Establishing a strong team defense that is stifling and relentless is an important principle of winning at the youth level. A great defense sets the tone of the game. A strong defense will limit the number of opportunities that the opposition has to score. A tough defense will frustrate even the best young shooters and put the ball in the hands of your offense more often. A good defense will inevitably result in more turnovers for the opponent, leading to more fastbreak opportunities for your team and easier shots like running layups.
Layups are a coach's dream because they represent a high percentage shot.
More high percentage shots lead to a greater chance of scoring more points, the main objective. Offensively, the goal is to position your players where they can take the easiest shots. Attempts that are closer to the basket are statistically the easiest shots for almost all young players. Therefore, you want to develop players who can take the ball to the hole and shoot near the basket. Taking it to the basket will result in closer shots and increase the number of times your team will go to the foul line.