How to win with a badger: Why it works and what to do when it doesn’t
In February, I asked three people in basketball to explain to me how to win the badger game.
Here’s what they said: 1.
Use a “badger defense.”
In the old days, the good-natured, high-flying, no-nonsense, aggressive-but-fair Badger offense was the only way to win.
It was all about shooting from deep, running the floor, and finding ways to score the ball with the help of a defender.
It worked.
But it was so slow that if you weren’t fast enough, it wasn’t possible.
Badgers don’t have fast feet and they don’t play like fast people.
They play with a deliberate, deliberate, nonchalant demeanor.
They’re a lot like badgers.
You don’t want to be the badgers, because that means you don’t do anything.
2.
Get your shots close.
Even if you don and don’t get to the basket, if you’re going to get the ball, you’ve got to be close.
If you’re not, you’ll lose.
This is what I learned as a coach.
When you’re close to the rim, the ball doesn’t stay in your hands.
It’s on your shoulder, your head, your feet.
If a player is just sitting on the ball waiting for the shot to fall, he’s probably going to score.
The better you can get the shot, the better chance you have of making the shot.
3.
Don’t just play the ball.
If there’s a bad spot, don’t just shoot it.
Take it from the rim.
If your defender is at the top of his game, he has the ability to knock down the next shot.
If he can get to your body and take it from there, he can hit you for a layup or take a contested three.
If the defender doesn’t know where the ball is, he could get into your body.
When I’m shooting, I think about the ball in my hands and my feet, not the rim or the defense.
If I have the ball and I can get it there, that’s what I’m looking for.
If not, I’m just going to try to make the shot anyway.
If someone shoots the ball over you, you’re in big trouble.
You can’t do it when the ball’s on the floor.
4.
Play a “big guy.”
I can’t speak to the bad-guy mindset because I’ve never played a big guy.
But I know that it’s more effective than not playing the ball at all.
Big guys get their teammates involved, they get the defense on their heels, and they take more shots.
Big men can block shots and guard the perimeter, but they’re not necessarily the most athletic player.
A big guy who can shoot a basketball as hard as a basketball player can defend the rim and finish around the rim better.
5.
Keep the ball close.
When the ball goes up in the air, don’ t let the defense get to you.
It’ll be harder for them to defend you than it is for you to defend them.
If they’re trying to contest a shot, they’re probably going in thinking you’re a big, strong guy who’ll stop their big man, but you’ll be able to score when you’re at the rim with the ball under your arm.
6.
Play the ball when you can.
When your team is up by 20 points or more, your team can start to think that maybe you’re good.
Your team is going to want to keep shooting the ball because you’re more dangerous.
So if you have the opportunity, you have to make sure you get the chance to shoot.
7.
Shoot as hard.
When there’s more than a 10-second clock remaining, when the team has the ball to shoot, it’s time to try something different.
If something goes wrong, don t just let it go.
If it happens early in the clock, try to play faster.
If things are still going in the right direction, shoot.
If everything goes right, the game will end in one of three ways.
1.
The ball gets caught.
The clock starts at 1:06 a.m. and the ball gets in your face.
You get up, and the clock is winding down.
The shot doesn’t go in, the shot clock is going down, or the team loses.
That’s when you need to shoot again.
If that happens, your teammates are going to take your shots instead of you. 2
