This seems to be a very touchy subject. Here's a scenario - suppose you are up 25 or more, the starters are out, you don't play defense until the other team gets to half court. You have trained your team to trap every ball screen day after day in practice. You never play ballscreens any other way in the defensive system. You want your reserves to get better within the system so that someday they might contribute when it counts. However, when Joe Schmo fan sees you trapping ballscreens when you are up 25 or more he thinks the coach is a jerk who is running up the score. Do you worry about Joe Schmo - the other team's parents - the other coach - the other team's kids - or do you worry about trying to make your own kids the best players they can be???

How much time is left?

Make the kids the best they can be.

You can't tell your last 5 kids on the bench not to shoot or not to play hard. Joe Schmo needs to work harder.

How much time is left?

 

2 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter?

 

4 minutes to go in the game?

 

When does the time come when the coach should become more worried about other factors than making his own team better?

Another thing is that the other people may not realize it,but if your subs are in the chances are when the game is out of reach the other team's subs will also be in.So by playing hard and playing to their ability they are helping themselves and the other team's subs also.

Depends on the quality of the opponent, has the opponent taken out their starters.

 

The team can get better if they don't trap ball screens.

 

You don't want to embarass the other team, you might be on the other end next time

2 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter?

 

4 minutes to go in the game?

 

When does the time come when the coach should become more worried about other factors than making his own team better?

What other factors are there to consider?

 

I don't care if it's after the first quarter. If you're not going to make your second level players play hard and run the normal offense and defense, then call the game and practice. It would be more beneficial to everybody.

Other factors: the fans, the parents from both schools, the administration from both schools, the media, the opposing team's coach, the opposing team's players, other folks who think you are running up the score.

 

I agree that there are times when practice is more beneficial than some of these blow out games.

 

Now I think you should always coach to make your players better, but some folks feel like someone up by a lot of points should fall back into a zone and show some mercy.

I wouldn't think it would be necessary to play zone but tough man to man, and have the reserves work on moving their feet on defense. Stress the importance for them to pay attention to detail. Whoever is playing, play ball and play hard.

Example - on the Franklin Co. v/s Western Hills site tonight when the score was reported the first reply was - I hope the starters weren't in too long.

I'm telling you, this is a touchy subject for people.

Don't misunderstand the kids must play hard, but trapping or tough pressure isn't necessary at the end of a game.

Other factors: the fans, the parents from both schools, the administration from both schools, the media, the opposing team's coach, the opposing team's players, other folks who think you are running up the score.

 

I agree that there are times when practice is more beneficial than some of these blow out games.

 

Now I think you should always coach to make your players better, but some folks feel like someone up by a lot of points should fall back into a zone and show some mercy.

If you have your second or third level players in the game, they should, at the very least, do what is required of them in practice. If that means trapping ballscreens, then that means trapping ballscreens. If the opposing first string cannot handle that, then that's the opposing team's coach and the opposing team's players problem. The fans, the parents from both schools, the administration from both schools, the media, and other folks who think you are running up the score have nothing to do with it.

 

You're there to play basketball, not have a group therapy session.

How do you tell your kids not to play tough defense but to play hard? If your system is to play tough pressure defense and you do it every day in practice and you want your younger kids to form good habits then how can you "call off the dogs" when those kids get their chance?

Not an easy question my friend.

If you have your second or third level players in the game, they should, at the very least, do what is required of them in practice. If that means trapping ballscreens, then that means trapping ballscreens. If the opposing first string cannot handle that, then that's the opposing team's coach and the opposing team's players problem. The fans, the parents from both schools, the administration from both schools, the media, and other folks who think you are running up the score have nothing to do with it.

 

You're there to play basketball, not have a group therapy session.

 

I agree 100%:thumb: , but I'm afraid our opinion is the minority.