Cori Close
@CoachCoriClose
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Head Coach of UCLA Women's Basketball 🏀 | Leadership 💡| Faith 🙏🏼 | Culture ✨ @UCLAWBB https://t.co/qgr1gY8OwK
Los Angeles, CA
Joined March 2009
This is down right embarrassing but a whole lot of fun.
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I am blown away by the leadership of @dawnstaley . I just hate this is how she has to show her leadership.
"We're not bar fighters. We're not thugs. We're not monkeys. We're not street fighters. So watch what you say when you're in public and you're talking about my team in particular.". South Carolina coach Dawn Staley had a message for the media.
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Player Development: I call this 1 v 1,2,3 . Great for full speed ball handling & finishing, reading help side, and drives and slides work. #GrowOurGame #DoTheWork
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I am so big on footwork. It is such a HUGE building block for development on both sides of the ball. Thank you to Performance Training & Coach Dave for being so intentional to help us grow in this area. Got 1% better today. #growthmindset
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Sincere “thanks” to @kobebryant for not only doing things to help his daughter’s development but for helping us grow the entire GAME of girls and women’s basketball. Means a lot!.
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Coach Wooden always told me, “Don’t let the final score of your last game (good or bad), overshadow or define the growth or journey of your entire season.” I think Coach Wooden would be really proud of the journey and growth of this team. #4sUp
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One our proficient fundamental drills to start practice. Focuses on close outs, 2 hard push slides, then finishes around the rim. We usually do 3 proficient (basic fund ) skills for 5 min each. I stole the 1st part of this from a middle school coach I respect. #GrowOurGame
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The @wnba is showing us today how many different things you have to be proficient at, out of P&R. This is ball screen conditioning shooting 4 us. Pick & Pop, pick & roll, & slip&Flip. There is more to add but this is the basics. 5 triple 1st shot makes on each side. #GrowOurGame
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Conditioning Ball Screen Shooting Pt 2: Roll fill behind post up, pop action, then flips & gets ending with reading the help/2nd line off the roll. I’d still like us to be quicker with our 1st 2 separation steps & be a little tighter on all our movements. #GrowOurGame
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People ask me all the time if you can make a slow person fast. I don’t think you can make someone Husain Bolt, but w/body mechanic awareness,efficiency of movement, & lots of purposeful work. you can make huge strides. R you willing? That’s the bigger question! #uncommonhabits
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Passing is a lost art. This is a drill we did to start workouts this week. High/low pass, pick n roll or “get” pass, drive & kick out to shooter. Vision, reads & passing is a huge emphasis for us this off season. #GrowOurGame #SkillDevelopment
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I have two outstanding people with Div I and WNBA championship level experience on my staff that are ready to be D1 coaches right now and would be great!! If you're looking for someone feel free to reach out to me!.
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More on Speed,Agility,Quickness. I have learned that deceleration is just as important as acceleration (4 injury prevention too). Like most things attention to detail, concentration, awareness,& purpose lead to great gains. Here are some more ideas for your practices. #DoTheWork
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WISDOM ALERT!!!!! I don’t care if you are a parent, a coach, a businesss person, or just running the race of life… take a listen. I know I needed to hear this. We carry way to much. #PutItDown
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As a white leader in a predominately black sport, I understand first-hand the opportunities the color of my skin has afforded me not only as a Coach but in life. Advocating for change & celebrating Black Culture is an effort that should continue every day, year-round.
