Coach Ethan Khoza explains five practical ways to create scoring advantages (not just flashy moves) by using deception, disrupting defensive rhythm, and having counters/options. Key techniques covered: a delayed between-the-legs dribble (creates a half-second head start + toe-tap cross counter), a cross-jab that disconnects body and ball to sell a drive, a float-to-shot fake that turns into a drive, and catch-and-attack tools (jab and shimmy/rocker step). Emphasis is on reading defender reactions and practicing adaptable counters to consistently create scoring and playmaking opportunities.
Chapters
Here's a question I get asked more than just about anything else. Hey, coach, what are some moves that I can use to score more points, to beat my defender, to create for my teammates? And here's the thing about moves. Moves are overrated. What I mean by that is that there's a million different moves you can use. The game of basketball, what really matters is creating advantages. So how good are you at creating advantages? So in this video, I want to go over different moves that you can use to create advantages for yourself. We're also going to go through counters and options out of these moves because what really matters is that you're able to be in a situation and react and adjust to how the defense plays it, what they give you, what they take away, and when you can do those things coming out of these moves or different ways to create advantages, you're going to be able to score more points, create more for yourself and create more for your teammates, and overall have way more success as a basketball player. Let's get into it. One of the best ways to create an advantage is by being deceptive and catching the defender off guard. So with this first move and these counters, that's exactly what we're trying to do. So we're going to start with what's called a delayed between. All that that is is I'm here with the ball. And normally when we go between the legs, it looks something like that because we're going with the ball, we're going right away. But for this we're going to break that rhythm. Defenders live and die by rhythm and patterns that they pick up on. So again, most defenders pick up on that pattern up between the legs looking like that. So we're going to do right here is interrupt that pattern. And what that's going to do is allow us to catch them off guard. So instead of going right with that between, we're going to get that between, let it touch that hand and then we're going to go half a second late. So by the time they re it, the ball's already out in front of us and we can already go. And this just gives us a half second head start on that defender. So again, I'm nice and relaxed with that up here and then I can go. So notice how narrow I'm staying up here. Like I'm super narrow. After that delay, I'm going for being here and my feet are almost resetting wider so that I have an angle to push off of and accelerate here. So bringing that to my right side now. Super Important for a move like this is you have a counter because it's not going to work every time, especially if it's something that you do a couple of times and you it works a couple times. So right here we're going to get to a toe tap cross all that. This is just again there's a counter off of this. So I get myself there and those feet can still replace. But then instead of going I'm just crossing myself back the other way. Now out having both of these at your disposal, super important and a really good way to be able to create a half second advantage for you that you can take advantage of and be able to score more, create more, ultimately take advantage of that defender. The fact that they're always going to be a little bit behind you. For this next move we're going to go through a cross jab here. All that looks like is crossing that ball over. And again right here we're playing on the fact that defenders pick up on habits and they make assumptions and they're almost always anticipating something. So when we can use this is a great way to throw a wrench in that, be able to throw off that pattern. They're expecting a lot of them to be able to catch them off guard and create an advantage. So all that we're going to do in that cross jab is again we cross over. Normally look something like that where our whole body is going with the ball going in the direction of the ball. Instead, right here we're crossing that ball over but then our body is going the opposite direction. So we're selling that drive. The ball is here though, so as they shift that way we could just go because we already have the ball on the side that we're going to. So how that looks, I'm bringing myself up this something that's really nice to use in transition or even we just have a little bit of space on a defender. Again, when you get really good at being able to disconnect the ball from your body makes you a lot harder to predict and a lot harder to guard. For our last option off the dribble. I think for me personally I really like this one because it allows me to play to my strength and shooting the basketball. So if you're somebody who shoots the ball especially off the dribble, this is something that can be really, really help helpful, really, really effective. Again, defenders completely play on patterns that play on rhythm. So when they see something starting, they