KAC Thunder: Wednesday am update

Practice has been changed. By that, I mean that today (Wednesday) we'll be at Boys & Girls Club to participate in their weekly Boston Pizza competition, a 5-on-5 pickup format in their gym.

We're meeting there at 5 p.m. and play is from 5:30 to 7. We should have 5-6 players there and get some good competition against new faces. The more 5-on-5, the better. We have a lot of kinks to work out and this is a good opportunity, even if it's not technically a "scrimmage."

Boys & Girls Club is located on Waiola Street, next to Washington Middle School (Diamond Head side) and behind Zippy's (McCully). Go here for the map.

Practice schedule for the rest of the week:

Wednesday, 5 p.m., Boys & Girls Club of Honolulu
Thursday, 4:30 p.m., Kahala Park
Friday, 4:30 p.m., Kahala Park
Saturday, 4:30 p.m., Kahala Park
Sunday, 3 p.m. pregame, 4 p.m. game, Kalani High School gym

KAC Thunder: Tuesday update

Solid practice yesterday, Thunder. Got some shooting and ballhandling work in, then a 40-minute scrimmage with some of the older players at Kahala Park. We've needed 5-on-5 work in the most desperate way. Making mistakes in that situation is fine. We need to expose ourselves and make our mistakes in that environment in order to correct them. Now that we've had a couple of scrimmages, it's easier to see and anticipate where those flaws are.

The scrimmages also give us a chance to improve and develop chemistry. Going 3-on-3 is also productive, but doesn't compare to 5-on-5.

Today, we'll work on the pressbreaker and walk through our delay game. We didn't have a four-corners page in our playbook before, so now's a good time to get acquainted. This will allow us to have much better clock management in the final minutes of a game.

We'll also shoot a lot of free throws just like yesterday.

Players and parents, if you see this before Wednesday, please take note. We may go to Boys & Girls Club on Wednesday to participate in their weekly Boston Pizza competition. I've been keeping in touch with an old friend, Dickson Wong, who is on staff athletic director at Boys & Girls Club. It's just a 5-on-5 pickup-game style competition. It won't be controlled or structured the way I prefer (scrimmage), but it'll give us new competition and another opportunity to develop. It probably won't be as good as playing older people at the park. It's not as convenient, either. But if we can get at least five Thunder players to meet at Boys and Girls Club tomorrow, maybe we'll give it a try.

And finally ...

For you guys who asked about practicing on Thursday, our only real day off — let's do it. I'll be there at 4:30 pm. More like 5, actually, after I pick Josh up from summer school. You hoopaholics.

Jordan

Handles

Some fun, but effective dribbling skills. I don't care if it's "fancy." My question is, Is it going to build your confidence with the ball? If the answer is yes, then work on it! If the drill can be used in a game, better yet. I sure as heck don't want to see any carrying and palming violations, the stuff that And1 used to popularize. But I do want to see mastery. It's a beautiful thing and, more importantly, it's a very effective thing.

Basics by Pistol Pete Maravich.

This one's good, too, but you have to go to the link: dribbling skills.

Shooting fundamentals

Links only for Pistol Pete Maravich's shooting fundamentals ("Homework Basketball").

Basketball Shooting 1: The Setup
Basketball Shooting 2: Mechanics
Basketball Shooting 3: Mechanics (continued)
Basketball Shooting 4: Psychology
Basketball Shooting 5: Application
Basketball Shooting 6: Recap


Drop vs. Hop

Passing fundamentals

Thunderous

Well done, Thunder. Working together and working hard have been so crucial to your success. What's not to like about four wins in four games? When bodies are colliding and you're fighting for every loose ball on the floor, that's all about guts and heart. When everything else is equal, that's the trump card.

Do we have areas that can be improved? Of course. There isn't a team alive that can't get better. So we're back to work today (Monday). You have your chance to improve individually through repetitions. Shooting. Dribbling. Passing. Defense. Rebounding. That's why we're there at the park working diligently almost every day while everyone else is cruising. If you love the game, you want to reach your potential.

