with Eric Bridgeland,
Whitman College Head Coach;
led Whitman to a 104-14 record (.881) from 2014-15 through 2017-18;
back-to-back unbeaten conference records in 2017 & 2018;
2018 Basketball Times D-II Men's Coach of the Year;
2018 HoopDirt.com D-III Men's Coach of the Year;
2018 NABC West District Coach of the Year
Eric Bridgeland, head coach at Whitman College, led his team to back-to-back undefeated conference records in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons thanks to an offensive system that was virtually impossible for opponents to stop. A huge portion of Bridgeland's offense hinges on his players' ability to make the correct decisions when using ball screens, and in this video, he passes on his methods for helping athletes pick their spots to attack off ball screens.
Philosophy
On offense, your goal should always be to get easy scoring opportunities as close to the basket as possible. Ball screens are one of the best avenues to getting deep in the paint to create these scoring chances.
Coach Bridgeland's ball screen approach, combined with his attacking fence offense, is designed to teach players to run, get to the paint, put constant pressure on the defense, and produce more possessions. Ball screens give players ownership of the offense, as they are the ones creating and mastering the action as the game goes on.
Guard Breakdown
In his guard breakdown, Bridgeland teaches how to attack various types of screen defense. From the hard show to soft show, to switching defenses, to icing the ball handler, your guards will learn how to attack them all coming off of a screen.
Through 2v2 drills, players learn to change their speed as they approach the screen and look to square up just past the screener to create misdirection. Off of this action, they can look to attack. Whether pushing off the leg of the defender as they go by or getting low using a bulldog drive into the paint, your players will create advantages they can use to get into the paint.
Post Breakdown
In the post break down, Bridgeland shows how to set solid screens and keep proper spacing. Post players learn to pop off the screen if they have range to help spread out the defense. They also learn to roll wide just outside the lane line, which allows the ball handler to continue to attack the rim and get into the paint. In Bridgeland's 1v1 drill, post players set the screen on a defender and read the help-side defender to determine how they are supposed to react to the screen.
Rounding out the video is a 3v3 and 4v4 live section where players learn to read screens in game speed. Coach Bridgeland uses the 3v3 and 4v4 formats to make the practice environment more controlled and help players adjust to the faster pace.
This is an excellent video for coaches looking to use ball screens as a complement to their base offense. Ball screens can open up a wide array of scoring opportunities and Coach Bridgeland shows how to help your team master the concept!
81 minutes. 2019.
BD-05519B:
with Eric Bridgeland,
Whitman College Head Coach;
led Whitman to a 104-14 record (.881) from 2014-15 through 2017-18;
back-to-back unbeaten conference records in 2017 & 2018;
2018 Basketball Times D-II Men's Coach of the Year;
2018 HoopDirt.com D-III Men's Coach of the Year;
2018 NABC West District Coach of the Year
With a 104-14 record over the span of four seasons (2015-2018), Whitman College head coach Eric Bridgeland has clearly figured out an offensive system that consistently wins games. That system? The Fence Offense!
The fence offense is similar in many ways to the popular dribble drive motion offense with a few slight differences. Bridgeland has incorporated more dribble hand-offs, flare screens, and relocation keys that make the fence offense equally, if not more effective than the dribble drive. This video contains everything Bridgeland uses to teach the fence offense and will help you learn to use it within your own program.
Spacing and Positioning
Using the NBA 3-point line, players space into the baseline corners, short corner post, and have their heels on the sideline as they're free throw line extended. From there, Bridgeland shows how to create slides and reads as a ball handler gets downhill and touches the paint, creating a scoring opportunity.
Whether it's scoring off the dribble or hitting a pitch, throw back or post slide, your players will learn to attack the rim fast and furious. Bridgeland enforces a "no standing zone" (baseline to free throw) as a way to gauge when and where players are supposed to move during a drive.
Offensive Actions
The best offenses have multiple actions that can be used to score the ball. Beginning with flare screen action, your players will learn to over-exaggerate their screens, preparing them for game speed action. As the ball handler attacks the paint, weak side players use a flare screen to set up an open 3-pointer. If the flare isn't open, the corner pitch is open to reverse the ball and use a two pass reverse to attack the paint again.
When the flare isn't available, your players will be able to initiate action through dribble hand-offs on the strong side of the floor, opening up a gap for wing players to attack the rim. Off of the dribble hand-off, athletes have multiple options, including:
- Catch and shoot
- Catch, fake, and shoot
- Catch, fake, two dribble attack
- Throw back for a shot after a paint touch
Bridgeland also demonstrates how to put both the flare and the dribble hand-off together for the main action in the offense. Using both actions together on ball reversals or initial action, your offense can get the ball into the paint and create easy scoring opportunities.
Reads and Film
Rounding out Bridgeland's in-depth look at the fence offense is a read drill where players learn to read the help-side and middle defenders. From there, athletes can create multiple attacking actions. Coach Bridgeland also provides a few game clips from previous seasons so you see the action in real speed.