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This is a small drill that works on passing. Using/reading pin downs & flares, and 1 v1 FC. Our attention to detail needs work. Timing on passes, hesitating at the point of screens & using leads dribbles to name a few. 😀But hopefully it spurs on ideas. #GrowOurGame #watchusgrow
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Skill Developments/Motion Shooting: They’ve improved their Bball IQ, they’re working on fundamentals at game speed, they’re building teamwork, they’re getting in shape, & they LOVE IT! Do your shooting drills do that? Lots of Grt stuff off elbow GET & split action. #DoTheWork
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Been off the grid. Still reeling after our loss but so proud of the women of @uclawbb. As one of our donors said, “the quality character of the women in your program allowed them to grow immensely on the ct, impact deeply off the ct, & be role models of grit & perseverance.” 👍🏼
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Such a simple skill drill: track the ball /rebound above your shoulders & finish vs walled up defender. Then exit cut out to a jump shot in your range. Need to get 12 doubles (make both shots) on each side. I would like them to use pivots more on rebound/shot. #GrowOurGame
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Motion Shooting: swing through trail, back cut & play 2 person game out of the corner. Lastly exit cut off the pin down. Tweek to fit your offense. Fundamentals, spacing, imagination, and game like shots. #GrowOURGame
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As we enjoy a great afternoon of @WNBA & @NBA games, you will see a lot of these actions. Today our motion shooting primarily features “GETS”, single away, stagger screen options. Tweek to fit your offense and watch fundamentals and basketball iq improve. #GrowOurGame
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I have to brag on my mom. She knit each 1 of these blankets for our seniors in their favorite color(40 hrs a piece). I kept telling her she didn’t have to do this. She said, “I want them to always have this to remind them that they were loved during their time at @uclawbb 💙💛
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I love skill development. I don’t care if it’s August or March, I want our staff working on individual fundamental development. Every one of our coaches invests deeply in the lives of our players, they recruit, & they can flat out reach the game. Its a commitment! #LoveTeaching
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It takes what it takes! This is what I walked into at 7 am on a game day. There were more people than this before I got there. The work is the work. I’m very proud of their understanding of the work & investment required. Special thanks to scout guys, managers, support staff
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🚨𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🚨..Today’s skill development drill includes: ..1. Flood (or baseline drift) 3.2. Shots/Reads off pin down screen. .#Uncommon.#GrowOurGame
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Motion shooting coming your way. Limited numbers…no problem. Dribble, pass, shoot, footwork while learning spacing &b reads in motion shooting. Use these examples to adapt to your offense. @CoachTonyUCLA does an excellent job designing these. #GrowOurGame
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We do this right now, for about 9 min at the end of the workout. @CoachTonyUCLA designs them & sets the objectives. We are doing options out of our stagger action here, flowing into a 2 player action w/ discipline, creativity, & knowledge of each other. #GrowOurGame
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Really simple drill we’ve been doing as a part of our proficient fundamental time this week. Handles, passing, square ups, seals, finishes in LP. Do 2.5 min on each side. Basic fundamentals always need work. #GrowOurGame
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This is a variation of a 1 on 1 drill that I got from @coachdgates ! Just added an off ball pin down screen read after the 1 on 1 possession. Will show a more complete version later this week. @LinaSontag is making her way back! #GrowOurGame #DoTheWork
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I’ve found that the more we get shooting & fundamental skill work, at the same time we teach 5 out motion…the better off we are. As I get older I try to really make them think the game & work on skill dev. at the same time. I encourage you to adapt this concept to your offense.
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1 on 1 ideas: We play diff versions of 1 on 1 all the time. Sometimes on the perimeter & sometimes in the post. Teaches versatility, competition, & game speed reps. 1st game…offense decides when to go after 2 tosses. 2nd one is pretty straight forward. #growOurGame #GetBetter
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Girl Dads, you are so important! This pic was from 3 yrs ago. This is my Dad. He was so affirming of me being a strong, assertive, big dreamer, GIRL. He was proud of my leadership & purpose. He affirmed that from an early age. He was proud & adoring of that til the end.#Thankful
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Motion Shooting! I love this. So much off ball work before work with the ball takes place. Reading screens, passing, creating for somebody else, spacing etc…. Tweek to fit your offensive sets, rhythms, triangles. Great way to get skill work and increase Bball IQ. #GrowOurGame
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Drill of the Week ➡️ Georgia Shooting!. This is a great drill that really challenges your team’s Conditioning and Shooting. Check it out!. #Uncommon #GrowtheGame
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Love the individual skill work we get to do this time of year. Simple jump shot/bank shots into live low post 1 on 1. Have to get 7 triple makes on each side. @laurenbetts12 & @museamanda33 are making great strides! #GrowOurGame #DoTheWork #EarnWhatYouWant
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Today marks another fantastic opportunity to live out my dream of teaching the game I love 🏀 & continuing to learn and grow our game 𝗧𝗢𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥! @usabasketball, I’m so excited to continue my journey of coaching U19 to another Gold Medal. #GrowOurGame #USABasketball 🇺🇸
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I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry. I woke up to this incredible art project. I think our players need to start school. Way too much time on their hands (I’m just assuming) 😳💛💙🐻 #paybacks
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.@CoachTasha always talks about how we are all responsible for the energy we bring to the room/practice/game. Today she defined the energies as energy hero’s, energy zombies, and energy vampires. Which one are you? #NoEnergyVampires
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Proud of @UCLAWBB!.
