense to shut down the opposition. In this drill, players will learn the following: How to defend against specific offensive actions which are employed with the purpose of destroying or beating the 2-3 zone defense. How to build each critical aspect of your zone defense through breakdown drills for each position. They will also learn how to use the 2-3 zone defense to extend into a full-court man-to-man press. Your players will learn everything they need to know to create a unique zone defense. This will be achieved by a detailed explanation of the responsibilities of the players for each position, breakdown drills, in-game adjustments, as well as many others. 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE AND ROTATION SCOUTING ADJUSTMENTS AND BREAKDOWN DRILLS FOR 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE You’ll be using the famous Syracuse 2-3 zone defense to shut down the opposition. In this drill, players will learn the following: How to defend against specific offensive actions which are employed with the purpose of destroying or beating the 2-3 zone defense. How to build each critical aspect of your zone defense through breakdown drills for each position. They will also learn how to use the 2-3 zone defense to extend into a full-court man-to-man press. Your players will learn everything they need to know to create a unique zone defense. This will be achieved by a detailed explanation of the responsibilities of the players for each position, breakdown drills, in-game adjustments, as well as many others. 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE AND ROTATION The detailed explanation that will be given for each player position will teach players to defend effectively regardless of their position, whether as guards, centers, or forwards. When the ball is at the wing, the drills will help them slide to stop the shot without opening up driving lanes. Players will also learn to take away the high post pass and also cover return passes to the top. Using the 54 trap, your players can put pressure on your opponents and use help-side defenders to counter high post drive. 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE VS COMMON OFFENSE SETS The 2-3 zone defense can be adjusted to deal with constant changes the opposition makes to penetrate and attack the defense. Your players will be able to adapt effectively against several offensive strategies created to break down the defense. Some of these changes you can make defensively includes: When you’re playing against high post players with different skill levels, change your tactics. When the ball gets to the high post, use your center to press up or sag. Making sure that the ball is not in the middle by using your guards to disrupt double high post flashes. Rotate your players to cover the opposition's shooters when there are quick ball reversals. Use your center to create a wall that can effectively defend against high ball screens. Other strategies that can be adopted to defend against the opposition include strategies for defending the low post, covering perimeter shooters by rotating your center, stopping ball screens, stunting to prevent dribble penetration and strategies for defending against opponents that employ the use of four perimeter players on the offense. 2-3 ZONE DEFENSE POSITION DRILLS There are five position-specific drills that can teach each of the zone defense the fundamentals. These effective drills help your players to form a live wall which prevents or shuts down drives into the paint.

Creating an Efficient Perimeter Player Syracuse basketball has produced a number of outstanding perimeter players. University of Washington head coach Mike Hopkins is one of the reasons why. Hopkins, a 20-year-plus assistant to Jim Boeheim at Syracuse, is a master of perimeter basketball play. In this video, Coach Hopkins shares all aspects of perimeter development including increasing speed, improving shooting, and becoming mentally tougher. Hopkins became the head coach at Washington in 2017 and went 21-13 in his first season. His Huskies won the Pac-12 regular season title in 2018 and Hopkins was named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year. He has had a long and successful career in developing perimeter players and he shares his views and insights in this presentation. Winning the Baseline Drive Coach Hopkins uses a series of drills to work on the line and angle to the basket when driving to the key. Here, Coach Hopkins teaches players not to fight the defender but to use balance and quickness. The placement of the feet is crucial in beating the defender to the basket. Players also learn to expect and absorb contact while maintaining a strong base. Hopkins prefers the offensive player initiate the contact which helps to improve angles and increase shot percentages. Coach Hopkins also teaches players how to deal with second defenders who will no doubt come into play as the first defender is beaten. Change of Direction Moves To teach players to dribble low enough (something they rarely do), Coach Hopkins shows you the Dribble Touch drill series where players must stay low after making a change of direction move. Hopkins also shows you how to deal with defenders that crowd the basketball. He teaches a head-shoulder-leg technique that initiates contact with a defender without drawing a foul. The Walk Up Drill is another in which players learn to separate from defenders and get open on the perimeter. Dribbling posture is important to Coach Hopkins and he talks about how players are to react when facing defensive pressure on the ball. Hopkins emphasizes drills that work on creating space for the ball handler. Shooting Endurance Players must be in great shape to be able to shoot when they are tired. Spurs 100 is an outstanding shooting drill that Coach Hopkins uses at the end of his practices. The drill is a conditioner but also can be modified so that players are taking the same shots they would in a game situation. Coach Hopkins video will give you a greater appreciation of the skills and fundamentals needed to be a successful perimeter player. With years of experience in developing some of the best in college basketball, Coach Hopkins gives you all of the tools you will need to do the same in your program.