|
A
FILIPINO player’s lack of size may be the reason why it
is easier to find a talented guard rather than a
talented center in the country.
I am not
sure if this was the reason behind coach Ron Jacobs
penchance to build his team around a solid point guard,
a practice passed down to his basketball disciples.
Perhaps, Jacobs also believes that a point guard is the
extension of the coach on the floor.
For a
coach who is building a team around this thought, he
must find the right guard for his team, primarily the
one who is expected to put things in order and be the
leader. He must be the first to understand the system
and effectively relay it to his teammates as the
mentor’s extension on the floor.
Other
things to consider are:
Ball-handling skills.
He must
have the ability to handle the ball with either hands
and maneuver it effectively when running the offense.
Ball-handling ability calls for the ability to squeeze
out of tight situations on the floor.
Passing
ability.
Although
there was the emergence of the point guards in recent
years, there is no change in the primary responsibility
of the point guard, which is to distribute the ball with
an effective pass to the right person at the right time
with the right scoring opportunity to boot.
Quickness and speed.
Time is of the essence in running the offense, so it is
important for a guard to make decisions and create
situations for the team to score in a matter of seconds
based on what he reads in an opponent’s defensive setup.
Adequate
scoring ability.
The ability to create situations includes the ability to
score at will when there is no other option. A point
guard should have the ability to drive and hit the long
shot when the situation calls for it.
Defensive abilities.
A point
guard must be able to defend effectively against the
rival point guard and disrupt whatever plans he may have
in running the offense. This includes providing help
defense down low and providing a safety net when the
opponents undertake a fastbreak on the other end.
An off
guard should have the same measure of basketball
abilities, although he is expected to be
offensive-minded without the usual responsibility of
thinking about what offense to run or how to break an
opponent’s defense.
An off
guard is often the better shooter and scorer between the
two guards. But there are situations that scoring may be
put aside when he should run the offense in lieu of the
point guard, should the latter be contained.
I was
asked so many times on who among these are the most
important and I would say all of these are important for
our guards to compete.
But if I
were a basketball god, I would give a guard the size of
a power forward to be able to force mismatches on his
opponent.
If we
were able to produce a player above six-feet-four with
the same exceptional abilities needed in a guard, then
we are well on the way to making a bigger impact in
international basketball. That is aside from producing a
quality center.
This is
particularly true in the National Basketball Association
(NBA) where guards are really tall. If I remember right,
Johnny Abarrientos was considered for a slot in an NBA
team several years ago, but this fizzled out as the NBA
focused on welcoming the Chinese and Japanese instead.
But a
coach, particularly an innovative one, should not be
trapped in stereotypes. In same manner that a tall
player does not necessarily make him a center, a small
player is not necessarily a good guard.
But in a
country that is filled with small players, a coach must
then make a decision on the kind of guard, particularly
the point guard, he wants for the team.
In this
vein, it depends on what kind of system he is running
and what the point guard is called upon to do in this
system.
And
because a point guard is a mentor’s extension on the
floor, it follows that he should have a solid
relationship with the coach and must be able to grasp
immediately the instructions and relay it in an
effective manner to his teammates.
Beyond
the technical details, I believe that the guards are the
heart and soul of the team.
****
THIS
week’s query comes from Adel G. from Malate, Manila, who
wrote:
Dear
Coach E,
Is it
important for a player to learn to dribble with both
hands?
Dear
Adel,
To be
honest, the ability to dribble well is very important.
Remember that aside from the pass, the dribble is a way
to transport the ball around. This is even more
important if you are a guard. But remember that
dribbling is only the tip of the iceberg as you should
learn in depth other skills needed in playing the
sport.
Coach E |
