Offense
Defense
Rebounding
Training
Mental Game
Links
About Us
Advertise
Home

Establish your presence early

I always tell players that they have to establish themselves early in a game.  And this is especially true for inside players, since the inside game is often about power and presence.

Playing the low post is partly a mind game.  Playing the low post requires basketball skill, but it also requires you to esablish yourself as a physical "force" down low:  a powerful offensive force, a big-time rebounder, and the last line on defense.

One of the keys to estblishing yourself as an inside force is doing so as early as possible.  If you're a starter, you need to do this right from the tip.  And if you're not a starter, you need to do it from the moment you enter the game.  From the moment you step on the court, you have to let the opposition know that you've come to play, and that you're a force to be reckoned with on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

So how exactly do you do this?

The answer is simple: play with abosulte and total focus and intensity right from the start.  Now don't get me wrong:  you want to play with focus and intensity the entire time you're on the floor, and not just the first few minutes of the game.  But during the first few minutes you are on the floor, you want to take your game to another level, and play with an intensity as if that is the last play of the game, and the whole game is riding on your effort.

By playing at this level, you're letting your opponent know that you're a big-time player, playing with big-time intensity.  You're also telling them that they're going to be in for a long night, because you're going to go after them play, after play, after play.  If they had low confidence coming into the game, your tough play from the get-go may take them completely out of the game.  And if they came into the game with confidence, you're letting them know they're in for a tough go of it, so there's really no downside and a huge potential upside.

So remember that the first few plays and minutes of a game, or when you come into the game, are some of the most important minutes you'll play the whole game.  These first few plays are when you establish yourself, and where you dictate to your opponent what kind of game you're going to play.  Don't underestimate just how vital this part of the game is to your success.

Return to Mental Part of the Game Page

Return to Home Page