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Defensive Rebounding
Defensive Rebounding is enormously important. While it is obvious to everyone that we need the ball to be able to score ourselves, it is understood by only a few that scoring percentages are very different to shooting percentages.
Sacred Cow “Box out!!!”
Observe: This sacred cow, is so entrenched that it is seemingly beyond dispute.
Problem: Boxing out, does not in itself provide us the best rebounding position. We find ourselves in the same position as what the offence dictated. While this may hinder our ability to rebound, it also may hamper our transition from Defence to Offence. Boxing out, also implies each offensive player is guarded by one defensive player. This also may not suit the problem set, and it means only one side of the offensive player can be defended at any time.
Origin: The overriding philosophy predominantly from American Football coaching, is that everyone needs to take care of their own assignment. Man on Man principles dominate this theory.
The Solution
The importance of imparting that Defensive Rebounding is paramount cannot be understated.
Every Player must be inculcated in the importance of this, otherwise it is just another wearisome task. Players (and Coaches) typically look at opposition shooting percentages. All other things being equal a 55% shooting percentage, should win against a team with a 35% shooting percentage. However, if a 35% shooting team, achieves an offensive rebound off of every missed shot, they may be achieving a greater scoring percentage every time down the floor. The result is the team with a 55% shooting accuracy, actually loses, since their % was entirely off of one shot per offence. Defensive Rebounding matters, and not just to retrieve the ball for our own offence to begin, but to snatch the ball at the very first opportunity to deny second chance points to the opposition.
Every Media Article that you draft (or social media post), should give credit for rebounding over points (or neglecting mention of points at all), is very beneficial in rewarding and encouraging effort.
Every Game, and in the same way that we analysed opponents when contesting shots, we also need to analyse opponents disposition for rebounding. It may be necessary to plan our Defensive Reounding, with double teaming a dominant rebounder, so they cannot rebound on either side. We also need to understand whether opponents sneak for rebounds, or give up with a mild amount of resistance. Some offensive rebounders move late, waiting for the box out, before stepping around. Some will react to opportunties, while others will ride the bumps without much apparent effort until it really matters. All these atributes are necessary to understand in order to design your rebounding plan.
Every Team Drill, should be designed that it includes our Defensive rebounding plan. Too many team drills end with the shot itself, avoid these, or enhance them to conclude with Offensive and Defensive Rebounding.
Individual Rebounding is also seldom taught. Player routinely believe it is about jumping and catching the ball, then pivoting/passing/dribbling. It is lamentable that 20 years into a players career, I have still encountered players who are not aware that leaping for the ball, with the arm closest to the basket, will induce a quarter turn of the body on landing, and thereby reduce a pivot, and potentially ignite a fast break. While not achievable every possession, over the course of a game, or season, its another 0.01%'er that does matter.
The Defensive Rebounding Plan you implement, therefore needs to synchronise with the following:
Your Defensive Plan,
Analysis of your opposition, and
Your Offensive Transition Plan.
Your Offensive Transition Plan is ignited by Defensive Rebounding. You may find, that it is more important to have control of the foul line area, even if absent of an opponent to box out, to manage deflections, or long rebounds, and ignite your outlet game. You will also notice that the quicker your team converts rebounds into Offensive Transition, the more the opposition sacrifices their own offence in order to back pedal, play safety and try and slow down your transition. The result is they will have fewer and fewer offensive rebounds themselves and defensive rebounding gets easier and easier. By transitioning rapidly from defensive rebounding to offence, you make the opposition pay a penalty for rebounding.
Special Considerations you may notice is that a different rebounding plan is required on cold nights vs hot days, or when at different ends of the stadium, where a spring is stiffer on one basket. You may even note a difference if a ball is swapped. A faster or shorter team is likely to try and sneak an over inflated ball for longer rebounds. A slow or tall team prefers a softer under inflated ball for short rebounds. These are just some of the considerations which need to be comtemplated, even against the same opposition from game to game.
Key Teaching Points
1. Importance of Defensive Rebounding needs to be inculcated into all players as more important than shooting %'ers.
2. Recognise Effort through rewarding Defensive Rebounding ahead of points in all drafted media articles, discussions, debriefs and social media posts.
3. Synchronise Rebounding Plan with your Defensive Plan, Opposition traits and how that blends into your Offensive Transition Plan.