3-Time Atlantic Sun (A-Sun) Conference Coach of the Year (2015, 2016 & 2020);
3-Time A-Sun Conference Regular Season Champions (2015, 2016 & 2020);
2015 A-Sun Conference Tournament Champion;
2015 NCAA Tournament & 2016 NIT postseason appearances;Successfully executing and ‘winning’ just one in-game special situation, can help you steal a victory or make a key extra basket in a tight game. Whether you have a special ‘go-to’ out-of-bounds play saved up and stashed in your hip pocket to run during a late-game situation, or a specific press break you enjoy unleashing on an unsuspecting defense, or a specific free-throw break you utilize against certain types of teams, these are all examples of special situations that every coach faces during the coach of every game – and they require thought, planning, dedicated practice time and plenty of repetitions.Being prepared for in-game special situations becomes even more critical when you are facing touch conference opponents, those teams who are familiar with your style of play, know your personnel and have your team well scouted.
Coach Driscoll unlocks his coaching vault and shares the inside secrets that have kept him well prepared and ready for a myriad of special situations during games throughout his coaching career. Driscoll’s attention to the planning, preparation and being ready for all the little details that are housed within every special-situation strategy has helped him create advantages for his players against some of the nation’s best teams in college basketball.
Practice Planning: Building-In Special-Situation Segments
To be ready for tough, competitive games against quality opponents, Driscoll explains how he’s learned how to prep his players for any situation and how he dedicated himself to practice planning -- virtually making a science of that aspect of his coaching philosophy.
Coach Driscoll outlines several ways that you can build-in segments for special situations into your practices. From opening a practice by running a set play to get your players mentally prepared for the games ahead, to having your players run a free-throw press break into a set play off a missed free throw – these are the kinds of situational things you prepare for to create an advantage against the toughest of opponents!
Sideline Out-of-Bounds Sets, Press Breakers
Possessing the ability to draw from a special section of your playbook and run a sideline out-of-bounds play, either late in a game, or even early on, as a way to steal a few extra points, are invaluable as a means of keeping opponents guessing and on their heels.
Coach Driscoll covers 8 different sets and utilizes detailed explanations, coaching points and teaching instruction with players in this video’s on-the-court setting. Demonstrating one of his favorite sets, Driscoll showcases a play that calls upon a cross-screen misdirection action and lob pass to the opposite forward. Off this play, as opponents make defensive adjustments to the cross-screening actions, Driscoll shows how your inbounder can sneak in and receive a pass back for an open 3-point shot in the corner.
From a box-set alignment, Coach Driscoll demonstrates how to use back screens and flare screens to set up for either an open look or use a spin-back move for an open layup.
Beating a tough pressing defense requires planning and preparation. As a result, having go-to press break options that you prepare for as a special situation is a key component for success. Coach Driscoll explains that knowing what you want to accomplish against a specific press is where the planning process begins, as well as taking into consideration of whether the press is applied by your opponent after a make or a miss. Driscoll explains why knowing how and when your opponent likes to unleash their press may be a game changer for your team; being prepared and having that knowledge, your players will already know where they are going to be pressured and feel confident in the press breaker you have supplied them with, as well as knowing that they have several counter-strategies ready in the event that the opponent utilizes something outside the norm.
Coach Driscoll shows 6 different press breaks – each with accompanying counters and contingencies so that your players can beat virtually any pressure that may be thrown at them. Your players will be ready to play with poise, move and cut with a purpose against pressing teams, and will love making the other team pay for pressing you 94 feet. Driscoll demonstrates one extremely effective press break, in which your lead guard uses a reverse pivot and escape dribble to get out of a double team and reverses the ball up the floor. Once you have the trap beat, the coach shows how you can make your opponent pay for pressing you, by using different actions as your sideline players scrape the sideline and open up the middle of the floor for a secondary pass.
This is an important coaching video for basketball coaches at all levels of the game and will get you thinking about special situations in ways you’ll be surprised at.
For your players, knowing that they are prepared to win the special situations that occur during games, provides them with confidence going into any game and decreases their anxiety on game-day. They’ll understand that they can work smarter and already have a plan in place to use against an opponent’s strength – which will ultimately pay dividends with an occasional ‘steal-and-a-bucket’ or well-executed inbounds play for a score – those types of in-game positive results that will help your team to stay in a game or hold on to a lead during a furious comeback.
Coach Driscoll loves having a plan to use in practice to prepare his players for almost every contingency. This video is a must-have if you are looking for ideas that will give your team an advantage against tough opponents, while simultaneously building up your players confidence on the court!
Coach Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars.‘I love the attention to detail and planning that Coach Driscoll brings to this video! From simple to teach, yet tough-to-guard inbound sets, to creative ways to break a variety of presses – watching this video has me pumped up and ready for my next practice!’
90 minutes. 2023.