How can players optimize their performance and avoid wasting steps on the court? That’s the question that Jeremy Portillo, the sports performance coach for Evansville University men’s basketball team, answered on a recent episode of “The Extra Edge Podcast.”He shared some great tips to keep your players from overexerting themselves during practice and games.
Portillo has been on the job for almost a year, and already the team has seen a dramatic increase in wins. In fact, Evansville is in their first double-digit win season since 2019.
He credits the data with not only helping his players play faster, but also more efficiently, and it’s part of the winning strategy Head Coach David Ragland is crafting for the Purple Aces.
Backpedaling in Basketball is a "Disease"
Portillo has implemented a series of drills and exercises to help the players improve their efficiency and speed. One of his main focuses is eliminating backpedaling, which he calls “a disease in basketball”.
Portillo discovered with sports data that his players were experiencing excessive energy expenditure during backpedaling. This insight came from realizing that when players backpedal, they waste energy and don’t position themselves well defensively. Portillo noted that it puts unnecessary strain on players’ bodies because of the inefficient movement.
“If you have the fastest three steps, that is where we are going to dominate the game.”
Portillo has implemented a series of drills and exercises to help the players improve their efficiency and speed. One of his main focuses is eliminating backpedaling, which he calls “a disease in basketball”.
Portillo discovered with sports data that his players were experiencing excessive energy expenditure during backpedaling. This revelation stemmed from the understanding that while backpedaling, players were diverting valuable energy resources without optimizing their defensive positioning. He said it places an unnecessary strain on players’ bodies due to this inefficient movement.
“Get to your spot, sprint, just turn around and sprint. I think that’s just kind of what we’ve seen is get to your spot, make your cut and wait. Do your cut when you need to do your cut, but make sure it’s as aggressive as humanly possible. Get through that screen as aggressively as possible,” Portillo says.
He also found out that some players would take extra steps and run in arcs- not a straight line- while getting to their spots on the floor.
By shedding light on this issue, Portillo’s findings prompted a reevaluation of defensive strategies, emphasizing the importance of forward movement over backpedaling. This data-driven insight offered a valuable opportunity for coaches and players to refine their techniques and enhance performance on the court, ultimately leading to more effective defensive play.
Start tracking shots and managing workloads at the same time, with our free guide.
First Three Steps are Critical
He also emphasizes the importance of the first three steps in transition, which can make or break a fast break. He uses KINEXON basketball analytics, which tracks the players’ acceleration, load, and speed, to monitor their progress and performance.
“If you have the fastest three steps, that is where we are going to dominate the game,” he said. “Because after those first three steps, particularly in transition, most players start decelerating and if you are the primary ball handler, you’re really dictating the pace of the game, especially in transition. And the teams that get to their spots and get in their half-court defense defend better.”
The day before each game, Portillo makes his players sprint half the court. He uses the KINEXON dashboard to measure their acceleration and load during these sprints, after they warm up. He does the same warm up and sprints every week, so he can compare the results.
“I can see their maximum acceleration in a 75% sprint and two 100% sprints. This tells me how fast and fit they are,” Portillo explains.
Avoid False Steps to Avoid Injury
One of the rules that Portillo has for his players is to avoid false steps, which are when players shove their back foot back into a lunge before they sprint. He says that this can lead to Achilles injuries, as shown by some research and by a recent incident in the Super Bowl. “I’m always talking to our guys, no false steps,” Portillo says.
Using Basketball Analytics to Improve Performance
Portillo’s methods seem to be paying off, as the team has shown improvement in their efficiency and speed metrics. And on the Xtra Edge Podcast, he also talked about his microdosing strategy and how it has positively impacted his players.
And find out why, if it wasn’t for the old P90X workout DVD, Portillo may have never ended up at Evansville, doing what he loves.
If you’re looking for ways to manage the workload of your players, our free guide can help you get started.
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