anticipate what's going to happen. If a defender sees me step this way and bring my hand towards the ball. They assume that I'm picking it up, likely to shoot it. So they're probably going to react that way. They're going to raise up, they're going to lift their arm up to contest, whatever. So if we can utilize that, we can use the beginning of that motion to get them to get into that reaction and then break that and be able to attack. It allows us to again create that advantage. So we're going to use this coming off of a float, though. So if I'm floating, I might get into a three where I'm here and then that's my shot. What we're going to do is we're going to get to that float. We're going to bring that left hand to the ball, but then we're going to turn out of it and break that right before we pick it up. So I'm here with it, I'm floating, getting myself there, and then I'm in the back drop. Now, depending on where that defender is coming from, where they close out to, I might have to turn it and get back on the inside here, so I get myself two that float. What's really, really important here is that you get yourself to a point where you're this close to carrying the ball. You're this close to actually picking it up. That's the only way you're going to sell it. So getting myself out and I'm getting that hand right next to that ball as I almost bring it to that hand. So it should feel pretty much exactly like that pickup is going to feel. Once you get that, being able to also give a look up at the rim is also really helpful. Get myself out and I'm there with it. Getting downhill, that's a really good way to go. Take advantage of that defender and the way that they pick up on patterns, especially if you're a shooter. So now we're going to go through some options. Coming off of the catch, it's super important that you're able to play off the catch, because the majority of the time, these are the situations you're going to get where someone drives, kicks it to you. You have a closeout coming. Can you score out of this action right here? Because you're going to get that dozens of times throughout, throughout a game. You might only get a few times to be able to attack off the dribble. Unless you're the number one player on your team or you're on a team where that's your job. Every player is going to have opportunities to score off the catch was important that we get good at that, the first thing, and it's super basic, but I think if you get really good at it, it's really hard to guard. It's just having a good jab. So being able to catch and thinking body weight, ball and eyes. So I think this is a lot of times where players can lose it is their eyes don't sell this drive here. If I'm Dr. To my right, there's usually a spot on the floor where I'm pretty much going to be looking, where I'd be driving towards. So I'm here and I look at that spot on the floor, I can kind of see my peripheral everything else. So you want to identify that spot. So, okay, that's the spot that I normally would look at, and that's you're going to look on that jab. So if I know I'm jabbing here or if I feel that they're really out of control and I can get them to bite with a jab, then I'm looking at that spot and then I'm getting myself out the other way. And that body weight's going, that ball is going. And my eyes are also selling that spot on the floor because again, defenders are subconsciously picking up on all these patterns. They're paying attention to where your head is, where your eyes are at, and that's going to play a huge part. And whether or not they actually bite on anything that you ever do going with that. The second option of the catch is probably my favorite thing. And it's a shimmy jab or the rocker step is also known as instead of jabbing and getting myself right back in the other direction, we're jabbing, getting ourself to rock back the other way and then going this way. This is something that really freezes defenders because again, just a break in a pattern. So I'm here with it again, getting those eyes to where I would be going, and then I can drive. So get super important that body weight and ball go. Eyes are going as well. I'm back the other way, same thing. Body weight's got to go, ball's got to go, eyes have got to go, and then we can rip through and go back the other way. Again, this is one of my favorite things, so I think it works so well. Adding this into what you can do is a really, really good option off the catch. Like I said, moves are overrated, but being able to create advantages is exactly where your focus needs to be. So take these different things we talked about, apply them, try them out, see what works for you, see what doesn't work for you. See, you can adjust on each rep to be better. And if you can, start to learn how to adapt, figure out a way to find a solution. When the defense presents you with something new, you're going to be able to be really, really effective and hard to guard. And that right there is secret to scoring more points, creating more for yourself, and creating more for your teammates. Make sure you click the top link in my description below to get my free elite permanent score workout. It's brand new, so if you guys want to go check that out, even if you already have, go give it a look. Make sure you like and subscribe if you're new. I'll talk to you guys soon. Peace.