Today, we'll work on ballhanding, passing and shooting from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Anyone else who wants to stay longer, I'll be there until 7. Hopefully, we can scrimmage the same guys who were there last Monday. That would help us with our passing and timing, especially on the fastbreak.

Keep up the good work, Thunder!

Practice schedule, June 28-July 3
Monday, 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, 4:30 p.m. (I'll be there by 5 since I pick up Josh from summer school across town.)
Wednesday, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, no practice
Friday, 4:30 p.m. (I'll be there by 5.)
Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, game, be at Kalani gym by 3 p.m., game is at 4 p.m.

Are you ready to play, Thunder?

Another step

Are you guys enjoying the season? I think you are. At the same time, we haven't come close to playing our best basketball yet. We have six more games to reach closer to that goal: a great performance as a team.

Coach Bo and I agree last game was a great effort from everybody in terms of hustle. Everything else that could be better, we'll continue to work on at practice. Between Monday and today, I think each player averaged about 100-150 shots, even with our ballhandling drills and Monday's scrimmage. The scrimmage against some of the young adults who play at the park was a good 35-40 minutes of action for the guys who made it to practice: Karl, Kerl, Kevin, Orion and Shawn. (Colby sat out because of his ankle injury.) We need more scrimmage work to eliminate the kinks. It's much harder to improve without that consistent 5-on-5 work.

Wednesday, back to practice again and, hopefully, we'll have another scrimmage. We'll also find out if Colby's doctor will give him the OK to start playing again.

Pure

Mahalo Coach Bo

You are the Equalizer. You always know what the boys need to remember, whether it's on the practice court or in the midst of a game in the gym. Being Tai's chauffeur is a tough job, but one day, he'll appreciate it. They always do, right?

20-minute shooting workout

All you need is a ball and a rim.

Quickness is a choice

Diagonals

Basic handles

Crossover is a move to be used selectively: 1. When the defender gives you plenty of space and cannot reach and tip it away, and 2. the defender is taller (and not as low to the ground), which gives you a natural advantage on the cross.

Tarantula

This guy does the Spider drill pretty decent. It's not about fancy dribbling or showing off. It's about developing your skill level to such a high level that your confidence is unsurpassable against anyone on the court.

Original LMU fastbreak

Thunder, this is how we bring some of that lightning. One part is pressure defense. Another is the fastbreak.

We run a modified version of what LMU used back in the day (1990) when they were at their peak. You can go to this site, scroll down to "Paul Westhead Loyola Marymount Fastbreak System" and see the step-by-step process of that awesome system.

Our modifications are: the 2 goes left, 3 goes right (to the wings); the 4 has the option to run directly to the low post without stopping at the elbow; the 1 is encouraged to pass upcourt to the 2 or 3 before they spot up. These mods are not hugely different, but they make things simpler for us.

Take a look, see what you like or don't like and tell me what you think. There's no one perfect system for all teams. This fastbreak, however, suits us well. We just need to get used to the uptempo pace — full throttle on every possession, a controlled aggression. That takes time and repetition. We're getting there.

Thank you, Roy and Kyle

Roy, you are a true traffic navigator with all the driving you do for your family. I just want to thank you for stepping in so often when we need more bodies on the court to run plays and fastbreaks. I want to thank you, too, Kyle. I think you led us in steals at practice on Monday. Without the two of you, it would've been really difficult for the guys to learn the new plays on Monday and Tuesday. You're both basically our scout team! (Without the scouting.)

Thank you, Parents

Phyllis, thank you so much for organizing the post-game snacks and drinks for the boys. They really devoured that pizza! Mahalo for stepping up and taking charge of that and the scorekeeper assignments.

Glenn, mahalo for keeping score two weeks in a row. I know it's hard to keep score and enjoy the game as a fan at the same time, but you performed the most important job at the games aside from the referees/officials.