UCLA snaps Oregon's 27-game winning streak. 💥. @monyenwere_ put up a career-high 33 points in No. 11 @UCLAWBB’s 73-71 W over the No. 8 Ducks.
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Motion Shooting: We are starting to understand personnel, ball movement, & shot selection. Still needs a lot of work but trajectory is going in the right direction. #GrowOurGame #Think&PlayCreatively
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A few more examples of our cone touch 1 on 1, I got from @coachdgates . Get 2 for score, 2 for stop, & 1 for perfect pin down read w/1st shot make. Have a lot of work to do by like our competitive spirit and growth mindset. #GrowOurGame #DoTheWork
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Another day of making deposits into the bank of Lil Things! Love the work the team and athletic performance staff did today. We will with draw in March having benefited from compound interest. #1%ers #DoTheWork
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…1. Lay-up 2. Pull up against help D. 3. React w/combo move against 2nd line. 4. Three 5. Side step 3. Have to make 3/5 shots to move to next spot. If miss two in a row can’t move to next spot. #DoTheWork.
.@WNBA finals is about to start. So much talk about fitness & toughness. This drill builds that. This is 5x5 conditioning shooting with 6’4 freshmen @LinaSontag . She’s coming back and trying to get in shape…
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Fitness skill work: A drill with our forwards to work our rebound finishes, P&R shots, & live rim post runs. I am really proud of the growth in @museamanda33 , @zan1a_ & @laurenbetts12 . Shout out to @ImAmentor_UCLA for her investment in them all summer. #GrowOurGame
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She has been truly amazing, not only for @OregonWBB but also in helping grow our game on the west coast. Well done @sabrina_i20 ! #BackThePac.
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Motion shooting: Ball screen fill behind, going into the roller for the post up. Then split screen on the post catch ending with exit cut pin down. Again, you can Tweek and use according to your system. Passing, shooting, spacing, understanding of the game. #DoTheWork
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I love learning. @Raptors are a great organization. Learning a lot from watching them practice. Our staff has been learning from them for the last 3 weeks. Thank you @Earl_Watson #GrowthMindset
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I liked this finishing/reading help D drill that Coach @sohmatsuura did during our proficient development time. Took 8 min, 2 min each direction 1 on 1 then 2 min each side adding another defender. I hope it spurs you on! #GrowOurGame #DoTheWork #transformational
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I was out recruiting yesterday. Coaches kept asking the key to our season so far. It’s this ⬇️… UNCOMMON worth ethic & selflessness! This is totally optional & initiated by the players…pregame activation 8/7 hours before the game. #ITWIT #EarnedConfidence #Give&Grow
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We film & chart all of our workouts. Always looking @ the details & how to tweek things. 3 things I believe in: integrate passing & reads whenever possible, create game like reps that integrate multiple skills, & develop a “next play” mentality. #GrowOurGame
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A drill from skill development today with @CharismaOsborne & @DominiqueOnu . 1st is a shot we get all the time off of a BLOB play. 2nd is just working on P&R passing (we have some work to do here). Last is shot off uphill DHO which is a big part of our offense. #GrowOurGame
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Motion shooting: Very first day for our transfer newbies. They are going to be so good for us. Long way to go but so fun to start that learning process! Great first week of summer access skill work. #GrowOurGame
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Warn-up shooting drill with @museamanda & @laurenbetts12 . First time they did this. Love their improvement this spring. 1st step/1 dribble attack from 15 ft ➡️ jump hook (still working on that) ➡️ baseline pivot crab dribble power up. Try it out. #GrowOurGame
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No WNBA highlights on SportsCenter, but don't worry we're still giving airtime to Kyrie Irving refusing to get vaccinated 🙄.
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Motion Shooting: Elbow Get action into single away, ending in 2 player looks Each wk of Pac 12 play we have improved in our ball reversal rate, 5 plus passes per possession,& paint attacks (off cut, post up, drive) Must keep growing & giving (making plays 4 others) #GrowOurGame
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This is not ok. The Armenian people of Artsakh need our help. My heart is heavy. Our world is in bad shape.
