Good Guards

Far too often, high school guards believe that what college coaches are looking for is someone to light up the scoreboard. While scoring is certainly an advantage, you can make it as a college guard if you understand and master all four points listed below, even if you are not a great scorer.

Good guards...

1. Get their team into offense by:

*Developing a good handle
- Including the retreat dribble

*Knowing how to attack pressure
- Always looking up the floor
- Looping the lag guard to create an open side of the floor
- Using the retreat dribble to back out of traps, stay out of trouble, and to space the floor
- Avoid dead man’s corner

*Know when and how to feed the post

*Creating through dribble penetration
- Both for the post and the perimeter
- Deliver the pass into the shooting pocket
- Make use of on ball screens to assist in penetration and to create your own scoring opportunities

*Making good decisions
- Know their teammates
- Take reasonable risks, think running the break
- Know game situations (clock, score, possession arrow, etc.)
- This bullet is bold for a reason

2. Knock down the open jump shot

*Doing their homework early when it comes to foot organization

*By “one-twoing” into all 3 point shots

3. Defend the dribble

*Can pick up fullcourt and work the dribbler

*Can flatten out dribble penetration on the ½ court

4. “Run the Show”

*Recognize the importance of good guard leadership

*Are “self-authorized leaders”

*Number 4 is in italics and underlined because you must be a coach on the court