Practice schedule

For the rest of the week:

Wednesday, June 16, 4:30 p.m., Kahala Park

Thursday, June 17, no practice (Lakers-Celtics, Game 7)

Friday, June 18, 4:30 p.m., Kahala Park

Saturday, June 19, 4:30 p.m., Kahala Park

Sunday, June 20, 4 p.m., game, Kalani High School

Daily dosage

KAC Thunder,

Sometimes I joke with you guys that I "know" you're shooting 500 shots every day on your own. Yeah right. But the past two practices, we've really done a lot more shooting drills than usual. My estimate is that each player has averaged about 100-150 shots at each practice from in close, mid-range and 3-pointers. I like this. I think you guys are enjoying it, too.

Repetition builds confidence. Muscle memory, too. There's just no substitute for repetition of sound fundamentals. There's also nothing quite like the sound of an all-net swish.

I'm glad everyone who's been able to make practice this week is learning the new plays for zone offense and man offense pretty quickly. With each passing day, everything sinks in a little more. For the guys who are already busy with school teams (maybe learning a whole 'nother set of plays), don't stress. The new plays we have are "cousins" of the ones you already know. You'll see.

>> Orion — Keep working diligently and consistently. Your focus and work ethic are among the best on the team, and the result is that your shooting touch is really coming along nicely. When you follow through and let your shooting hand do the work, you have great form.

>> Shawn — Your hustle and heart are so crucial to our team. The boys feed off your energy and positive vibes, but you already know that, I'm sure. Hope you are feeling better today. We missed you yesterday.

>> Kerl — I know you are having fun playing the game you love, but I want you to know that I appreciate your sacrifice. Playing point guard is not easy. It's work. It's responsibility. Figuring out when to attack and when to orchestrate ... even the PGs in the pros and colleges are always challenged to learn and learn. You're doing a very good job.

>> Karl — That was one of the best blocks I've seen in my life on Sunday. That play said it all. Shots go in and shots miss, but defense never fails with that kind of spirit and hustle. That block was not just stunning; it was as big a play as any in the game. It stopped them from scoring an easy layup and kept us in the game at a crucial time. You laid down the Thundurrrr!

>> Kevin — I hope you're feeling better, too. We missed you yesterday. You would've enjoyed it. Lots and lots of shooting drills. I think I'm going to call you Kid Clutch for awhile. That rainbow 3-pointer on Sunday to win the game was unforgettable.

>> Tai — I'm glad you always come to practice even after hours on the football field up at Saint Louis. It makes a difference to the guys and it definitely helps when we're adding new plays. Take care of that ankle.

>> Mike — You and Tai are the two best freshmen athletes in the league. There's so much potential in the two of you, you remind me a lot of two freshmen I coached at Kaimuki 10 years ago, Daniel Tautofi and Junior Maiava. They were skilled, physically gifted, smart kids with a sense of humor. They also were playful and sometimes distracted. I had to discipline them many times before they realized how much they wanted to contribute and succeed. It's all a part of growing older and wiser. You're both on the way.

>> Cody — Practice is not the same without you, bruddah. While you are enjoying the NBA-quality basketball floor in the beautiful new air-conditioned Maryknoll gym, think about us out in the sun, on the hardcourt, sweating our tails off. Wouldn't you rather be having fun with us? Just kidding.

>> Colby — Be careful with the ankles. I know you love the game and would play all out if the doctor let you, but be cautious. Shooting drills are OK. Running and jogging, no.

>> Josh — You are the only person I know who is as busy in the summer as he is during the school year. That band trip to Japan seemed to last months! You're catching on pretty well to all the new plays you missed. I know you know that practicing with us is a teeny bit more fun than practicing with the guys at Kamehameha. What can I say? We do a lot of shooting.

See you guys at practice this afternoon. Keep thinking and hearing ... SWISH.

Coach Paul

Never a dull moment!

Hail to our KAC Thunder, aka Sonics, formerly Rockets, formerly Bulls.