Please share. The brave & resilient Armenian people of Artsakh need help. Once again, while the world’s attention is elsewhere, Azerbaijan is trying to drive Armenians from their ancestral homeland. This time…by damaging and preventing repair of an essential gas pipeline. Go to
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Motion Shooting: Right now we are better at our blobs/slobs/quick hits. Have a lot of new players. But in February & March you have to be able to MAKE PLAYS together. That becomes unscoutable. Discipline w/ creativity & confidence is the objective. 1 day at a time. #GrowOurGame
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We stand in solidarity with you! ..There is no place for hate in this world..Enough is enough. 🤍 ..#StopAsianHate
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Motion Shooting: some stagger action and zoom action in our shooting time. Then transitioning to live play. They are earning more freedom and gaining better instincts little by little. #DoTheWork #EarnWhatYouWant #GrowOurGame
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Ball screen conditioning shooting part 3: Just adding reads, & decisions. Baseline ball screen into reading the 2nd line,ghost the middle BS, then flip/get combo. Try to get conditioning with a ball whenever we can. Look @wnba game today. Need to be good in BS’s #GrowOurGame
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Motion Shooting Progressions: Fun to watch some of these actions in the Chicago sky game & the Seattle Storm game. @WNBA & @FIBA is going this direction. Versatility, position less basketball is so fun but requires more complete fundamentals. #GrowOURgame
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Congrats to @sabrina_i20. Well earned. Amazing program changer and so great for our game. @pac12wbb Is so good. So many amazing players and coaches moving our game forward. #backthepac.
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Love these seniors & it’s been such a joy to watch them grow. They should have peace. They had a growth mindset, gave to their team,& finished empty. It will fuel our response & prep 4 next yr. We’ll learn & grow & be better from this experience. Our R will be strong.
UCLA's outstanding 2018-19 season comes to an end in the Sweet 16. Special thanks to three standout seniors in Kennedy Burke, @Lajahnaa & @chrissybaird32. #GoBruins | #ncaaW
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Most of our shooting drills are out of actions in our offense. As we get scout guys back, I want there to be dribbling, passing, footwork & reads integrated as well. Movement away from the ball is so important. It’s what makes your actions after the catch so much more effective.
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Motion Shooting w/the "Freshies." We have only worked with them for 2 weeks but so proud of their growth. Implementing concepts & principles. Here are some clips from motion shooting, yesterday. Keep grinding and growing Avary Cain, @starinmaking22 , & @zan1a_ ! #GrowOurGame
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Skill Development Work: working on capture/hostage dribble against drop/shadow P&R coverage. Plus drives & slides creating a better kick out angle. #FallInLoveWithTheProcess #IntentionalGrowth
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That's for you, @k_dubbs21! @staley05 I'm coming for your new challenge. What do you think @HighlightHER
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Motion Shooting: It will be interesting to watch our progressions over the next few weeks. It always takes a little longer to teach players versatility and to make plays vs running plays. Just want us to intentionally GIVE & GROW every day. #GrowOurGame #EarnWhatYouWant
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🚨𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🚨..1. Full speed dribble & read the 2 on 1 help def.2. Away from the ball, move to create best passing lane for the driver (& TALK w/purpose) .3. Prefer 3 on 2 instead of 2 on 1 but still good reps..#Uncommon.#GrowOurGame
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Motion Shooting: Drive and Kick reads out of the DHO today. Dribble, pass, shoot, rebound, footwork all included at game speeds. Great work & design @CoachTonyUCLA #GrowOurGame #DoTheWork
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Motion Shooting: really basic right now & lots to sharpen up. But I love the selfless, hard working, coachable, versatile pieces that make up our team this year. Need to be cleaner & more aggressive on screens right now & lock into much crisper passing/catching. #GrowOurGame
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Motion Shooting: stagger actions, exit cut pin down, & two player actions. Try something similar out of your offensive actions. Lean to make plays more than run plays. #GrowOurGame #versatility
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Want to bring some joy and work on your handles at the same time?! Check out @ImAMentor_UCLA ‘s drill to start practice. To see the full version go to @CoachCoriClose on Instagram. #GrowOurGame #uncommon #DoTheWork
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Skill Development w/these versatile swing players. Both reading the pin down as the receiver but also as the screener/second cutter (on 2nd side). Into a”get” @ the elbow, & into DHO out of the corner. Incorporating a lot here but the players are responding well. #GrowOurGame
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Motion Shooting: We introduced some of our stagger actions yesterday. Just learning some of the screening actions and second cuts. You can really create something similar no matter what offense you run. @CoachTonyUCLA designs all of these for us. #growourgame
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5-Out Split screen actions, uphill DHO’s, fundamental skill development reading the 2nd line & midrange shots. A little 5 on 0 motion at the end. Lots more to do but I like our work ethic and trajectory! #GrowTheGame #DoTheWork
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Simply amazing! Well done on so many levels @sabrina_i20 . #BackThePac.