For coaches looking to implement an offense that's similar to (but simpler than) the dribble drive offense, look no further than Coach Bridgeland's fence offense!
58 minutes. 2019.
BD-05519C:
with Eric Bridgeland,
Whitman College Head Coach;
led Whitman to a 104-14 record (.881) from 2014-15 through 2017-18;
back-to-back unbeaten conference records in 2017 & 2018;
2018 Basketball Times D-II Men's Coach of the Year;
2018 HoopDirt.com D-III Men's Coach of the Year;
2018 NABC West District Coach of the Year
With over 300 career wins at the Division III level, Eric Bridgeland has proven he has the coaching chops to develop high-achieving teams. A run of successful seasons under Coach Bridgeland has placed Whitman as one of the top programs in the country that also focuses on developing off the court relationships and leaders in today's world. His fast-paced system has made for a fun style of play that your players will love to play within themselves.
Philosophy
In Coach Bridgeland's unstoppable fast break, all bets are off. Players are taught to get to the paint - no matter what. If you can keep your dribble and attack in the open court, do it! If you can hit the wings flying up the court, do it and attack middle! If you can hit a rim runner for an easy score at the rim, do it! By attacking mid-line defenders, your opponent will quickly find themselves in foul trouble and frustrated due to allowing easy buckets at the rim.
You'll see how to teach your athletes to draw two defenders to open up the floor and create more driving lanes once the ball is in the half court. This style of play makes it tough for defenses to deny or take away any one player, as all athletes on offense are looking to attack the paint. You'll put constant pressure on the defense to stop you at the rim.
Spacing and Rules
In order to open the floor, Bridgeland incorporates a traditional setup: two wings, an inbounder, a post runner, and a ball handler. The ball handler looks to advance the ball as quickly as possible by dribbling or hitting the open wing ahead. Coach Bridgeland gives his point guard three rules to remember at all times:
- Get the ball inbound quickly
- Get to the paint as soon as possible
- Make sure you have a trail inbounder
Drills
4v0 Transition will allow your players to get used to sprinting to their spots. Players start out at a 75% pace and move up and down the floor, creating proper spacing and positioning. In this pace, athletes are able to visualize where the defense will cut them off and how to reverse the ball quickly in order to create another driving angle to score.
Using traditional fast break drills, Coach Bridgeland helps his players develop the speed and passing skills necessary to play at a fast pace and also attack the paint. Guards work in a 2v2 format, focusing on getting open off the inbound pass and attacking the middle third of the floor. They also work to get open to split their defenders and create separation.
Rounding out the video, Bridgeland finishes with 5v0 and 5v5 situations where players have to put everything together in a set amount of time. This teaches athletes to be aware of time and score and helps them get an idea of how quickly they need to move up and down the floor in transition.
This video from Coach Bridgeland is a great resource for any program. Your players will have fun running and attacking the basket aggressively while collecting easy transition buckets.
61 minutes. 2019.
BD-05519D:
with Eric Bridgeland,
Whitman College Head Coach;
led Whitman to a 104-14 record (.881) from 2014-15 through 2017-18;
back-to-back unbeaten conference records in 2017 & 2018;
2018 Basketball Times D-II Men's Coach of the Year;
2018 HoopDirt.com D-III Men's Coach of the Year;
2018 NABC West District Coach of the Year
Since taking over as head coach at Whitman College, Eric Bridgeland has produced three players who have captured Northwest Conference player of the year honors. In this video, he includes a closer look at how he develops players' individual skill sets and gets them ready for the next level of competition.
Foundational Drills
Beginning with form shooting, Coach Bridgeland has his athletes use a low squat stance to collect power from their legs, hold their fingertips out, and over-exaggerate their follow-through to develop shooting technique.
In the Attacking Defenders drill, your players will play 1v1 and use Bridgeland's direct drive concept: players throw the ball out in front of them and chase after it to get to the paint in as few dribbles as necessary. It's here that athletes practice getting low and clipping the hip of their defender to separate themselves from the defense.
Advanced Skills
After laying out the foundation moves for his players, Bridgeland kicks things up a notch. In 2 Ball Shooting, players use a variety of actions to attack the paint and get to the rim. In Rip and Go, athletes play 2v1 and work on reading the attacker as the defender makes them pull up or stop in the middle of the paint. If a player can finish around the rim, Bridgeland requires them to do so. Meanwhile, if an attacker needs to kick the ball out, the offensive player creeps and swoops around the NBA 3-point line to maximize their spacing on the floor. Bridgeland finishes the drill using the jab & fake and separation moves to equip players with the tools they need to succeed.
In ASE Jump Shot, players relocate off of a baseline drive and work on rising into their shot. They also practice combining moves as they move around the floor, working on step backs, the rip and go, or using any other separation move they feel necessary.
This is an excellent individual skill development video taught by a coach who has sent six players overseas to play professionally in the last 10 years. His attention to detail and emphasis on attacking the rim are universal skills that will benefit any basketball player in any system.
58 minutes. 2019.