retired 80 yo coach out here is SD self-scouts SDSU practices and games for Steve Fisher (back before moving to Cali this coach was president of the Mich HS Basketball coaches assoc. and go to know both Fisher and Dick Vitale pretty well.
On the side he has been coaching shooting for the players at SDSU on their own time (interesting, SDSU has no hoop only facility that hampers their practice abilty, but one is being built due to recent success).
I asked why scoring is SO down.. (he said John Calipari backs this up). Players have went to the Euro Step and tear drop way too much. Coach said when he was in HS in early 50's they taught the tear drop, set shot, and layup. The coach saw an ad with a Minny Laker pro doing a jump shot and taught himself how to shoot. From that point on he led his HS and eventually his college conference in scoring. He said (as does Calipari) that players need to play on "two feet" square up and shoot, there is way to much runner stuff.. coach said back in the 1940/50's 35% shooting would win a ball game... until the jump shot, those numbers then climbed to 45% to win a game to due the effectiveness of the shot.
So it goes back to shooting jumpers.. he has worked with Kawai(sp) Leonard (said he was a phenomenal kid). Funny story, Kawai was avg'ing 20+ points for State.. they asked for coach's scout notes.. coach said he would change KAwaii's shot.. coaches said no need to as he was very effective. NBA's on strike and Kawaii is working at the gym.. coach laughs, he said they changed you're shot (Spurs shooting coach, a guy who played at Duke) And Kawaii said "yea.. like the second day".
Coach sat in Anaheim Elite 8 (MSU game) with a bigtime coach and they charted runner's and tear drops vs jump shots.. the other coach was amazed at how that coach was dead on. Calipari was in this tourney, he had a kid hit a 10 shot runner and shook his head.. as he knew (per a post-game interview) the kid would abandon the jumper and make for a far longer game than he was looking forward to coaching.. great stuff.-sg
On the side he has been coaching shooting for the players at SDSU on their own time (interesting, SDSU has no hoop only facility that hampers their practice abilty, but one is being built due to recent success).
I asked why scoring is SO down.. (he said John Calipari backs this up). Players have went to the Euro Step and tear drop way too much. Coach said when he was in HS in early 50's they taught the tear drop, set shot, and layup. The coach saw an ad with a Minny Laker pro doing a jump shot and taught himself how to shoot. From that point on he led his HS and eventually his college conference in scoring. He said (as does Calipari) that players need to play on "two feet" square up and shoot, there is way to much runner stuff.. coach said back in the 1940/50's 35% shooting would win a ball game... until the jump shot, those numbers then climbed to 45% to win a game to due the effectiveness of the shot.
So it goes back to shooting jumpers.. he has worked with Kawai(sp) Leonard (said he was a phenomenal kid). Funny story, Kawai was avg'ing 20+ points for State.. they asked for coach's scout notes.. coach said he would change KAwaii's shot.. coaches said no need to as he was very effective. NBA's on strike and Kawaii is working at the gym.. coach laughs, he said they changed you're shot (Spurs shooting coach, a guy who played at Duke) And Kawaii said "yea.. like the second day".
Coach sat in Anaheim Elite 8 (MSU game) with a bigtime coach and they charted runner's and tear drops vs jump shots.. the other coach was amazed at how that coach was dead on. Calipari was in this tourney, he had a kid hit a 10 shot runner and shook his head.. as he knew (per a post-game interview) the kid would abandon the jumper and make for a far longer game than he was looking forward to coaching.. great stuff.-sg
