It doesn't matter what we are doing, we have to be aware of the situation. This is something I push when I coach any age. Be aware of your teammates, be aware of the refs, your opponents, be aware of it all.
Are your teammates in a good or bad mood that day? Are they ready to go to war with you? How did they react to their first shot, make or miss? Who are you having to help more on defense than others? This is basketball. This is life. Knowing what is happening on your team is going to make each and everyone of you better.
How are the refs calling the game? The refs have a level of experience just like a coach or player will have. That can be used for our advantage or we can blame the refs at the end of the game. We can't control the refs but we can play in ways that control or manage the game based off their style of officiated.
The way our opponents react to being fouled, forcing them to turn the ball over or hard defense forcing a missed shot can tell us how to play them. Who can we mentally take out of the game by making them so uncomfortable in a physical setting. Basketball is an art, especially on the offensive end. If the artist is better at going right lets take them left, if a shooter is better at set shots lets make them create their own shot. So, much goes into this aspect of the game and I will write more about this exact topic next week.
As a player, when you walk onto the court learn how to analyze each situation. As a young man or women, do the same in any life situation; job interviews, in the classroom, in other sports, whatever it may be. Control the controllable and find a way to minimize the risk to the uncontrollable.
-Coach Adam