Coach ,

Doug Novak possesses nearly three decades of college basketball coaching experience, and most recently joined Northern Kentucky Women's Basketball as an assistant coach before the 2023-24 season. 

A main focus for all of Coach Novak’s teams is being able to finish effectively and efficiently in the paint. This is why his ‘Point of Attack Finishing’ course should be a prerequisite for every basketball coach. 

Mastery

Mastery

Coach Novak utilizes one drill that helps how players execute a jump stop in the paint

The drill starts with three lines standing along the baseline. The first player in each line will then run out to the elbow and stop on their right foot while bringing an imaginary ball up to their right ear. They will then pivot 360 degrees around them before releasing and jogging through half-court. 

Once each player has done this once or twice, the same drill can be done with a basketball. 

The goal of this drill is to coordinate the players’ feet so that they can eventually finish one or two feet without measuring their steps.

Teaching and drilling this simplicity with footwork will help players not take unnecessary steps during the actual point-of-attack decision. 

Euro Step

Euro Step

The euro step is an extremely effective way to avoid defenders while trying to finish a basket. 

And the best thing about the euro step is that it’s a deceptively simple move to make, once a player has practiced enough. 

Coach Novak has players get in groups of three under each basket. One player will start at about one step in front of the free throw line, the other player will be playing defense (although more so just standing with their hands up), and the third player will be passing the ball to the first player.

Once the pass is made, the player catching it will execute their euro step by first stepping right then left, arcing the ball across their eyebrow as they go up for a layup on that left step. 

Shimmy Hook

Shimmy Hook

While post players usually won’t have to worry about the dribble and drive aspect, they still need to have a few different finishing moves that can be made on the block.

And the shimmy hook is an excellent skill for any player. 

This drill is simple. To do it, a player will be at the post with another player at the baseline, feeding them the ball. The player receiving the ball will catch it, make a pivot on their pivot foot, shimmy to either side and then finish the play with whichever hand is farthest away from the basket. 

All these various point-of-attack finishing drills will get your team scoring in the paint and developing their finishing skills for the future.

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