If you have very talented younger players who may be nearly as good as a more experienced player, try giving them alternative roles to play with the idea that in the next year they will assume the role of the more experienced player upon graduation. When I was coaching at Penn State the head coach called this the pressing team. Their job was to come into the game for the last three or four minutes of the first half, and simply press the dickens out of the tired opponent. Most championship teams have this mentality down the bench. When it get's going it a great motivator for practice situations.
Practices become actually more difficult than many game situations.
As a coach I love to have this mentality from my players. The Basketball Highway. All Rights Reserved. Legal Notices . .