Have you ever watched a game and it is late in the 2nd half or 4th quarter and one team looks calm and the other looks panicked? How often does the calm team seem to win those close games? From my experience those calm teams are more relaxed and execute those late game scenarios at a much higher rate than the panicked team. The calm teams seem to always win those close games. How can you as a player or team be the calm team? I believe it starts with preparation before the game. Have you practiced what to do in those situations? Do you have a play for each situation? Do the players know what the expectations are in late games situations?
If you do not have plans for late game situations, then your team is going to be in a panic because they do not know what to do. I am going to list a bunch of late game scenarios and a couple of thoughts or ideas for each situation. If a coach or team does not know what to do for each scenario, then it might be a good idea to sit down and figure out what should happen in each instance. Then go out and practice them.
You could practice 2 scenarios every practice in a minute or two of practice. It does not take much time and then when the same situation happens in a game all of the players should know exactly what to do to win the game . That is how a team becomes the calm team in those close late game situations.
Definitions and My Rules
- ELOB-Endline Out of Bounds – Ball has to go full court
- SLOB – Sideline Out of Bounds – Ball is taken out on sideline
- BLOB – Baseline Out of Bounds – Ball is taken out under offensive team’s basket
- 1 Dribble = 1 Second
- 1 Pass = 1 Second
10 Seconds and Under
- Up 3 on Defense – Do you foul?
- Up 2 on Defense – Do you overplay the 3? You do not lose with a 2 only a 3.
- Up 1 on Defense – Extend? Deny? Double ball screens?
- Endline Out of Bounds(ELOB) with 4 seconds left on Offense – How far is the entry pass? Who catches? How many passes? How many dribbles? No passes gives player catching entry pass 3 dribbles.
- ELOB with 7 seconds left on Offense – Player can catch entry pass anywhere and shoot a layup with a straight drive.
- ELOB with 10 seconds left on Offense – A quick advance and quick set play can be ran.
- SLOB with 2 seconds or less left on Offense – A catch and shot
- SLOB with 4 seconds left on Offense – Catch and 1 dribble or pass and shot or Catch and shot with possible rebound
- SLOB with 7 seconds left on Offense – Catch and 1 action on offense. Pick and Roll? Off-ball Screen? Double Screen for somebody?
- SLOB with 10 seconds left – Catch and a full quick hitter can be ran.
- Shooting 1 Free Throw down 2 with 5 seconds left – Need to miss and get offensive rebound
- Shooting 1 Free Throw down 1 with 10 seconds left – What to do on miss? How to defend on make?
- Shooting 1 Free Throw tied game with 10 seconds left – Tie game on miss. Up 1 on make. How do you defend both situations?
- Shooting 1 Free Throw up 1 with 10 seconds left – Made 3-pointer loses game.
- Shooting 1 Free Throw up 2 with 10 seconds left – Do you foul on make? Must defend 3-pointer on make.
11 thoughts on “Late Game Scenarios”