🇭🇮🇸🇹🇴🇷🇾 👏. Sabrina Ionescu is the first player in NCAA Basketball history – male or female – to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds. #ncaaW | @sabrina_i20 x @OregonWBB
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Motion Shooting: Elbow “gets”, through cuts to the pin down, 2 player game with person coming out of the corner, & exit cut pin down on the back side (good imagination @CharismaOsborne w/the face cut). Hope it helps spur you on for ideas with your team. #GrowOURgame
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Some of you have been asking 4 def clips from practice. Here you go. @CoachTasha did this 4 min drill to start our defensive teaching today. It’s all about muscle memory, reps & effort. Off rebound swim move, into 2 different close outs, sprint to 1/2 Ct. #GrowOurGame #DoTheWork
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We started practice with 4 min of visualization and then wrote down 7 REFRAMES to help create perspective. This has been really hard but I’m so proud of how our team has embraced mental conditioning. #ITWIT #WorkInTheDark #Perspective
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Been thinking a lot about my responsibilities as a head basketball coach. It starts by me acknowledging that it isn’t about me at all. It’s about clarity of vision, serving the staff,& always keeping the UNCOMMON transformational experience for the players FIRST! #MEreminders.
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Skill Development: Here are two simple drills @clarkj22 was doing with @tyesouthside . (JC has built a great relationship with/her) Really committed to working on her perimeter defense and her efficiency, including finishing. JB is putting in work. Great things ahead for her
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No words. Just deep pride. The work done in the dark always gets revealed in the light and you are seeing that with these former @uclawbb Bruins ✨✨Champions made here, from the inside out. 💙💛🐻
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Many of you have been asking for more defensive drills. These are footwork and defensive SAQ (speed, agility & quickness) drills from about a year ago. Hope they spur you on to your own progressions and ideas #GrowOurGame #DoTheWork
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Motion Shooting: The days of forwards sitting in the low & high post are over at the pro & FIBA levels. Look @ the WNBA teams playing today. Meesseman,Parker,Dolson,Howard,Wilson,Turner are all versatile, skilled players. Players must put in the fundamental/skill development wk.
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Preach @coachtasha !!!! The illusion of choice. Lots of paths for average but there is only 1 narrow path that leads to greatness. #illusionofchoice #ITWIT
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Motion Shooting: I love how we are teaching our players principles and actions …helping them learn the game. I want them to learn HOW TO PLAY and not just how to run plays. #GrowOurGame #DoTheWork
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Motion Shooting: last week of summer access for us quarter schools. Excited about our improvement and commitment to excellence. Lots to work on. Screening, spacing, and work without the ball need to get better but love our trajectory. Lots of weapons. #GrowthMindset #GoBruins
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Very incomplete list. I will let our games do the talking!.
ESPN released their top 25 players ⚡️. 1. Caitlin Clark .2. Cameron Brink.3. Paige Bueckers.4. Alissa Pili.5. JuJu Watkins.6. Rori Harmon.7. Kamilla Cardoso.8. Aneesha Morrow.9. Georgia Amoore.10. Hannah Hildalgo. Do you agree w/ESPN? . Rest of list ⏬.
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Exactly!!! Poised, smart, hard working, great feel, & explosive. #uncommon.
Aarnisalo plays with a lot of poise. One of the best freshman in the country
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My heart is full. I’m going into my 31st season of div 1 coaching. The names of the players I’ve gotten the chance to know, the people in the profession that have shaped me, the up & down moments that have taught me so much. Gratitude, humility & anticipation fill me today.
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Motion Shooting: I’ve loved our work out of the point entry series this week. Hopefully this spurs you on for your offense. #GrowOurGame #intentionalWork
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Skill Development: Very proud of @laurenbetts12 growth & intentionality in her workouts. Here we are focused on left hand, keeping a wider base, keeping her shoulder parallel to the back board and keeping the ball high. She has made big strides. You aren’t ready for her this
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🚨𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🚨..1. Pull back dribbles, perfect pass, & footwork into shot .2. Pin down 3’s working on getting hips around. 3. Flare screen reads. .#Uncommon.#GrowOurGame
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Motion Shooting: This is from 11/20 practice in our prep. We didn’t use this Korver action as much as I would have liked against South Carolina but we really like this action and the good positions it puts our personnel in. #GrowOurGame #DoTheWork
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