Pat Chambers: “1-2-2 ¾ Court Press and General Discussion” 2020 Virtual Coaches Clinic Notes | Coach Tim Respass

Coach Pat Chambers – Head Coach, Penn State

1-2-2 ¾ Court Press Notes –

• Can be used to create havoc and cause turnovers
  • Get easy buckets for themselves
• Can also be used to take the clock down and get offense to play shorter half court possession
• 3 man at the top is playing cat and mouse, needs to be active and push the ball to a sideline
  • If the offense plays catch and just gets over half court, then the defense has done its job
• 1 or the 2 man attacks small, retreats big when the ball gets to their side
  • They have to be on the same page as the 3 man
• Want to keep the ball out of the middle of the floor and away from going up the sideline
  • Invite the pass back getting reversed
  • Opposite side defender has to take away middle, be ready to move on reversal
• It is all about the pace of play, when determining to create havoc or just take time off
• If a skip happens up court, have to be ready to sprint back
• 4 and 5 in the back line have to stay on the ‘rope’
  • One will take away the sideline and the other will help middle, switching on reversals
  • If a trap happens, need to spring to level of ball on opposite side when everyone else sprints back
  • Backside player has to take the corner
    • Very personnel driven in rotations
  • Guards need to commit to rebounding out of the press

Other Notes –

• 3 Keys in putting together a staff
  1. Loyalty
  2. Trust
  3. Work Ethic
     • It is all about how the pieces fit
• Need to be smart with how you approach putting together your staff
  
  • Experience is critical
  • Have your staff challenge you
    • Not just ‘yes’ men
• ‘Care’frontations
  
  • Open and honest talk about what is talking and not talking
  • Correct problems, even if it is painful, before it trickles down to the team
• What are the strengths of your players?
• What is the best way to utilize your players?
• Team game plan is worked out by who you have
  • Best for the team
    • How can we be the best team we can be?
• Non-negotiables on defense
  • Have to play hard, tough, physical
  • Stance, head turns, alert
    
    • Teach fundamentals, 1 on 1 zig zag slides
  •  Keep out of paint
  • Guard without fouling 

Quote (when speaking about the fundamentals): “We all want to run to 3^rd base and want to skip 1^st and 2^nd.”

Thoughts – Coach Chambers is very passionate about what he does, and it shows when he speaks. Being from Philadelphia, I was already excited for his clinic and got more into it as it went on. It was great to hear him speak on the fundamentals and use that term even at a level that he coaches at. He doesn’t lose sight of the important things in life as he finished out the clinic talking about how compassion is very key for the world right now and he hopes this brings everyone together.

Side note – Coach Chambers talked about coaching under Coach Dan Dougherty and getting to coach Wayne Ellington and Gerald Henderson in high school, who both played in the NBA. I saw their high school team play when I was still in high school and didn’t even realize that Coach Chambers was an assistant there.