The Thunder are now 2-0 in the KAC summer league, masters division (14-17). A 3-point bomb by Kevin on a pass from Shawn as time ran out in overtime gave the Thunder a 39-37 win over the Heat. A heart-stopper, almost. I've been coaching and reffing basketball off and on for almost 30 years, and Sunday's game gave me as many ups and downs as I can remember from just one game. Thrills and chills, baby.

It was much different from last week's win over the Bulls (64-42). The Heat have a lot of experienced players and a nice mix of size, quickness and terrific guard play. We couldn't get our pressure defenses going until the second half this time, and our hesitancy on offense derailed what little momentum we had many times.

Even with the challenges, our guys never quit hustling and rallied from 10 points down to force overtime. When Kevin hit that rainbow 3-pointer from the left wing — it seemed to hang up near the ceiling for many seconds — his teammates immediately rushed him in celebration. It went from halfcourt all the way to the other side of the floor, as if we'd won the NCAA or NBA championship. Coach Bo and I just smiled. Much as I don't care for overcelebrating, these kids really deserved the moment. They've really worked hard at practice, trying to learn whatever we've implemented with mixed results, but trying nonetheless.

The Legend of Kevin is underway, coming off his plethora of 3-pointers last week against the Bulls. But it wasn't just Kevin. A lot of great hustle by everyone, from Tai (on a sore ankle) to Karl (huge block in the final minute of regulation) to Orion (relentless on the boards) to everyone.

The great part of it is that we really haven't come close to playing a complete game. Though the halfcourt press was key in the final quarter and overtime, we didn't run it properly in the third quarter, and the fullcourt press was too soft in the first half.

The fastbreak? Nonexistent off misses and makes by the other team. Back to the drawing board and more drills at practice this week. I don't expect the system to lock in immediately; it's not like we run hills on the beach or up stairwells in a condominium building. But we're getting there. Legs are getting stronger and chemistry is starting to form.

If we get any semblance of those elements, and also learn some zone offense sets, we could improve a whole lot. I seek perfection, but simple improvement is all I really expect. I think the boys have the same expectation, too, if not last week, then certainly after yesterday's win.

Congratulations, Thunder. Moving on to next week.

Never another like him: Wooden

I've met people, one actually, who did meet John Wooden during his coaching years at UCLA. She was, and remains, in awe of the man. He was simple, down to earth and always had a friendly hello for students on campus who merely wanted to say hello. Championships or not, he was still a teacher and friend, first. Unyielding in his principles on and off the court, no doubt, but a teacher and friend.

I've often told players to 'Be quick, but don't hurry.' Yeah, I stole that from Coach Wooden. Who hasn't?

The UCLA cut I mention more than occasionally at practice? Another byproduct of Wooden. If our KAC Thunder team can run it with just half the effectiveness that Wooden's Bruins did, it would make me happier than any slam dunk. (Not that dunks are coming for our team of hustling "little" guys.)

Coach Wooden lived a long, productive life. He was human, after all, passing before he could hit the century mark. But man, he was as close to an angel in basketball as we ever had. And ever will.

Aloha, Talofa, Welcome!

First post, high post, low post ... this is all about basketball, not just Ala Wai or one of my favorite coaches, Paul Westhead.

But it does have a lot to do with Ala Wai Park, where I first played the sport, and Westhead, who helped bring the game back to its roots during his four decades teaching the true DNA of roundball. It is a game that is primal and quick in its true form. Smart and structured, yet free and flexible in many ways.

I've never had a complaint from a player in this system. I probably never will. When all the pieces and parts blend together — this can only happen with full commitment by each player and coach in the system — there is almost nothing more joyful on Earth.

It is, in essence, the original Beautiful Game.

While the design is wonderful DNA, the guts of the system is work ethic. Like anything else, nothing worth working for is acquired without blood, sweat and tears, and not necessarily in this order.

The Beautiful Game, i.e. the system, is always worth the extra sweat, a few drops of blood and even the tears.