KANSAS-MICHIGAN

We had a Foul or Defend last night in the Sweet 16.

HOOPS135@HOTMAIL.COM

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore

YOU MUST LEARN!

Last week Nate Oates, head coach at Romulus high school here in Michigan found himself in a Foul or Defend situation.  It was the state quarterfinals against arch-rival Detroit Pershing. Oates, who has fouled in the past stuck to his belief; he fouled. It worked!

Most people I talk to about Foul or Defend lean towards relying on their defense. (Some are still wet behind the ears, not really understanding the situation).

But make no mistake, some people, like a D-2 coach I sat with last night during a HS basketball game say right away, “OH I FOUL EVERY TIME!”

For some, it usually takes giving up a three to tie like myself and my guy Ray Lokar. It’s happened to me twice! I thought my defense could come up with the stop but nope, we gave up a three at the buzzer.

Yeah that’s right, we “see the light.”

Or, the light goes on.

Seven days ago in the Pac-12 tournament the Cal Bears were up three on Utah. They relied on their defense and gave up a game tying three.  In the extra session the Utes pulled out the win.

Last night the Bears found themselves up three vs UNLV in the NCAA tournament and wouldn’t you know it; they fouled.  Not once, but twice!

“I think that was on everyone’s mind,” David Kravish of California said. “I overheard the coaches talking, and they were like, ‘This time we have to foul. We have to foul.’ It worked out for us.”

Like my friend Bobby Walsh said on Twitter last night, “Old dog meet a new trick.”

Thus far in men’s division one college basketball there have been 43 “foul” situations and 40 have had the strategy work for them.

Cal fouling was the first time we have had a Foul or Defend in the 2013 post-season.

It was cool to hear the CBS guys Greg Anthony, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Greg Gumble talk about it in studio last night.

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

MARCH MADNESS

March, is by far the best month of basketball.

Starting with the college conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament, nothing beats the basketball being played.

Sit back and enjoy the next few weeks.

Greg Bishop of the New York Times on the St. Louis Billikens and their successful season.  Their current players will never forget their ex-coach who passed away this season.

“Just seeing what you’ve done on film, he could tell you exactly what you’re going to be good at, how you’re going to be good at it and what plays you could run to be good at what you’re going to be good at,” said Cody Ellis, his hair painted with a blue stripe down the middle. “He was brilliant.”

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

FOUL OR DEFEND? GIVE ME A T.O. BABY!

Since the beginning of the 2012-2013 basketball season I have been tracking the foul or defend situation at the NBA, college and high school levels.

301 late game situations have been analyzed since Nov. 1 where a team is up by three points, on defense with less than :07 to play.

Having talked to many coaches at all levels and watching a ton of games/highlights, and scanning websites for play-by-play, I have come away with some interesting and rather surprising numbers.

I have decided to use a “time out” and take a break from the study. I was thinking of picking it back up later in the season when we come down the stretch. Quite possibly for the conference tournaments and of course the NCAA tournament and the NBA playoffs. Just to see if anything changes in terms of numbers.

Here are the final numbers as of Jan. 12, 2013

301 total situations

On 30 possessions a team has fouled – 29 of those 30 have won the game without going to overtime. The only team that lost was Kent State. And that’s a story everyone needs to know. I’ll get to that later.

That leaves 271 defend situations: 48 times the team on offense made a three-point shot to tie the game and force overtime (17%).

I will have the results from overtime very soon. But as my guy Coach Lok likes to say, “results in OT are irrelevant, the decision was made…”

NBA Updated: (As of Jan. 12, 2013)

57  total situations

7 have fouled all 7 won the game (Celtics 3 x’s, Warriors 3 x’s and Blazers)

50 defended

10 gave up a three point make.

College:

201 total situations

13 fouled – 12 won the game

188 defended

28 gave up a three point make.

High School:

43 total situations

10 fouled – all 10 won the game

33 defended

10 gave up a three point make

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Twitter: @CoachFinamore

THINGS WE SAY AND DO

Quote of the Day

“Think about everything you do or say because it will have an effect on you or someone you know.” -Frank Layden

1-TH Online.com on Fred Hoiberg, Iowa State and a couple of new players. Iowa State rode a pair of one-and-done transfers to its first NCAA tournament appearance in seven years. The formula worked so well that the Cyclones will give it another go in 2012-13.

2-Jeff Goodman of CBS Sportslinechecks in a situation with Texas and the NCAA.  The NCAA is investigating whether Texas sophomore point guard Myck Kabongo has accepted impermissible benefits while working out in Ohio this past summer, Texas spokesman Scott McConnell confirmed to CBSSports.com. ”We’re aware of the situation,” McConnell told CBSSports.com. “But no judgment has been rendered by the NCAA.” The 6-foot-1 Kabongo is a Canadian who averaged 9.6 points per game last season and was in Ohio working out with Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson — a long-time friend and fellow Canadian who also played at Texas. 

3-Eric Prisbell of USA Today on Larry Brown, now at SMU.

4-Marc Berman of the NY Post on J.R. Smith of the Knicks, he’s upset that he will not be starting. “I think disappointed is an understatement,’’ Smith said of his status made clear by Woodson on Tuesday. “My whole process of getting better this summer and everything I went through was to be in that starting role.”

Another great pass from Camp Darryl leading to basket; On today’s date in 1955, Norm Nixon was born. In 1980, the Dallas Mavericks played their 1st NBA game.

HOOPS135@HOTMAIL.COM

TWITTER: @CoachFinamore