Offensive post play

The Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks and Detroit Shock all have something in common - a WNBA Championship and dominant post players who can score on the block.

On any level, the road to a championship is paved with difficulties, but it's nearly impossible to get there without dominant post play. With a bit of work and a commitment to mastering certain techniques, every post player can develop a solid offensive game on the block.

Carol Owens, associate head women's basketball coach at Notre Dame and one of the top post coaches, says, "You don't need a lot of flashy moves to be a successful post player. The key to becoming a consistent scorer in the post is fundamentals."

Owens teaches what she calls the Fundamental Keys to Post Offense.

FUNDAMENTAL KEY NO. 1: GETTING OPEN ON THE BLOCK

The first step to being a low-post threat is getting open. Regardless of how the defense is playing you, there are three moves offensive players can use to overcome the defense and gain proper position in the post.

Step and Spin: Simply face the defender, walk her into the paint, step in between her feet and make contact with your lower body as you spin towards the ball.

Jab and Swim: With this move, face the defender, jab away from the ball and, when the defender reacts to that step, swing your inside arm in a swimming motion in front of the defender while, simultaneously, stepping through in front of her.

Spin Move: When your defender has pushed you high up the lane or off the block, use the defender's contact to your advantage by spinning off of her back towards the basket.

FUNDAMENTAL KEY NO. 2: POSITIONING

Once you've learned how to get open, you must next establish good position on the block. Having good position on the block means being in a balanced stance with knees bent, feet shoulder width apart, elbows out and hands up, ready to receive the ball. Maintaining a good stance in the post puts the defense at your mercy. It also provides a big target for your teammates, making it easier for them to pass you the ball.

Once you have set up shop on the block, call for the ball. Be sure to step to entry pass - be proactive in taking possession of the ball. After you catch the ball, get your elbows out and hold the ball firmly, just below chin level. Having the ball in this position makes it difficult for anyone to knock it out of your hands.

FUNDAMENTAL KEY NO. 3: READING THE DEFENSE

After you have worked to get open and received the ball, you are ready to make a move to score. Now, you must check your defense in order to determine what move you should make. Reading the defense means locating your defender. Feel where contact is being made. Also, visually check for your defender by taking a quick glance over one shoulder. Once you locate your defender, you have determined how she is trying to defend you. The only thing left to do now is to make your move.

FUNDAMENTAL KEY NO. 4: POST MOVES

After gaining good position on the block and having the ball passed in to you, you must think aggressively. You must immediately turn your attention to putting the ball in the hole. Basic post moves are just as effective as the creative ones. And become skilled at going both ways, finishing the shot with either hand.

Drop Step: Use this move when a defender is three-quarters on the high or low side. As the pass enters the low post, drop your foot back, hooking it around the defender's back foot. If the defender is shading the high side (the side closest to the FT line), for example, drop step towards the baseline, taking a big step towards the basket and ending with a power layup.

Jump Hook: This move is very effective when the defense plays directly behind you. Jump hooks are shot from the side of your body, with a slight flip of the wrist. Release the shot at the top of your extension and follow through. This is one of the harder shots to defend.

Turnaround Jumper: Pivot away from the defense, 180 degrees, so that you square to the basket, and shoot a short jumper (from the block) before the defense reacts.

Up and Under: A countermove to the turnaround jumper. As you pivot away from the defense and face the basket to shoot, if the defense commits to defend the shot, fake the shot and step through across your defender's body, getting all the way to the basket for a layup.

If you play in the post, a sure-fire way to guarantee yourself playing time is by being a reliable scorer on the block. If you want to be like Ruth Riley and hoist championship trophies in the air, there's no way around it.

Coquese Washington is a point guard with the WNBA's Indiana Fever and an assistant coach at Notre Dame University. Send you questions for her to WBHoopQues.com.

Copyright Ashton International Media, Inc. Dec 2003
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved