Tag, You’re It: The Power of Spacing
Think about the game of tag for a moment. Imagine you’re the one trying to tag someone. Where would you rather play—on a wide-open football field or in a narrow hotel hallway?
The answer is obvious: the hotel hallway. Why? Because you don’t have to cover much space. The walls do most of the work for you, and the person you’re chasing has nowhere to go.
Basketball works the same way.
When players are bunched up on the court, it’s like playing tag in that hotel hallway. Defenders don’t have to move far or cover much ground, making it easy to guard. On the other hand, when players space out properly, it’s like playing tag on a football field. The defense is forced to work harder, cover more ground, and make more decisions.
Why Spacing Wins Games
Good spacing doesn’t just make it harder for the defense—it creates opportunities for your offense:
• Driving Lanes: With proper spacing, players can attack the basket without running into their own teammates—or their defenders.
• Open Shots: The more spread out the defense is, the harder it is for them to recover, creating wide-open looks.
• Easy Passing Options: Spacing reduces the chance of turnovers by keeping passing lanes clear.
How to Teach Spacing in Practice
1. Play Keep Away: Use games where players must maintain a specific distance from each other while keeping the ball away from defenders.
2. Use Visual Aids: Place cones or markers on the floor to show where players should position themselves during drills.
3. Reinforce the Concept: Use the tag analogy to help players understand why spreading out makes them harder to guard.
The Takeaway: Basketball is hard to guard when there’s space, and easy to guard when there isn’t. Teach your players to embrace the “football field” mindset and make the defense work harder every possession.
— Reid Ouse
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