Effective Post Play part 2

Effective Post Play part 2

Part of being an effective post player, as we approached in our previous post, was to have a solid fundamental base, this ties into my next thought of keeping it simple. Effective post players tend to have a simple, fundamental base to their game. Please keep in mind that everyone must score in the post at some point, whether you are a center, forward, or a guard. The post area is the money area and the basket area is the most often attacked part of a basketball floor.

So, let’s digress a second back into some solid simple ways to improve your post play. An effective post player must, as we have previously discussed, use both hands and feet well. They must hold their seals or use their backside to position and hold off defenders from getting good defensive position. Good post players also learn how to trick defenders with good footwork and pin them into positions that they cannot recover.

Simple and effective post play is greatly enhanced by a solid mid- range (10-15 feet) game. Good post players are able to get into the contested areas and knock down shots within the mid-range. It is often said that this is the most neglected but most important part of a young player’s game. Many coaches refer to it as a “lost art”.

Simple and effective post play requires you to be tough-minded or mentally tough. Playing in the post is tough and physical and good post players love the contact and do not get easily knocked off of their “A” game when the play gets overly physical or when they are the subject of cheap shots or “trash talk.” Solid post players realize they make their living in a “war zone” yet rise to the challenge.