"Decisions ... Decisions ... Decisions"

Its game day. During the emotion and stress of the game, a large number of decisions will need to be made. Some may have little or no impact on the game while others could determine the outcome of the game.

Can you prepare in advance for game day adjustments? I think its yes and no. Its good to practice some late game situations in practice. Have the clock on the practice floor and go through some of the possible late game situations you might find yourself in. You can have a "special" set play you want your team to execute if it comes down to a final possession that determines the game. One of the more difficult game decisions, if you are playing without a shot clock, is when do you decide the clock is the enemy rather than the opposition?

Sure is easy to make game time decisions before the game starts.

For me this was an area that I felt least prepared for when I started coaching and an area I needed the most growth in. We all have our own ways of handling the stress and pressure on game day. Having the right assistant with you on the bench is HUGH. Give them bench responsibilities such as keeping track of timeouts, both your opponents and yours. Have them keep you aware of foul situations both individual and team. You might even consider having set plays you have practice all ready diagramed out so you don't have to review them during the time out. Make sure if it comes down to the last shot your team understands who you want to take shot. This is where practicing late game situations is helpful.

Some things you may want to consider before the heat of the moment ....

1. If you are on defense and your opponent takes a time out, are you going

to change your defense?

2. Have you practiced taking an intentional foul that does not appear to be

an intentional foul to stop the clock?

3. If up by 3 late with only a few seconds on the clock, are you going to foul

or play it out?

4. Who may you need to substitute for late in the game because they are

not good free throw shooters?

5. Who can you foul on the opposition because they are not good free throw

shooters?

6. Can you take away your opponent's best player late in the game and

force someone else on their team to beat you?

7. If you have the last shot, when do you take the shot and still leave time for

a second shot?

8. If your opponent scores late to take the lead or tie the score, are you

going to call time out or attack?

9. Does your team know what you want and who you want to take the last

shot?

10. How many players are you going to send to the offensive board on the

last shot?

11. Who's back on the last shot should you turn it over? (Make sure you have

floor balance.)

12. When your down by 5 late in the game, does a 3 point shot have to be

taken first? I have seen far to often teams in this situation come down

and hurriedly burp up a 3. If possibly, since you need 2 possessions, take

the ball to the rim take a higher percentage shot.

13. Up by 3 with less than 10 seconds on the clock and you are on defense.

Are you going to foul or play out the possession?

I have seen charts covering 30 or more possible situations that might occur during a game for you to practice. Personally, I think you can create more confusion than necessary by trying to have your team ready for a large

number of end game possibilities. Try to cover a few that are most likely to happen.

I am not sure there is a right or a wrong answer for any of the 13 or so questions I listed. I do believe this. YOU need to know how you are going to

handle these game time decisions and hopefully so does your team.